Rattlesnake Pays Firefighters A Visit

BARTOW, FL — An effort by Polk County Fire Rescue to put out a brush fire in the Indian Lake Estates area took a wild turn Wednesday afternoon. According to the agency, firefighters got a bit of a start when a rattlesnake slithered past them.

Crews from Polk County and the Florida Forest Service were on scene in a wooded area off Azalea Drive around 4 p.m. The 2-acre brush fire took about an hour to extinguish.

As for the rattlesnake, it made itself known, officials say, and then took off away from a nearby home and people.

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“This shows some of the other dangers our firefighters face,” Battalion Chief Chris Hancock said. “We always have to stay alert.”

Rattlesnakes have a range that covers the entire state of Florida, according to the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The eastern diamondback variety can grow up to 6 feet in length and may weigh up to 10 pounds. FWC says the critters are primarily found in palmetto thickets, including pine flatwoods and sand pine scrubs. The venomous diamondback can strike at a distance of up to two-thirds of its body length.

To find out more about living with snakes, visit FWC online.

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Photo courtesy of Polk County Fire Rescue