First Aid Tips

The pressure immobilisation technique described below is recommended for bites and stings from all Australian venomous snakes, funnel web spiders, blue ringed octopus, cone shell and for bee, wasp, and ant stings for people with a known allergy.

• Calm and reassure the casualty
• Place a small pad and pressure bandage over the bite site. Never wash away evidence of the venom as this may be used to determine what anti-venom is required at hospital
• Use a crepe bandage to bandage from the extremity, such as finger or toes, all the way up the limb. Make sure that the tips of the fingers or toes are left exposed so they can be checked for circulation
• Mark the bite site on the bandage so it can be cut out at hospital without removing the whole bandage
• Tell the patient to stay still until the ambulance arrives

 

This treatment is not recommended for the first aid management of other spiders (including redback), jellyfish, fish stings such as stonefish and bites or stings by scorpions, centipedes or beetles.