Child bitten by rattlesnake in Aguanga

A child was bitten by a rattlesnake today in Aguanga, prompting firefighters to request a helicopter medical evacuation of the victim.

The snake bite was reported just after 2 p.m. in the area of Highway 371 and Lakeshore Boulevard, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.   

The agency said that several engine crews were sent to the location and discovered the youth, whose identity was not disclosed, suffering from a bite and receiving aid from his mother.

A REACH Air ambulance was summoned to retrieve the victim from Lake Riverside Estates Airport, a private field that emergency personnel are free to use just north of the highway.

As of 2:45 p.m., the helicopter was en route.   

There was no word regarding how the child was bitten, including whether it occurred close to a residence or elsewhere in the remote area.   

Elevated temperatures and sunny spring weather draw rattlesnakes out of their winter beds between March and May every year.   

Residents are advised to use caution and give rattlers wide space, never attempting to handle them. The snakes can use their full length -- sometimes over five feet -- to strike. Bites can be deadly.

The county Department of Animal Services provides information on snake encounters here: