WSVN (Miami, Florida) 04 October 13 Park ranger talks about surviving poisonous snake bite
Southwest Miami-Dade, Fla.: An Everglades National Park ranger was bitten by one of the most dangerous, venomous snakes in North America, and now, he is sharing his survival story.
"The initial pain was like hot air trying to get stuck up the one hole that the snake put in me," said Ranger Anthony Terry.
Back on Sept. 28, Terry was on duty to remove an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake from a home inside the park. "I respond to the area and located the rattlesnake and some rangers working on him," he said. "I got the snake bag and was putting the rattlesnake in the bag and as I was dropping him in, I didn't push him in the bag, I dropped him in the bag and he caught a hold of my finger as he was falling."
The race was on to get Terry some crucial antivenin. Miami-Dade Air Rescue arrived at the park within 15 minutes and Terry arrived at the hospital 15 minutes later with some unbearable pain. "Later on, about an hour later, it felt like a hammer that had been heated up and every time my heart beat, the hammer would hit my hand and then it got harder and harder, and I started hallucinating, so I don't remember most of it," said Terry.
The Venom One team based out of Tamiami Airport rushed the antivenin to the hospital where Terry received more than 30 vials. "Once that pain has stopped progressing, we know the antivenin is working, and he can have pain medication to help with that pain," said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department's Venom Response Team Lieutenant Lisa Wood.
At one point, Terry thought the rattlesnake won the battle. "It was pretty bad. I want to be honest, I thought I was going to die in the hospital."
However, Wood thinks Terry's prognosis is good. "He should have a great outcome in this case," she said.
Terry said he is very thankful for the quick response by Rescue Crews and the Venom One team. "Having a unit that just knows about snakes and the poisonous animals in this area and having the Everglades right there, I don't know how you can do without it," said Terry.
Terry said he will go back to light duty in Everglades National Park sometime next week.
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