A fellow I know quite well is attempting to recover from a prairie rattler bite on his right thumb. He's not a surveyor but was doing something similar to what we do all the time. He hopped out of the pickup, walked a few feet and bent down while moving his hand towards the ground. In his case, he was going to pop the lid on a water meter vault to read the meter. We might be opening a monument box or brushing something out of the way to get a better view of a monument or, at least, where one might be. There were two rattlers and they were busy makin' whoopie when he entered the strike zone. Neither made a rattling sound. Just BAMMMMMM!
His coworker had taken a class in college where one of the things that was addressed was what to do in just such a situation. First, he killed both snakes so he could take them along for inspection by the hospital workers. He quickly got the injured worker into the pickup and headed about 35 miles away to the primary venom-related care hospital in our region. He calmly came up with the hospital's number on his smartphone and called them to alert them to the pending arrival of a victim of a rattlesnake bite, mentioning the specific type of snake. In turn, the hospital sent out immediately for additional supplies to replace the ones they knew they would be using. Meanwhile the victim was alternating between getting sick and being whoozie. There is no way he could have made the 35 mile trip by himself.
His thumb turned black and the color began moving up his arm, stopping just short of the elbow. The rapid response saved the day as it soon began reversing direction. This was nearly a week ago. He is still not suitable for work. Next will be handling all of the insurance related issues to pay the astronomical charges that have accrued.
Both fellows work part time as employees of the Rural Water District on which I serve as Board President. Both have spent most of their lives outdoors in rattlesnake habitat. Each one has terminated over 100 rattlesnakes. They both know everything there is to know about being careful while working where snakes can be expected. The one that was bitten is a professional trapper and has spent more time alone in the boondocks than around other people. It was very lucky to have someone present to help him out.
The kicker is that I surveyed the very property where this took place. Fortunately, that was in January about 20 years ago. But, almost exactly one year ago we cut out a 10-acre tract across the road and one-quarter mile to the east. It could have been us.
Glad your friend is OK. Did his friend use a suction device on the bite?
