12-Year-Old Boy Gets Bitten By Deadly Snake During School Excursion, Teachers Save His Life

A boy’s life was saved by his teachers after he was bitten by one of the most venomous snakes in the world while playing with his friends during a school camp at Canberra.

Deakin Hawke, a 12-year-old boy from Drouin Primary School, collapsed and stopped breathing within minutes after he was bitten twice on the leg by an eastern brown snake. The incident occurred on Oct. 10, during the last day of his week-long trip to the capital city of Australia.

Candie Ell If-Williams, a teacher from the school, said as soon as she noticed what had happened she applied pressure on the bites to slow the venom from spreading through the body and provided CPR to the boy while another teacher had alerted emergency services.

The boy was then rushed to a Canberra hospital, and spent a few days in the intensive care unit after which, he made a full recovery. The doctors believe it would not have been possible if not for the immediate medical treatment provided by his teachers.

Gary John Blackwood, a legislator for Narracan, commended the teaching staff of Drouin Primary School at Victoria's state parliament for their quick-thinking and the outstanding first aid skills that saved the student’s life.

Deakin had recovered and returned to school earlier this month.

Eastern brown snakes are considered one of the most venomous snakes in the world. They are highly aggressive when provoked and are found throughout the eastern half of mainland Australia.