Powell County officials rescue hiker after copperhead snake bite

Powell County Search and Rescue and Powell County EMS located and rescued a hiker who reportedly suffered a copperhead snake bite early Saturday morning, according to a social media post summarized in a LEX18 report.

The incident was reported and responded to in the early hours of the day, with the rescue effort carried out by the county’s Search and Rescue team together with EMS personnel, the report said.

LEX18 said the details of the situation, including the fact that the victim was found and brought out, came from the social media update rather than from an on-scene statement to reporters. The report did not provide additional medical specifics in its account of the rescue.

Copperhead bites can be medically serious, especially if treatment is delayed. The rescue response, including EMS involvement, reflects the need for rapid assessment and care when venomous snake exposure is suspected.

For Powell County residents, the episode also highlights the role of local Search and Rescue units during time-sensitive emergencies, particularly when a victim’s location is not immediately known and conditions may make self-extraction difficult.

The LEX18 report did not specify the hiker’s age, the precise location of the bite, or the current condition of the patient. It also did not state whether any additional partners, such as another EMS service or medical facility, participated in the transport described by officials.

Anyone with information relevant to the incident, or who may have witnessed or assisted with the search and retrieval, is expected to be directed through the county’s official channels, though the report did not identify a point of contact beyond the publicly shared update.

As of the publication of the LEX18 report, the confirmed facts were limited to the reported bite, the hiker’s location and rescue by Powell County Search and Rescue, and the EMS response early Saturday.