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From the Geelong Advertiser
www.geelongadvertisor.com.au
http://www.news.com.au/national/snakes-on-a-car-yes-thats-right-victorian-woman-jan-smith-bitten-in-car/story-e6frfkvr-1226322678560

Snake in car bites Ocean Grove driver

AN Ocean Grove mum has told of her frightening ordeal after a snake bit her on the leg while she was driving.
Jan Smith, a lab technician at Bellarine Secondary College, was travelling along busy Barwon Heads Rd last Saturday when she felt a sharp pain below her right knee.
She reached down to discover a snake had somehow made it's way into her Toyota Corolla and was coiled on the floor mat at her feet.
"I saw it and grabbed it and threw it out. There was no time to panic, it was so quick," Ms Smith said.
"It was skinny and dark and sitting on the floor mat. I don't know if it was a black or brown snake, I just know that I was very lucky."
Within minutes Ms Smith was suffering severe headaches and pains in her leg and, using her son's football jumper, tied a makeshift tourniquet around the wound a move she later conceded was the wrong way to treat a snake bite.

Unsure what to do, Ms Smith then drove home, where paramedics met her and rushed her to Geelong Hospital.
She was back at home after a night in hospital but still bears fang marks below her knee.
Geelong snake catcher Jay Barnes said it was highly unusual for a snake to be inside a vehicle.
"It's bizarre circumstances ... it's very difficult for them to get inside a car. Really the only way for them to get in a car is if the door was left open or there was a hole in the firewall that separates the engine from the electrics," Mr Barnes said.
But snakes could be found in unusual places, especially during recent unseasonably warm weather.
"The first reaction that people have is to panic. But people should be aware not to do this because any sudden movement will catch the attention of the snake,"
"The snake is not going to strike unless they feel cornered, provoked or threatened."
Ms Smith said she wanted to warn others to be aware of snakes and to brush up on their first-aid skills.
"Living in a residential area with a lot of bush around me it's important for people to be cautious, especially people with young kids," she said.

Andrea Hamblin   |  April 8th, 2012

Hi All!
  Please find below a link to a great website and magazine Tas Wildlife Rescue. Reptile Rescue is proud to be affiliated with Tas Wildlife Rescue. We shall be dedicating a blog page to their cause shortly. Stay posted!
 
http://www.taswildliferescue.com.au/

Sally Wilson
Editor

ABC News Snake Bite Story

Check out the below link to an ABC news story from October 2011 on the withdrawal of snake venom from regional hospitals.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-12/20111012-snake-bite-remedy-withdrawn/3549848

Check out the below link for an article and video on snake bite awareness on the ABC. Features Reptile Rescue volunteer Danny Goodwin talking about his recent bite and Ian Norton, CEO of Reptile Rescue.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-23/snake-danger-warning/3787740

Qld mother tells of son's python ordeal Sunday, January 01, 2012 » 12:49pm A mother tried in vain to prise a four-metre python from her toddler's body in a terrifying Boxing Day attack in far north Queensland. Port Douglas mother Rachael Sullivan was playing with two-year-old Kye Dalton and his three-year-old brother in the family's garage on the evening of December 26 when the snake struck, The Sunday Mail reported. The python latched onto Kye's foot when he went to retrieve a ball from behind a chair. 'He then let out that horrible scream where you know something is very, very wrong,' Ms Sullivan said. 'By the time I got to him, and we are talking a second or two, the snake had latched on to his foot and coiled all up Kye. 'He just screamed only once and I just grabbed him and tried pulling the snake off but I couldn't budge it.' Panicked, Ms Sullivan carried Kye into the street with the snake still attached and screamed for help. Neighbour Scott Tunnie and his fiancee, Xena Reeves, rushed to her aid. Mr Tunnie grabbed the snake's head and squeezed as hard as he could before he began unwinding the python from Kye's body. The snake then turned on Mr Tunnie and wrapped around his arm, cutting off circulation. Ms Reeves tried to pull the python from her fiance's arm even as she spoke to paramedics on the phone. It wasn't until two more neighbours rushed to help that the snake was brought under control. Kye had to be revived twice after he passed out en route to Mossman Hospital, and later stopped breathing while being transferred to Cairns Base Hospital. A test for venom came back negative and X-rays revealed the snake had not crushed Kye's ribs. He was released from hospital the following day with four bite marks and bruising to his lower leg. The family spent the night at Ms Sullivan's mother's house because Kye and his brother were too afraid to return home. However, two days later the toddler was waving goodby e to his deadly attacker as he watched a snake-catcher release the python into rainforest. 'Bye bye, Bitey,' the toddler called as the snake wound itself up a tree. http://wap.news.bigpond.com/articles/TopStories/2012/01/01/Qld_mother_tells_of_sons_python_ordeal_702561.html?mob=bom_home_ pod_news_Qld_mother_tells_of_sons_python_ordeal_1100#