A hiker was rescued from the Buena Vista Trail in Montecito, California on Saturday after being bitten by a rattlesnake, the second such emergency on a Montecito hiking trail in April alone.
Montecito Fire Protection District responded to the trail at 3:38pm on April 12th after the female hiker was bitten on the ankle roughly three-quarters of a mile up the trail. Limited cell service prevented her from calling 911 directly, but she was able to send a text to a family member or friend, who then contacted emergency services on her behalf.
Dispatchers maintained communication with the patient as she made her way back down the trail. She was carrying a whistle, and dispatchers instructed her to blow it repeatedly so that first responders could home in on her location. Montecito firefighters and Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue personnel located the hiker and used a stokes basket and wheel to transport her to the trailhead, where an AMR ambulance took over and brought her to the hospital.
Montecito Fire credited Santa Barbara County Fire, Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue, and AMR for their coordinated response.
The incident serves as a timely reminder that rattlesnake activity is a real hazard on Southern California trails, particularly as warmer spring temperatures bring snakes out into the open. Hikers are urged to stay alert and to have an emergency plan in place before heading out.
Montecito Fire also noted that anyone who cannot reach 911 by voice call should try text-to-911 or use satellite connectivity if available. Knowing your location, including the trail name and GPS coordinates, can meaningfully cut down emergency response times if something goes wrong.
