Australian teachers' quick thinking saves student after poisonous brown snake bite

Teachers at an Australian primary school are credited with saving a student's life after he was bitten by a deadly snake.

Deakin Hawke, 12, was bitten by a brown snake in October during a school camp in Canberra.

Within 10 minutes he had collapsed and stopped breathing, having suffered a cardiac arrest.

School principal Brad Wheller told 7 News Australia he was talking with other students when a group of boys ran over claiming their friend had been bitten by a snake.

Teacher Candie Ell If-Williams said she was already administering first aid when Wheller arrived, having gone "into autopilot" because she'd had prior training.

"I just took Deakin, sat him down and went through the steps that I needed to take," she said.

Wheller found the snake that bit Deakin and quickly took a photo, saying that's when they decided to make the emergency phone call.

According to 7 News Australia, one teacher applied a pressure immobilisation bandage to his leg, another called an ambulance and one more began CPR on Deakin.

Paramedics said if it wasn't for the quick-thinking and first aid skills of school staff, he would have died.

Deakin has reportedly made a full recovery after spending time in an intensive care unit.