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Rattlesnake season is here and emergency rooms and hospitals are typically the ONLY places that stock and administer anti-venom. The reasons: High cost, shelf life and special storage requirements. This intravenous medication must be administered by medical professionals in a controlled setting because it can trigger severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis).

With so many hikers and bikers enjoying the 22,000 acres of coastal wilderness nearby, having an 24/7 hospital emergency room is critical. The first 30 to 60 minutes is the "golden hour" for antivenom administration. Prompt treatment dramatically prevents severe tissue damage, organ failure, and long-term complications.

Providence plans on closing the emergency room and eliminating acute care services. Instead, an urgent care with expanded outpatient services is being proposed for Laguna Beach. Family, friends, neighbors and visitors turn to our local hospital emergency room in times of need.  Snake bites are time dependent. Having to call for an ambulance to take a patient to another ER out of town—especially during the packed summer months—could mean the difference between life and death. Please share this petition. Thank you!