Rattlesnake strikes worker

Newport Beach safety officials are warning people to watch out for rattlesnakes after a utilities worker was bitten in Corona del Mar on Monday afternoon.

The man was working on underground utility lines for Southern California Edison in the 400 block of De Sola Terrace when he reached into a hole and was bitten by a baby Western Pacific rattlesnake. Newport Beach firefighter paramedics took the man to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, where he was treated with an antivenin, officials said.

Rattlesnake bites are rare, but the snakes do live in the area, and it’s important for people to be wary and know what to do if they are bitten, officials said.

“In any type of camouflaged walking area that’s not a cleared path, they’re just so difficult to spot,” Newport Beach Fire Capt. Glenn White said.

Newport firefighters get about four calls a year from people who’ve seen a rattlesnake, White said. The snakes are most common in the heavy brush around Newport Coast, White said.

There are 500 to 800 reported snake bites in the U.S. each year, said Dr. Richard Clark, medical director of the Poison Control Center in San Diego. A rattlesnake bite is almost 100% survivable if the person gets medical treatment quickly, Clark said.

Thanks to two seasons of regular rain, the rattlesnake population may be healthier than ever this year in Newport Beach. The rain causes everything in nature to thrive and get stronger, including the snakes, White said.

Firefighter paramedics first on scene Monday found the man sitting on a curb, holding his hand. He told firefighters he was bitten on the middle finger when he reached into a small concrete vault. He tried to stomp on the 14-inch snake, then waited for the paramedics to arrive.

“People, in general when they get bit, they can feel the effect spreading,” White said.

The snake that bit the Edison worker was a baby, but there’s no proof that the babies are more dangerous than adult snakes, Clark said.

The bottom line is you can get a significant amount of venom from any size or age of snake, Clark said.

The rattlesnake was tentatively identified as a Western Pacific rattlesnake, of which there are several varieties. Depending on the time of year or what the snake has eaten, the rattlesnake could have a neurotoxin in the venom, Clark said. The toxin can cause involuntary muscle contractions and, in some cases, extreme paralysis that results in the victim being unable to breathe.

The most important thing to do if bitten is to seek treatment and stay calm, officials said. Keep the bite area still, and if it’s a limb, keep it below the level of the heart so the poison doesn’t travel, White said.

The California Poison Control System does not recommend trying to suck out the venom because that doesn’t work, Clark said.

The only treatment for a rattlesnake bite is antivenin, given intravenously in the hospital. The antivenin is expensive ? valued at about $1,000 per vial ? and each person needs anywhere from four to 10 vials to survive the bite, Clark said.

To avoid being bitten by a rattlesnake, wear high boots if walking in dense brush. People who see rattlesnakes in their yards are asked to call 911 immediately. Although the snakes will not chase people, they can strike up to six feet to bite someone, White said.

“If you steer clear and keep your distance and take a wide path around, they won’t go out of their way to get you,” White said.