I don't have a dog in the fight, pun intended, so my observation is entirely objective. I am an educated professional and have spent much of my life reading and writing technical reports to include statistical analysis. In summary, this report suggests there is no statistically significant benefit to vaccinating a dog ahead of time.
One of my classes in the military was tropical survival where we discussed snakes extensively. The most at risk group happens to be a group of young men drinking and partying in the woods. Some one is going to try and catch that snake...
The most important factor seems to be time so have a plan and activate it immediately. Have addresses, phone numbers, etc. readily available.
