When the outback bites back >
When the outback bites back >
Medical emergencies don't take a Christmas break - just as Eddie McKinney and his family discovered on their recent holiday to the red centre.
What began as a dream family holiday at Uluru quickly turned into a nightmare for Melbourne dad, Eddie McKinney.
While taking his two-year-old daughter Vienna to the pool, Eddie unknowingly brushed against a small brown snake outside his hotel room. Minutes later, he discovered two fang marks on his leg.
With temperatures soaring above 35 degrees, Eddie managed to stay calm and apply a makeshift tourniquet before collapsing in the resort restaurant. Local clinic nurses contacted the RFDS, and a crew was dispatched to airlift him to Alice Springs.
Eddie was relieved to be in expert hands as the RFDS team monitored his condition during the flight. Once at hospital, doctors discovered two bite marks — both dry bites, meaning no venom had entered his system.
Today, Eddie is deeply grateful to the Flying Doctor for their swift response and life-saving care. What could have ended in tragedy instead became a powerful reminder of the vital role the RFDS plays for anyone travelling in remote Australia.
“I was bitten by one of the world’s deadliest snakes, flown out of the desert by a team of professionals… and the bill at the end was $0. That’s incredible. You don’t get that in many countries. “You never know who you're going to be helping – maybe someone just like me, who went on a dream holiday and ended up needing heroes in the sky.”
