FOXFIELD, Colo. – A driver in Arapahoe County got quite the surprise when firefighters say a snake popped out from under the hood.
South Metro Fire Rescue says the woman was driving when she saw the snake pop out from the grille. According to SMFR, she tried using the heat, the air conditioning and driving faster to get the snake to drop out of the engine compartment. None of it worked.
“They came to us at Station 42 off of Parker Road,” South Metro Fire Rescue’s John Cronin told KDVR.
He says he could see the head poking out from the front of the vehicle and assumed it was a small snake due to the size of its head.
“It was hard because it was in a spot that we couldn’t reach our hands into, so we were poking it with our tools and so it finally crawled the other way and I was able to grab it,” Cronin said.
While he didn’t hesitate to help the people in need, Cronin says on the inside, he was a little freaked out by the incident.
“I hate snakes,” he said. “We get snakes at my mom’s house all the time. I usually grab them with like barbecue tongs and everything but since I’m in the public eye I’ve got to be tough.”
Cronin only held onto the snake long enough to pose for one photo before releasing the serpent into a field next to the firehouse.
“Good thing I didn’t get a video because it did turn around at one point and look at me and I kind of jumped off and ran,” he said. “I threw it out into the field, which I later pulled hose out into and I was like, 'It’s probably coming for me.'"
He says he hopes his first snake rescue is also his last.
“My lieutenant was even like, 'This is going to be one of those calls that you’re not going to forget for the rest of your career,'" Cronin said.
Snakes gravitate toward engine compartments because it is a dark space and the engine block can be warm if the car was recently running. To help prevent snakes from using your vehicle as a resting spot, experts suggest parking far away from tall grass or wooded areas.
They are not likely to end up inside the vehicle’s interior unless windows or doors are left open.
If you do see a snake under your hood, you can use a long-handled broom to try and brush it out or simply call animal control.
