Australian snake safety guide

Snake bite first aid: the pressure-immobilization technique explained

A snake may bite without leaving obvious fang marks, and a painless or minor-looking wound does not tell you whether venom has entered the body. Do not wait to identify the snake, look for symptoms or arrange your own test before calling 000. Australian guidance is to send for an ambulance, keep the person immobilised and observed, use pressure bandaging with immobilisation, and give CPR without delay when cardiac arrest is suspected. [1] [3]

What to do first after a suspected snake bite

Get out of immediate danger without touching or pursuing the snake. Move the person away from the snake if necessary, then keep them at rest. Do not attempt to catch, handle or kill the snake. [1] [3]
Call 000 and ask for an ambulance. A suspected bite requires hospital assessment, including when the person has no symptoms. [1] [4]
Keep the person calm, completely still and under constant observation. Bring help to them where possible; do not let them walk or exert the bitten limb. [2] [3]
Apply pressure immobilisation to a bitten arm or leg as soon as you can. Do this while waiting for the ambulance, but resuscitation takes priority if it is needed. [2] [3]
Check responsiveness and normal breathing repeatedly. If the person becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally, start CPR straight away and follow the 000 call-taker’s directions. [1] [3]

This guide supports immediate first aid, not paramedic or hospital care. The person still needs an ambulance and medical assessment; the bandage does not prove that a bite was harmless or replace treatment. [1] [4]

What pressure immobilisation is for

Pressure immobilisation is the Australian first-aid technique for a suspected bite from an Australian venomous snake, including a sea snake. It combines a firm pressure bandage with keeping the limb still. The technique is intended to slow lymphatic flow, a route by which venom can reach the circulation. [2]

Use it for a suspected snake bite on a limb. A broad elasticised bandage is preferred; Australian guidance specifies about 10–15 cm wide. The bandage should be firm and tight enough that you cannot easily slide a finger between it and the skin, but it is not an arterial tourniquet. [2] [4]

How to apply the pressure-immobilisation technique

Do not wash the area or remove clothing to inspect the wound. Apply the bandage over clothing where practical. If you have two bandages, use the following sequence. [2] [4]

Put a broad pressure bandage directly over the bite site. Cover the suspected site rather than spending time trying to locate a tiny puncture. [1] [2]
Use a second broad bandage to cover the limb. Start at the fingers or toes of the bitten limb and wrap upwards, over the first bandage, as far up the arm or leg as possible. Cover as much of the limb as you can. [1] [2]
If there is only one bandage, start at the fingers or toes and work up the limb, making sure the bite site is covered. If no purpose-made bandage is available, use a firmly applied broad regular bandage, clothing or other suitable material. [2] [5]
Keep the wrap firm and tight. You should not be able to easily slide a finger between bandage and skin. Do not use a narrow, circulation-cutting tourniquet. [2] [3]
Splint the limb, including the joints above and below the bite. A sling can help immobilise an upper limb. Then keep both the limb and the person still. [2] [4]
Leave the bandage and splint in place until hospital assessment. Do not take them off to check the bite or rewrap them. If possible, note the bite time and the time the bandage was applied; a mark on the outside of the bandage can indicate the bite site without disturbing it. [1] [2]

The sequence is practical, not a reason to delay the ambulance call. If several people are present, one person can call 000 while another applies the bandage and keeps the person still. [1] [3]

If the bite is not on an arm or leg

A full limb wrap is not appropriate for a bite on the torso, head or neck. ANZCOR says firm direct pressure over a non-limb bite site may be useful, but it must not restrict breathing or chest movement, and firm pressure must not be applied to the neck or head. Call 000 immediately and follow the call-taker’s instructions rather than improvising a wrap around the chest or neck. [2]

Monitor the person while you wait

Keep the person reassured, still and under constant observation. Watch their responsiveness and breathing, and be ready to act if they deteriorate. Symptoms of envenomation can include nausea or vomiting, headache, abdominal pain, blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, trouble speaking, swallowing or breathing, weakness, paralysis, bleeding, or sudden collapse. [3] [5]

Do not use the absence of symptoms, severe pain or visible bite marks to decide that emergency help is unnecessary. Australian guidance notes that a bite can be painless and leave only a scratch-like mark or no clear mark at all. [3] [4]

If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, begin CPR immediately. CPR takes precedence over applying or completing pressure immobilisation; apply the bandage as soon as possible once resuscitation is underway. ANZCOR states that providing CPR does not expose the rescuer to venom. [2] [3]

If the person is unconscious but breathing normally, keep observing their breathing and responsiveness and follow the instructions given by 000. Do not remove the pressure bandage or leave the person alone. [3]

What not to do after a snake bite

Do not wash the bite site. Residual venom on skin or clothing can assist hospital assessment. [1] [5]
Do not cut, incise or suck the bite. These measures are not recommended. [2] [3]
Do not apply an arterial tourniquet. A tourniquet that cuts off limb circulation is potentially dangerous and is not recommended for bites or stings in Australia. [2]
Do not try to catch, kill or handle the snake. This may create another bite risk; identification must never delay the 000 call. [1] [3]
Do not let the person walk, drive themselves or otherwise exert the affected limb when an ambulance can reach them. Keep them at rest and arrange transport to the person where possible. [2]
Do not remove the bandage or splint before hospital assessment. [2] [5]

Practical questions about snake-bite first aid

What if I am not sure it was a snake bite?

Treat a possible snake bite as an emergency. Call 000 for an ambulance, keep the person still and apply pressure immobilisation to a suspected limb bite. Bite marks may be faint, absent or mistaken for scratches, and symptoms may not be obvious at first. [1] [3]

What if I do not have a snake-bite bandage?

Use a broad regular bandage, clothing or other broad material to create a firm wrap over the bite and along the limb. Elasticised 10–15 cm bandages are preferred when available, but do not delay calling 000 or immobilising the person while searching for a specialised kit. [2] [5]

Should I take the bandage off if the person feels worse?

No. Leave the pressure bandage and splint on until the person is assessed in hospital. Continue to monitor them, call 000 if you have not already done so, and begin CPR if they become unresponsive and are not breathing normally. [2] [3]

Can I use pressure immobilisation for every bite or sting?

No. Australian guidance recommends this technique for Australian venomous snakes, funnel-web spider bites, blue-ringed octopus bites and cone-shell stings. It is not recommended for redback bites, jellyfish stings, fish stings, or stings from scorpions, centipedes or beetles. Use the first aid appropriate to the suspected animal and seek official advice. [2]

What if the person is alone or help cannot reach them?

Call 000 first if you can. ANZCOR advises a person alone to apply pressure immobilisation as completely as possible and remain immobile until help arrives; it recognises that, if urgent help cannot come to them, they may have to move to seek it. This is an exceptional situation, not a reason to delay emergency contact or self-transport when help is available. [2]

References

Last reviewed: 17 October 2026. This is general information, not a substitute for medical care.