How to tow an unconscious diver 100 yrds in 4 min?

[rx7diver]

... as you swim on your back with the diver nearly in your lap. You just need to have your legs in good enough condition that the won't cramp. You propel yourself by kicking and you may occasionally get in a stroke with your free hand. Lean back to you are less vertical, more streamlined.

When I've done this with scuba gear on, I found it easier to hang onto the top of the diver's tank.

When we did this in my initial open water course, both the victim and the rescuer retained their gear (except the victim's mask was jettisoned, and for the pool version, where neither diver wore a wetsuit, both weightbelts were jettisoned, too) our approach was similar to FinnMom's—except that we had to administer rescue breaths as soon as we surfaced the victim and periodically during the swim in. If rescue breaths weren't indicated, we nevertheless had to continue to monitor (watch) the victim to make sure he/she didn't stop breathing, so if the rescuer positioned himself as FinnMom describes, monitoring the victim or administering rescue breaths to him could be accomplished relatively easily and good headway could be maintained.

The skill began when the rescuer "found" the victim motionless on the bottom. In this worst-case scenario, we pretended the victim's cylinder was empty and pretended the victim's regulator was out of his mouth. The rescuer must surface the victim without embolizing him, and administer rescue breaths while orally inflating both BC's (neither has a power inflater) and swimming the victim to shore. Water cannot pass over the victim's face once the victim is surfaced, and rescue breath timing is critical. The 75-yard swim in is not timed, however. Sounds daunting, but once you successfully complete the skill, repeating it is extremely easy—like so many other scuba skills.

During my PADI Rescue class a few years later, we learned to strip the victim out of his gear, and swim him to shore as quickly as possible, eschewing rescue breaths until the victim was on shore—where chest compressions, too, could be administered if necessary. The swim-in was timed. I don't recall how far this swim was, but it was at least 75 yards, and easily accomplished in the allotted time—and I'm NOT a strong swimmer by any stretch!

Whichever technique you use, until your muscles get in shape, prepare for cramping!

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

 

[CT-Rich]

Ooooh... rescue breaths... that brings back a pretty nasty memory. I took Basic with the brother of a friend. He was huge, 260 lb, played football for Westpoint (a US military academy). Back those days we were taught mouth to snorkel (yeah we always had a snorkel on our mask) respiration during rescue tows. I am tall and lean and this dude had 70+ pounds on me and I had to haul him and blow into his snorkel. Well he just kept on breathing through his snorkel. Blow against that was like trying to inflate a deflating truck tire. The worst part was that he chewed tobacco pretty much all the time....

 

[Ricky B]

On the tests given in a pool (such as the 25-yd. underwater swim or 400-yd. surface swim), do they allow pushing off the wall to begin with or on turns?

 

[Rich Keller]

Unconscious diver.... so strip the kit and push? Stripping the kit is not starting the tow so not starting the clock

I would agree with dumping his gear, especially the weights. This would reduce the amount of drag to a minimum. If your BCD will float your rig and you are sure it can be recovered later I might dump that too.

 

[FinnMom]

In our class (Assistant Instructor CMAS/NAUI) it wasn't up to us to decide what was best, we were just told what to do.

The 1st rescue test was to bring the diver up from the bottom, establish bouyancy & call for help, administer 3 breaths, then tow the victim 50m while giving recue breaths and stripping both divers of their gear (losing our gear took about 10-15m). This may have had a max time but if so it was more than enough, i.e. not an issue.

The 2nd part was towing the same victim 100m w/in 4 minutes, which is the test I mentioned earlier in this thread.

Comment:
I used to wonder why we were told to strip a victim of their gear; it seemed like a waste of time and bouyancy-providing gear. After last week's tests I have to admit that the diver was a lot easier and faster to move w/o the bulk and drag of his (our) scuba gear. I had also underestimated how well we float when wearing even a shorty wetsuit and carrying no gear. It was esp. a lot easier to get close & do the breathing and move the diver fast than when we tried this in my Rescue class and we were all wearing (and retained) wings with double tanks (our normal gear). It also makes excellent sense to get the scuba gear off if you are taking the diver to a boat where you will have to wrestle him on board.

