Here’s a rarity, a citizen recording of an entire EMS call, from just after calling 911, to transport of the patient. Raleigh and New Hope fire departments, and Wake County EMS responded.

Happened on July 7, when C. Spencer was bicycling on the Neuse River Greenway and happened upon an adult male suffering from multiple bee stings and nearly unconscious. He posted this footage, which runs twenty minutes. 

Here’s the accompanying narrative:

On July 7th 2017 I found this a man on the Neuse River Greenway nearly unconscious. He had more than 60 stings on the face chest and back. He had made contact with a bee colony while walking off trail through the woods. 

I instructed his wife call EMS while I loaded him on my bike trailer, the trail head was less than 1 mile away but the ambulance could not reach him at this location as it was far too wide and heavy for the trail. 

I opened his pack of cigarettes and ground them up in my hands putting the tobacco on the majority of the sting locations on his chest and shoulders. (nicotine acts as a local anesthetic for the bee stings and aids by reducing swelling). Nicotine is also water-soluble so buy keeping his shirt on his chest damp, it aids in the nicotine absorption from his tobacco to his sting locations.

Once EMS arrived they administered the standard treatment for anaphylactic shock, which is an IV dose of epinephrine and a histamine blocker. 

Local EMS from FROM FIRE STATION 21 arrived on location in less than 15 minutes, they did an outstanding job stabilizing and treating the bee sting victim. 

If you are walking off trail please be aware that there are many wild bee colonies in the woods, in addition to wasp, yellow jackets, and hornets which will often attack if provoked. If you are allergic to insect stings then please carry and dose of epinephrine on you in the form of either an epipine or adrenaclick auto-injector unit.