Safe? Diving in Ontario

[wetbehindtheear]

FYI - Tom Closson is the CEO. Ms. Alex Radcliffe in the public affairs office is handling this type of question - her direct line is 416-340-3895. She'll be available today from 5pm to 7pm - hopefully she can clear up any confusion.

 

[Dive Source]

DO NOT PANIC !

I just got off the phone with an official from TGH and was thrilled by their concern and response.

There is NOT a major problem - the chamber is open and will remain so - It is NOT closing, it has only altered it's mandate temporarily in regards to Critical care patients (those on a stretcher).

THE CHAMBER REMAINS OPEN TO ALL AMBULATORY PATIENTS

Which is 99% of all cases treated easch year (they only get 4-6 per year who need to be treated on a stretcher)

There was a public notification on this in March/04.

They will be posting their own official to this post shortly.

It is my reccomendation that everyone stop calling and watch for further developments before we alienate the very people who are there to help us.

 

[d33ps1x]

Great news! Always nice to know in the back of the head that it's there.

 

[maj2]

Sounds like a promising preliminary response.

Did a quick search and there are a couple of old threads on the TGH chamber:

From Sept 2002:
http://www.scubaboard.com/t15162.html

From July 2003:http://www.scubaboard.com/t32954.html

Hopefully there is an update to the July notice. We'll wait and see, and hope for the best.

 

[vlada]

DO NOT PANIC !

I just got off the phone with an official from TGH and was thrilled by their concern and response.

There is NOT a major problem - the chamber is open and will remain so - It is NOT closing, it has only altered it's mandate temporarily in regards to Critical care patients (those on a stretcher).

THE CHAMBER REMAINS OPEN TO ALL AMBULATORY PATIENTS

Which is 99% of all cases treated easch year (they only get 4-6 per year who need to be treated on a stretcher)

snipped

.

Not to start the panic again, but someone who has a real bad case of DSC or AGE will be on the stretcher and in all likelihood will need recompression to 6 ATA - and this is what is not going to be available at TGH

I am sure glad i have DAN

Vlada

 

[Eric__U]

hey,
Where did you get the information, as you just signed up for the board and dropped a bombshell like this, you could easily be trolling here. I just wanna make sure this is true before more gets made out of it.
eric

 

[Tom R]

I agree, this is not the first time we have gone this route.

 

[d33ps1x]

Just got off the phone with Alex Radkewycz from Toronto General Public Affairs.

She was extremely helpful and informative on this issue as Brian mentioned above.

I don't feel it would be right to comment, or attempt to pretend to be an authority on the subject except to say that it is my understanding now that the issue with not being able to accept patients who have to remain on stretchers is a temporary one.

Alex joined the board and has said she will post something to this thread in the next little while as well as over on The Deco Stop to make sure that divers are well informed as to the issues and news surrounding the chamber at TG.

Thanks again to Alex for taking the time to clear things up and welcome to the Scubaboard.

 

[crispos]

For a bunch of experienced divers, some people run off in all directions pretty quick.
Geez.

You just pick up the phone and call TGH Chamber to figure out what is going on. They moved the chamber and Wayne Evans the director is understaffed and wasn't too happy about it. Brian at Dive Source has it right.

Yeah, let's stop taking such an adversarial position towards our main hope of getting DCS treatment. I for one ain't going to pay up for someone to go to Buffalo emerg.

 

[Dive Source]

Not to start the panic again, but someone who has a real bad case of DSC or AGE will be on the stretcher and in all likelihood will need recompression to 6 ATA - and this is what is not going to be available at TGH

I am sure glad i have DAN

Vlada

I would be curious to know how many cases like that they have actually had to treat in the last few years.