A prank about a snake bite had local emergency responders in Paarl up in arms, saying it wasted valuable resources.
The prank occurred on Saturday when the Drakenstein Farm Watch (DFW) Fire & Rescue emergency control room received a frantic call from a worried woman, claiming that a family member had been bitten by a venomous snake.
A photo of the “bite” was even sent to DFW’s emergency Whatsapp group. Within minutes responders mobilised, racing against time to provide assistance and potentially save a life.
The organisation's Daan van Leeuwen Boomkamp says: “Ambulance services were alerted, and two of our volunteers rushed to the scene, even prepared to transport the patient themselves.”
Throughout the journey, the responders maintained open communication with the frantic caller, gathering vital information and preparing for the worst-case scenario.
However, upon arrival, the team was met by a laughing joker.
“The young man, who had pretended to be unconscious, was perfectly fine, having orchestrated the entire ordeal to deceive his family and friends and even inflicted the ‘bite wound’ himself to get more attention,” Boomkamp said.
He said worse still, a friend of the prankster also arrived at the DFW gate, visibly distressed and pleading for help, adding to the chaos.
Boomkamp said they are not amused: “We are appalled and disappointed by this reckless behaviour, which put unnecessary strain on our emergency resources and volunteers. Our DFW responders are trained to save lives, not to be pranked.”
As temperatures began to rise in October, the Western Cape Government reminded residents that snake activity would be increasing, and could become aggressive if they feel threatened.
In light of this, Boomkamp said, the ramifications of pranks like this can have dire consequences, undermining genuine emergencies and stretching resources thin.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za