Brave paramedic's terrifying race against time after deadly brown snake flies out of recliner and bites her on the leg
- Paramedic bitten on the leg by a deadly brown snake after it flew out of recliner
- Emma Hegarty attacked at her home in Dalby in the Darling Downs region of QLD
- She spent one night in hospital and returned to work as a paramedic within days
- Promoted Queensland Ambulance to post warnings about snakes in recent days
A Queensland paramedic has spoken of the terrifying race against time to save her own life after she was bitten by a deadly brown snake.
Emma Hegarty noticed her cat Moxie getting irritated about something hiding under a recliner chair in the backyard patio at her Dalby home, in the Darling Downs region, on November 27.
She pulled the lever to find out the source of Moxie's irritation when the venomous snake suddenly struck her leg.
Queensland paramedic Emma Hegarty (pictured) became a patient after she was bitten on the leg by a deadly brown snake at her Dalby home last week
'It was more than a metre long,' she told Yahoo 7.
Ms Hegarty, 27, was on her own at home at the time and her neighbours were out.
Nor did she have a first-aid kit and had to use a belt to create a tourniquet for her leg.
Ms Hegarty knew time was against her, having seen a woman die and a man go into cardiac arrest on previous snake bite jobs as a paramedic.
'I knew the venom would only move into my bloodstream if I moved around a lot or my heart rate went up,' she said.
'I'm bloody lucky and there's nothing like a near-death experience as a wake-up call.'
Fortunately, the bite was only a warning one and after an overnight stay in hospital, Ms Hegarty was back at her job two days later.
Emma Hegarty spent a night in hospital and returned to work as paramedic within days
She urged people to have their phone at hand at all times so they can call triple-0 if a snake bite emergency occurs.
A snake catcher called to Ms Hegarty's home was unable to find the reptile.
The brown snake is considered the world's second-most venomous land snake and is responsible for around 60 per cent of snake bite deaths in Australia.
Bites can result in paralysis, uncontrollable bleeding and death if left untreated.
People are urged to be vigilant for deadly brown snakes (pictured) as summer heats up
Ms Hegarty's ordeal has promoted Queensland Ambulance to post a series of warnings about snakes in recent days.
'Prevention is better than cure when it comes to snakes – take extra care to avoid them during these hot months,' it tweeted.
Queensland Ambulance also advises everyone to avoid walking through long grass, wear sturdy enclosed shoes and ensure you have quick access to a quality compression bandage.
'Avoid washing a snake bite wound – the hospital may need to test the bandage for poison to identify the type of snake,' it posted.
Luckily, tests showed the Queensland paramedic only suffered a warning bite (pictured)
Comments 0
Share what you think
No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.
