An Abilene minister got a close call as he was leaving work Tuesday afternoon.
Chris McCurley, preaching minister at Oldham Lane Church of Christ, says he was almost bitten when he exited the church and walked right past a rattler poised to strike.
A social media post to McCurley’s Facebook page states, “Almost got bit. Never saw him. Guess I hit him with the door as I was walking out.”
The snake was safely removed from the property without incident. McCurley says this isn’t the church’s first run-in with a rattler, claiming they usually pop-up this time of year and may be disturbed by construction on the property.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers the following tips for anyone isn’t as lucky when encountering venomous snakes:
- Assume envenomation has occurred even before symptoms appear.
- Identify the species of venomous snake with care. This could help with the medical treatment but will complicate the situation if there is more than one victim. If you cannot identify the snake, don’t pursue it.
- Keep the victim as calm as possible. Keep yourself calm as well.
- Know and treat for any symptoms of shock – elevate feet, loosen clothing, etc. Wash the bite area with disinfectant soap.
- Remove constricting clothing or jewelry in the bite area. Prevent movement of the bitten extremity. Splint it, if necessary.
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
(Information from BigCountryHomepage.com)
