On Thursday, September 4, 2025, at approximately 3:00 p.m., the Lawrence County Sheriff鈥檚 Office was notified via 911 of a venomous snake bite incident near the 鈥淏ig Tree鈥 in Bankhead National Forest. The Lawrence County Sheriff鈥檚 Office Multi-Agency Search and Rescue (SAR) Team was immediately activated.
Multiple crews responded to Bankhead National Forest Thursday to rescue a man who had been bitten by a venomous snake while hiking.聽
The Lawrence County Sheriff's Office says deputies were notified via 911 of a venomous snake bite incident near the 鈥淏ig Tree鈥 in Bankhead National Forest about 3 p.m.
The LCSO Multi-Agency Search and Rescue (SAR) Team was immediately activated.
When they arrived at the trailhead, deputies met with a family member of the victim who had hiked out to call for help.
The sheriff's office says SAR Team Leader Lt. Long, who is EMT-certified, along with other members of the sheriff's office SAR team, hiked into the forest and located the patient.
The patient, a man in his early 30s, was experiencing symptoms including vomiting, swelling, and abdominal pain resulting from a snake bite to the lower leg.
The sheriff's office says an IV was started, and initial medications were administered on site.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency ALEA Aviation provided air support for communication between the SAR team and the command center. However, ALEA鈥檚 extraction helicopter was unavailable due to maintenance.
Additional personnel were paged to assist in the rescue operation, which the sheriff's office says was made even more difficult by nightfall and rugged terrain.
The sheriff's office says the patient was successfully extricated from the forest about 11 p.m. and transferred to an emergency helicopter, which transported him to a local hospital for further treatment.
The following agencies assisted in the operation:
- Lawrence County 911 Central Dispatch
- Lawrence County EMA
- Moulton Fire and Rescue
- Lawrence County EMS (Greg鈥檚)
- U.S. Forest Service
- Huntsville Cave Rescue Unit
- RAT-SAR
- Mount Hope Fire Department
- Pebble Fire and Rescue
- Winston County EMA
- Winston County Sheriff鈥檚 Office
- Ash Ridge Fire and Rescue
- Haleyville Search and Rescue
- Lawrence County Rescue Squad
- ALEA Aviation
- Air Evac Lifeteam
- Lakeland Hospital
- Alabama State EMA
- Huntsville Hospital Trauma Team
- Alabama Trauma Communications Center (TCC)
鈥淭his was a challenging and dangerous mission, and I am proud of the teamwork displayed by all involved," said聽Sheriff Sanders.聽"Our community is fortunate to have such dedicated professionals and volunteers willing to answer the call, no matter the conditions.
The sheriff's office has not given an update on the hiker's condition since his arrival at the hospital, but 社区黑料 will provide updates as we receive them.
