FCH warns public to watch out for snakes

FCH warns public to watch out for snakes Brian Smith Tue, 05/14/2024 - 3:32 pm With drier, hotter weather coming, snakes will be coming out of hibernation and be more visible. Faith Community Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shawn White, gave a warning during an interview about how to handle a snakebite issue saying what is done in the first several minutes could be the difference between life, a serious injury or death. According to Peyton’s Project, the first reported snakebite of the year occurred April 13 when an 80-year-old woman was bitten. She was treated at Graham Regional Medical Center. White said if you are bitten by a snake, it’s important to remember two things. “Time is tissue (lost),” White said. “Remain calm and get to a hospital ASAP.” Getting excited in that situation makes the heart pump blood faster and circulates the venom throughout the body quicker, White said. The antivenin, or antivenom, used to combat the venom can be found at many smaller local hospitals including Jacksboro, Graham and others in the area. Peyton’s Project is an organization that works to spread awareness regarding snakebites in the area. Peyton Hood was only a month shy of her second birthday in August 2010 when she was bitten by a western diamondback rattlesnake at Possum Kingdom Lake. She was airlifted to Cook Children’s Hospital where she died five hours later. In 2016, the organization’s antivenom program launched which helps rural hospitals obtain and stock six vials of viable antivenom. With each vial costing more than $25,000 and in many cases more than five vials needed per bite, donations for vials, particularly in rural area, is crucial. Getting a vial at a rural hospital and then being transported to Wichita Falls or Fort Worth can be lifesaving, White said. Antivenin has a shelf life of between six to nine months and needs to be replaced that often. There are roughly 7,000 snakebites a year in America, more than 20% of them occur in Texas. “Of that, less than five people die a year of snake bites in the U. S.,” White said. “Many may be injured seriously but you are more likely to be hurt driving a car than of dying of a snake bite.” Snakes are more intimidated by people than it may seem. White said that’s why they give off a rattle or try and get away from humans in many cases. For more information on Peyton’s Project and their advocacy work, visit peytonsproject. org. The organization accepts donations, as well as volunteers.