 

[nolatom]

Hmmm..

a) Swim 400 yards (1200 feet) in 12 minutes = One knot. Okay, I can do 500 yards comfortably in 12 minutes, okay so far..

b) Tow a guy with full gear 100 yards (300') in four minutes = .75 knots


To me b) sounds much much harder than a), way bigger load but almost as fast. Difference is fins (good) but no arms (bad). I will take the word of those with more experience who say b is easy since I've never tried it, but it sounds like a tall order to me. Are we really moving at almost a knot when we do a rescue tow? ("we" means "you" here, I confess I haven't done one since Rescue class long long ago)

 

[Stoo]

I would agree with dumping his gear, especially the weights. This would reduce the amount of drag to a minimum. If your BCD will float your rig and you are sure it can be recovered later I might dump that too.

Nope... When I did my NAUI Instructor's back in the dark ages, successful completion of the ITC was based on a successful rescue evaluation. I was the first rescuer to go. I was on shore, when a struggling victim surfaced about 150' away. I grabbed my mask, fins and weightbelt, and took off after him. As I approached, the "victim's" buddy surfaced nearby... agitated but ok. In the mean time the victim, stopped thrashing and apparently lost consciousness. I took him in a carry but while I was heading back to shore the "buddy" suddenly went AWOL! WTF???

Two things I did paid off at this point. Before I took off, I "ordered" my fake AI to follow me in. And I had grabbed my weight belt. I handed off the original victim (who had regained consciousness!) to my AI, then surface-dived down to find the buddy drifting about 15' down, apparently unconscious.... And so it went.

Anyway, my point is, as unlikely a situation as that was, at an Instructor-level course, you should assume that your course-director might throw some bizarre situation at you. Had I not taken my weight belt, I wouldn't have been able to get to this second victim. (This was in Tobermory and my skinny ass was wrapped in 14mm of neoprene!)

 

[tracydr]

Ooooh... rescue breaths... that brings back a pretty nasty memory. I took Basic with the brother of a friend. He was huge, 260 lb, played football for Westpoint (a US military academy). Back those days we were taught mouth to snorkel (yeah we always had a snorkel on our mask) respiration during rescue tows. I am tall and lean and this dude had 70+ pounds on me and I had to haul him and blow into his snorkel. Well he just kept on breathing through his snorkel. Blow against that was like trying to inflate a deflating truck tire. The worst part was that he chewed tobacco pretty much all the time....

My buddy for rescue and DMC class was 6'5", 225. I'm 5'1" and not a youngster. He was also 15 years younger and did triathalons. I felt very good being able to rescue him, including dragging him on shore. I also got a better swim time than he did.
This, as all swimming, is a matter of technique and experience. I would rescue like FinnMom if the diver is unconscious. If just tired, I would do a push, as kicking while prone and clear of the diver is easier, at least for me.

 

[TMHeimer]

On the tests given in a pool (such as the 25-yd. underwater swim or 400-yd. surface swim), do they allow pushing off the wall to begin with or on turns?

For the PADI DM course (no uw swim), I don't believe there is any mention of pushing off the wall either at start or on turns. I never gave it a thought for the 400, as I believe this is what swimmers in competition do--as well, can you imagine how much time would be lost just turning without touching the wall. I viewed the wall turn as a tiny bit of rest while you coast for a few feet.

 

[RJP]

For the PADI DM course (no uw swim), I don't believe there is any mention of pushing off the wall either at start or on turns. I never gave it a thought for the 400, as I believe this is what swimmers in competition do--as well, can you imagine how much time would be lost just turning without touching the wall. I viewed the wall turn as a tiny bit of rest while you coast for a few feet.

Then, if you ever need to swim out to help someone.. I hope they are only 25yds away and you get to swim back and forth 8 times... resting every 25 yards.