Future of surface rescues...

[CuzzA]

I thought this was pretty cool and would be a great tool for liveaboards and big dive charter boats that throw the hook.

We've read the many stories of divers surfacing in distress only to not be rescued in time and sinking back down below the surface.

 

[Nemrod]

Why are they sinking back below the surface?

N

 

[Bob DBF]

Why are they sinking back below the surface?

N

Socrates would be proud of you. Did you pick it up when he taught you to swim, or later in your education. In either event, well played.


Bob
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I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

 

[boulderjohn]

Why are they sinking back below the surface?

It happens. A joint DAN/PADI study preceding the changes in the PADI curriculum changes showed it was an issue, so PADI increased the emphasis on oral BCD inflation and added an exercise in releasing weights at the surface.

Why does it happen? In almost all cases, the diver went out of air, went to the surface successfully, but was unable to stay there because with no air in the tank, they were unable to use the inflator mechanism to fill the suit. Oral inflation and dropping weights would solve that problem.

On the other hand, the inability to stay on the surface with an empty tank certainly indicates that the diver is overweighted as well. A diver who was properly weighted at the beginning of a dive with a full tank should have no trouble staying on the surface at the end of the dive with an empty tank, even without dropping weights or orally filling the BCD. In fact, such a diver should find it difficult to descend. That diver was also probably not neutrally buoyant at the time of the OOA experience, because the expanding air in the BCD on ascent should have been enough to keep the diver on the surface without adding more.

 

[Wookie]

In 20 years we only had one fatality underwater, and the diver was attended by 2 buddies. It's just impossible to perform CPR at 95 feet on deco. Every other incident we had happened at the surface. 2 other fatalities and numerous numerous rescues. Trouble always happens as divers transition from air people to water people and the other way.

 

[CuzzA]

Remember, not every diver is as good as a scubaboard diver.

I thought it was pretty cool and worth sharing. Am I going to run out and buy one for my boat? Nope. Not worth it as I don't anchor, but I can see the utility on bigger boats, charters, liveaboards and beaches.

Clearly it can reach a person in the fraction of time a swimmer could.

 

[Wookie]

V

Remember, not every diver is as good as a scubaboard diver.

I thought it was pretty cool and worth sharing. Am I going to run out and buy one for my boat? Nope. Not worth it as I don't anchor, but I can see the utility on bigger boats, charters, liveaboards and beaches.

Clearly it can reach a person in the fraction of time a swimmer could.

Very cool and very worth sharing. I've personally seen 2 liveaboard fatalities where the diver died and the rescuer took 2-3 minutes to get to the victim, and one where the victim sank. Many others right beside the boat. I think it's a worthwhile tool if the victim remains responsive.

 

[boulderjohn]

I am sure Frank remembers the details better than I, but there was a fatality not long ago in Florida in which the distressed diver reached the surface near the boat and the crew was unable to save him before he sank below the surface. The boat skipper was not on deck and was not on deck and was instead below preparing food. The crew did not use proper lifesaving techniques (like throwing a flotation device) because it had not been properly trained to do.

 

[Wookie]

I am sure Frank remembers the details better than I, but there was a fatality not long ago in Florida in which the distressed diver reached the surface near the boat and the crew was unable to save him before he sank below the surface. The boat skipper was not on deck and was not on deck and was instead below preparing food. The crew did not use proper lifesaving techniques (like throwing a flotation device) because it had not been properly trained to do.

Virginia. The Captain lost her license over the incident.

What is interesting to me about that one is that the deckhand was not DM certified yet, not that that has any bearing on the incident, but in red cross taught in basic lifesaving a hundred years ago "Reach, throw, row, go". Go should never be the first option.

 

[nolatom]

And dive boats (may) tend to see it initially as a "diver problem", with diver solutions (self-rescue), buddy assistance, nearby diver assistance, DM assistance usually able to fix things, and diver learns a useful lesson in the process (drop weights, breath-inflate BCD, do SOMETHING as opposed to panicked do-nothing)

The Coast Guard tends to see it as just plain old "man overboard", and a licensed captain whose first instinct isn't "throw the life ring" is going to be in trouble.