Teachers save 12-year-old boy’s life after deadly snake bite on school camp

A 12-year-old boy is lucky to be alive thanks to his quick-thinking teachers after he was bitten twice by one of the world’s most venomous snakes on a school camp.

Deakin Hawke from Drouin in West Gippsland was on a week long school excursion to Canberra on October 10 when he was bitten twice by an eastern brown snake, considered the second most venomous snake in the world.

Within minutes of being bitten on the leg the little boy collapsed and stopped breathing, suffering from a suspected cardia arrest.

Teacher Candie Ell If-Williams told Sunrise that she “went into autopilot” providing pressure to the bites on his leg which slowed the venom from spreading and started CPR, as another teacher dialled triple zero.

After being rushed to Canberra hospital, Deakin made a full recovery, something Natalie Sindrey from St John Ambulance told Sunrise would not have happened if it wasn’t for the medical treatment from his teachers.

“Straight after the bite they did an amazing job at doing the resuscitation, which is what they needed to do to keep him alive,” Ms Sindrey said.

Narracan MP Gary Blackwood took to State Parliament to commend the teachers from Drouin Primary School for their lifesaving actions.

“When Deakin’s parents arrived in Canberra the doctor in charge of the intensive care unit explained what had taken place, and it became very evident that a number of teachers and staff had actually saved Deakin’s life,” Mr Blackwood said.

“If it had not been for the quick-thinking and outstanding first aid skills of the teaching staff, Deakin would not be alive today,” he added.

Deakin isn’t the first young boy to survive a snake attack, 6-year-old Ben Gorman from Darwin managed to fight off a snake slithering up his leg while he was asleep in June.

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