Dad killed by snake at child care centre

A father who died after being bitten by a suspected eastern brown snake in North Queensland was reportedly removing it from a child care centre.

Jerromy Brookes died on Tuesday afternoon after being bitten multiple times on the hand and arm.

Mr Brookes attended a child care centre to remove the snake after being called there by a relative, The Courier Mail reports.

It is understood he was not a qualified snake handler.

Queensland Ambulance Service acting district director Paula Marten said Mr Brookes drove to his Deeragun home but he soon went into cardiac arrest.

His wife performed CPR until paramedics arrived and he was rushed to hospital, but he could not be saved.

“(He) was found to be in cardiac arrest by our crews,” Ms Marten said.

“The call was made by the patient’s wife, who then commenced CPR as the patient went into cardiac arrest.

“The information provided to us was that the gentleman had been bitten in a different location and attended back to his residence, where his wife has immobilised his arm and wrapped it, when the onset of the symptoms occurred.”

Ms Marten said snake bites were common in North Queensland but they were rarely fatal.

“When you’re bitten by a snake and you’re not aware of snakes, treat them as if they are venomous,” she said.

“It’s really important that you stay calm and keep the person calm.

“Apply basic first aid, which would be immobilisation and using compression bandages, and contact triple-0.

“If you are unsure about what first aid measures to take, call triple-0, and they will walk you through what you need to do for the patient.”

Mr Brookes is believed to be the first person to die from a snake bite this year in Australia.

In January, a woman in her 20s was bitten by an eastern brown while she slept on her rural south Queensland property.

Paramedics were called to the Glenmorgan home, about 380 kilometres west of Brisbane, just before 1am.

Two people died from suspected eastern brown snake bites in Australia last year.

A father-of-two aged in his 60s died in Kensington Grove, Queensland in January, while a 25-year-old French backpacker died after being bitten at a grain harvest depot in Nullawil, Victoria in October.

Eastern Brown Snakes are found right across the east of Australia including the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, NSW and the ACT.

They are one of the most deadly snakes in the world, with the second most toxic venom.