How to rescue a non-breathing diver?

[Northeastwrecks]

To be honest, I have to say I am more than a little bit unimpressed by the skills you may have learnt by doing Rescue Diving, since you find it too difficult to explain those notions to anyone else in plain English.

Are you *really* saying that if I am not rescue certified there is nothing I can do unless let him/her die peacefully ?

DareDevil

No. If you already know the protocol for ascending an unconscious, non-breathing diver, activating EMS, performing rescue breaths on the surface, moving the diver to a place where it is possible to initiate CPR, administering O2, using an AED and managing the rest of the accident until EMS arrives, then you have the knowledge to provide treatment. A rescue card and a first aid certification may bring you under the Good Samaritan laws; however, that is beside the point.

Even if you don't know how to perform these tasks, you shouldn't "let him/her die peacefully." Instead, you should immediately seek the assistance of someone who does know, follow their instructions and learn these skills for the next time that it happens.

However, trying to do something for which you have not been trained may cause further injury. For example, improperly ascending a diver may cause a lung overexpansion injury.

I recall an accident report from a death on the U-853 in which the rescuer clipped the diver who he was trying to rescue to a lift bag and sent him up from 130 feet. This was not a recovery; rather, they were still trying to rescue the victim, who had been breathing minutes before the accident.

Any guesses as to the effect of this stunt on the victim (anyone know the words to "Pop Goes The Weasel)?

It's great to say that you tried to rescue someone. It's even better to say that tried to rescue someone and succeeded.

 

[The Chairman]

Voop, you are right. That's why NAUI teaches every Open Water student how to perform this task (as well as assisting a panicked diver on the surface) and makes it a part of their OW skill set. You are not much of a "buddy" if you can't help your buddy out, now are you?

First, you need to realize that a non-breathing diver is DEAD already. You can't kill them twice. All you can hope to do is to revive them and that's only happening on the surface, and not at the bottom while you try and figure out the legal aspects of all of this.

So here is the simple chronological order that I teach my students... practice this until it becomes second nature for you.

1) Make sure they actually need help. That guy on the bottom just might be holding his breath as he waits to get the first picture of a Nimble Butt Bottom Sucker and won't appreciate a rescue attempt. A pull or two of the fin will let you know.

2) If they are prone, you must make them supine. A twist of the legs (Pull one to the left, and other to the right) will do this easily.

3) CHECK THE MASK. If there is ANY water in there discard the mask NOW. Boyle's law will cause water to be forced down the nasal passages resulting a pharyngeal spasm making it tough to ventilate.

4) Check the weights. For most wetsuits/bare chested divers (20 lbs or under), just pull the weight belt off at depth. If they are carrying more than that (dry suit diver), then see if you can move them, or if their inflator works. If not, get rid of the weight.

5) Left arm to left arm do-se-do tow, grab their inflator with your right hand and pull it back to the tank valve and hold both it and the tank valve.

6) Ascend quickly. A life is at stake so you can exceed 60 fpm. If the victim starts to run away with you vent their BC. Vent yours if needed. DO NOT violate any deco obligations, but you should blow off any safety stops. KEEP BREATHING.

7) As the victim starts to break the surface, NAIL their inflator. You do not want the face to dip back below the surface. Coming in contact with air can cause an involuntary gasp... you do not want their mouth below the surface if they do this. BTW, establish your own buoyancy here... no need to struggle.

8) Discard the mask (if present). and give two rescue breaths. These should be slow and deliberate. They should NOT be fast, and forceful! Look at the chest or feel for resistance. Do NOT over inspire. When the lungs are full you begin to ventilate the stomach. What goes in comes out in far greater quantities.

9) Tow them to boat or shore, giving 2 rescue breaths/10 seconds (or 1 in 5). Call for assistance and initiate EMS. Strip gear as you approach. When on shore or boat initiate full CPR, using an Oxygen mask if there is one available that will ventilate a non breathing victim.

There you have it... practice it until it's second nature and pray that you will never need to use it.

Those n the Orlando area that would like help with this skill need only contact me.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Voop, you are right. That's why NAUI teaches every Open Water student how to perform this task and makes it a part of their OW skill set. You are not much of a "buddy" if you can't help your buddy out, now are you?
.........
4) Check the weights. For most wetsuits/bare chested divers (20 lbs or under), just pull the weight belt off at depth. If they are carrying more than that, then see if you can move them, or if their inflator works. If not, get rid of the weight.
..........

There you have it... practice it until it's second nature and pray that you will never need to use it.

Wow, you actually teach that........they will both become very positive and it will end up in a runaway ascend. Empty the victums BC, and use your BC to control the ascend. Drop the weights at the surface.

 

[JustJoe]

3) CHECK THE MASK. If there is ANY water in there discard it NOW. Boyle's law will cause water to be forced down the nasal passages resulting a pharyngeal spasm making it tough to ventilate.

If there is water in the mask, you should discard it. How? I'm assuming the water not the mask.

Joe

 

[The Chairman]

How many times have you done this?

I have done it over 200 times from a depth of 25 ft and over 20 times from a depth of 60. I have yet to have a runaway. Get the victim to the surface immediately.

 

[The Chairman]

Get rid of the mask!

Boyles law will cause the air in the mask to expand shoving water down the nostrils until the air vents out of the mouth.

If not impeded by the seal of the mask, Boyles law will allow the air to expand from the mouth cavity through the nose keeping everything dry.

 

[ShakaZulu]

How many times have you done this?

I have done it over 200 times from a depth of 25 ft and over 20 times from a depth of 60. I have yet to have a runaway. Get the victim to the surface immediately.

I will try that next time I dive........... that method was not an option in my training, unless I was sleeping during that part of the class. This is the very reason I'm adamant in people getting the correct training. There is no need to make surface-to-air missiles of your victims.

 

[MalibuDiverBrett]

This is my very first post in response to a question.

The most important part of any rescue is self rescue. Never put yourself in danger attempting a rescue. Much better to have only one problem to work with at the surface than two.

And as others have stated, it is great that you are curious about how to handle these types of situations. A paragraph or two will not prepare you sufficiently to deal with them. Please, go get additional training to enhance your confidence while diving and to make yourself a mpre competent dive buddy.

BB

 

[The Chairman]

That's OK... I do this for every one of my OW students two or three times in OW and 2 or 3 times in the pool. It's not so much "theory" any more as it is watching it work. Most of the other agencies only teach this skill during Rescue classes so they do not have near the experience as most NAUI instructors. NAUI also has a Rescue and advanced Rescue class. I have yet to teach the latter one.

 

[JustJoe]

I will try that next time I dive........... that method was not an option in my training, unless I was sleeping during that part of the class. This is the very reason I'm adamant in people getting the correct training. There is no need to make surface-to-air missiles of your victims.

The last time this discussion came up I seriously started questioning what I believed to be the method that I was taught when I first was certified ('88). Now reading the post that NetDoc made, I at least feel that I was not too far off. I could still be wrong, but at least I am not crazy (verifiably anyway).

And if this puts a feather in your cap Shaka, I decided after our last online conversation to do just as you have suggested, take the Rescue and Adv. Rescue class. I am already CPR and first aid certified, I need my AOW and then on to Rescue.

Joe