21 September 2023 , 12:22
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Astonishing footage shows the horrifying moments after an unsuspecting Amazon driver receives a life-threatening bite from a rattlesnake while dropping off a package.
The driver had just rolled up to a Palm City, Florida, resident's house and was placing the package on the ground when an Eastern Diamondback, a venomous rattlesnake, bit her in the upper leg, just above and behind her knee.
Within seconds, she had fallen dangerously ill and called emergency services, who arrived a short while later after tracking her location through her cell phone's GPS, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said.
The video depicts what appears to be bodycam footage from one of the emergency workers, who approaches the woman as she sits on the sidewalk a good distance in front of the home where she was bit. The family or their neighbours gather around her, trying to comfort her as she wails in agony.
The Eastern Diambondback was coiled up near the door when the Amazon driver delivered the package (Facebook/Martin County Sheriff's Office)"Where did it bite you, miss?" the emergency worker can be heard asking. She points at her upper leg, just behind her knee, and the man moves in to take a closer look. He pulls down her knee compression sleeve, and she screams in pain.
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At one point, he turns to those gathered around her and asks: "Everybody's secure over there? Nobody's going over there?" He gestures at the door by which the rattlesnake had bitten the poor woman.
The Amazon driver was taken to a local hospital, where she remained in "very serious condition" as of a couple of days ago. The incident happened on the evening of September 18.
A sheriff's office spokesperson told the media that everyone is praying for the woman and added: "Together, with the Delivery Service Partner, we’re looking into the circumstances surrounding this incident and continue to make sure that drivers understand they should not complete a delivery if they feel unsafe."
The Amazon driver sits in agony on the sidewalk outside the home where she was bitten (WPTV)They added that any residents who live in the area where the woman was bitten should be aware of the presence of rattlesnakes and must always be mindful of their surroundings. They encouraged residents going on walks to limit distractions by putting their phones away and taking out ear pods so they can better see and hear the snakes.
The Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake is one of the most venomous and also one of the largest snakes in North America, with recorded lengths up to eight feet. It contains a mortality rate of 10 to 20% for bites, according to Reptilemagazine. It's native to the American southeast, which includes Florida, and is most frequently found in forests, sandhills, swamps or prairies.