Helping a diver who passes out?

[Calle Roo]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba.../255831-infrequent-blackouts-still-scuba.html

 

[snowmaker]

Almost any water rescue puts the rescuer at some risk. Understanding the risks and managing them is key.

Keep the reg in their mouth and surface at a safe accent rate. Take a rescue class and learn these techniques. Then practice them. A good outcome is unlikely with someone who goes unconscious underwater.

 

[JKPAO]

I have a friend who use to randomly black out and even had his driver's license revoked for awhile. This has not happened for several years, though now he is getting his certification. I do not think I will feel comfortable diving with him, though I am curious:

How do you handle a situation where another diver passes out underwater and may not be breathing on his own? What if anything can you do other than just bringing them to the surface?
Thanks.

I was taught..Regaurdless of the cause the imediate priority if a patient is not breathing is CPR
Because it can not be ruled out that it is not an AGE the diver should be transported to a chamber and treated for an AGE (Recompression) unless A gas embolism or DCS can be ruled out.
See you topside !John

I am not a doctor But I did stay at a Holiday Inn ONCE!

 

[stanw]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

What is an "AGE?"

 

[rustyshakelford]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

What is an "AGE?"

arterial gas embolism

brett

 

[PfcAJ]

I figure the goal would be to bring the person to the surface as quick as possible without safety stops, however, doesn't that also put the person bringing the victim to the surface at risk?

Yeah, it might. But I'd rather be bent and give my buddy a chance to live. If I let him go to the surface alone, he probably won't survive, and if I delay treatment, he probably won't survive.

I'll do a chamber ride or two for my buddy ANY day.

 

[Gary D.]

Lots of issues here. First off they better have a well trained buddy that can handle this should it happen. Staying shallow and close to a boat or shore with a trained person topside would be a good choice. A FF would be a better choice than a standard mask and reg set up.

Lots of children have issues they out grow hopefully before they are old enough to get a drivers license. Some may take longer than others but I would still be very cautious with this person.

When I was a young child I used to have serious convulsions that required medication to HELP control. Per my Aunt and Grandmother my last one was around 9 years old. Nobody seemed to know why mine came and went but they are gone.

Do they know what caused your friends? They need to get more info from the doc's to see if diving is even in the cards.

Good luck with this one

Gary D.

 

[offthewall1]

I have a friend who use to randomly black out and even had his driver's license revoked for awhile. This has not happened for several years, though now he is getting his certification. I do not think I will feel comfortable diving with him, though I am curious:

How do you handle a situation where another diver passes out underwater and may not be breathing on his own? What if anything can you do other than just bringing them to the surface?

Thanks.

Keep regulator in his mouth and do a direct ascent to the surface. Signal for assitance and turn the siutaiton over to someone more qualified than yourself to deal with it.
If the person blacks out but is still breathing, this is one thing. Obviously if they lose consciousness and stop breathing, that is another situation alltogether.

The rescue course makes sense... as does being CPR and First Aid Certfied and maybe even AED certified. If traveling to remote areas or where you are diving together just the two of you... carrying o2 and an AED may make sense.

I agree with someone else who suggested getting to the bottom of what causes / caused the balckouts in the first place. Absent any underlying physical cause, anxiety and panic can cause blackout... and if that is the cause, I may question the persons fitness to dive.

As Instructors we must make decisions on whether someone is fit to dive. Some disagree with that statement and believe it is not our place, but rather a doctors decision. I'll give you my example of why I disagree.

I once had a student who had an anxiety disorder and was prone to panic attacks which caused her to seize up. Her doctor had given her clearance to take the class but advised her she needed to take her medication to ensure she would not have an attack.

She successfully completed all of the skills in the pool and on the first day of open water checkouts. On the second day of checkouts while snorkeling on the surface out to our point of descent, she stopped swimming rolled over on her back and became unresponsive. She was having a panic attack. After checking her vital signs and ensuring she was breathing, I started swimming her back to shore. Just as we arrived she finally started to come out of her unresponsive state. I asked her what had happened and she stated "I had a panic attack."

After further questioning, she admitted that she failed to take her prescribed medication on this day. I now know that she has the ability to forget to take her medication and can put herself and her buddy at great risk. Had this been an open water dive with a less experienced buddy or an inattentive buddy, this woman would likely not be alive today... and myself, the store I was teaching for at the time and the agency would all be in court defending ourselves.

I had a long talk with her and explained that I could not in good conscience sign off on her certification. Interestingly she agreed with my assessment, admitting that she frequently forgets to take her meds.

It is likely that your friends situation is a "case by case" basis. His case may be similar or different from the example I offered... but the process is simple.

1. Determine the underlying cause
2. Ascertain if it is being treated and if so, is the treatment reliable
3. Is the person consistent with self-maintenance
4. Have a plan in place for emergencys and needed evacuations
5. As the buddy, know where any treatment meds are kept and how to access them
6. Take the suggested rescue course and CPR, First Aid/AED training
7. Suggestion - Never dive alone with this buddy - always dive with groups (greater support in an emergency)

Good Luck and Safe Diving!