It's the start of snake season when the slithery serpents are at their most active and it's also a time to take extra care to avoid snake bite when out and about.
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Wearing sensible shoes and clothing while in the bush and wearing thick protective gloves if moving old timber, metal or garden rubbish is a must.
It's also important to teach young children not to go near snakes if they see them and everyone should know what to do if someone is bitten by a snake.
South Australian intensive care paramedic Chris Cotton lists the steps to take to care for someone with a snake bite.
Keep the patient and especially any bitten limb as still as possible and call 000 for emergency medical assistance.
A firm bandage should be applied along the whole bitten limb, including over the bite site - by keeping the limb as still as possible the venom is prevented from moving as quickly into the blood stream.
If a bandage is not available, an item of clothes can be used to apply a firm and even compressing force over the bite and limb - about as tight as you would bandage a sprained ankle.
"Unfortunately we still see people using tourniquets to treat snake bite which can lead to loss of blood flow and can be more detrimental to the patient than the snakebite," he said.
"It is also important not to wash venom off a bitten area as it can be used to work out which type of snake has bitten the person and which treatment may be needed at hospital."
St John Ambulance also advises not suckling out the venom and not trying to catch the snake.
On average three Australians a year die of snake bite.
For a fact sheet on treating snake bite visit the St John Ambulance website
