Two hospitalized in Florida

[PfcAJ]

So if its a rec dive...just bring your buddy to the surface. Like I said, most DCS cases from rec diving are easily treated and don't have lasting effects, the gas burden simply isn't that great. Using your buddy as an SMB however...

 

[DandyDon]

So if its a rec dive...just bring your buddy to the surface. Like I said, most DCS cases from rec diving are easily treated and don't have lasting effects, the gas burden simply isn't that great. Using your buddy as an SMB however...

Yep. Perhaps I was too broad in my referencing possibilities "Yes, if my buddy was having severe problems at depth, I could bring him up myself - or in some cases, send him up ahead of me." but sure, bring the stricken buddy up. I am wondering why he left him below, went up to request help, and the third diver had to find him?

 

[Garth]

The original comment stated In "some cases". This case it sounds like the person could have been brought to the surface. Timing is everything. I'm not disagreeing with you on this situation.

 

[Jax]

Whoa!

Okay, I know it was a long time ago (long time or many dives ago) . . . How many pure OW divers know how to bring up a buddy? How many AOW know how to bring up a buddy???

Seriously, if the guy had no idea, (which it sounds like a real newb because he raced to the surface), he did the very best he could do in the circumstances.

I think we all know (here) to bring a buddy up. So, the lesson learned on this is to take Rescue as soon as you can. Very sad for the DCS'd buddy, because he will eventually learn that he could have done more.

 

[Oldbear]

Whoa!

Okay, I know it was a long time ago (long time or many dives ago) . . . How many pure OW divers know how to bring up a buddy? How many AOW know how to bring up a buddy???

Seriously, if the guy had no idea, (which it sounds like a real newb because he raced to the surface), he did the very best he could do in the circumstances.

I think we all know (here) to bring a buddy up. So, the lesson learned on this is to take Rescue as soon as you can. Very sad for the DCS'd buddy, because he will eventually learn that he could have done more.

Ditto Jax...

How many practice the skills again after taking the Diver Rescue course?

 

[divengolf]

Agree with Jax. Sounds like the buddy was either inexpereinced or lost it when faced with the situation. And didn't know how to handle the diver in extremis. Speculation: The third diver was more experienced and sent the buddy ahead to warn the boat of the incident and to prepare for the casualty. The fact that the buddy apparently raced to the surface supports this theory to some degree. But all of this is SPECULATION based on very limited facts.

Incidents like this reenforce the need for all divers to take the Rescue course early in their diving career. Too bad the OW and AOW certs have been dumbed down so much to not be able to cover topics like this to a limited degree at least.

Prayers to the family of the deceased.

 

[fjpatrum]

Whoa!

Okay, I know it was a long time ago (long time or many dives ago) . . . How many pure OW divers know how to bring up a buddy? How many AOW know how to bring up a buddy???

Seriously, if the guy had no idea, (which it sounds like a real newb because he raced to the surface), he did the very best he could do in the circumstances.

I think we all know (here) to bring a buddy up. So, the lesson learned on this is to take Rescue as soon as you can. Very sad for the DCS'd buddy, because he will eventually learn that he could have done more.

Maybe I'm overconfident but bringing up a buddy can't be rocket science. You ascend and maintain your buddy's bubble. If you can do more without overtasking, you do so. Otherwise you and your buddy are on the surface as soon as possible, which is the only place your buddy is going to get "real" help.

Perhaps I have too much emergency training to be considered a "typical OW" newb but I really don't think it's too hard to grasp. Certainly not easy to accomplish without practice, but managing someone else's BC and swimming up doesn't seem that difficult to me. Am I missing something?

 

[DandyDon]

Speculation: The third diver was more experienced and sent the buddy ahead to warn the boat of the incident and to prepare for the casualty.

From the other news story...

Ok, this is another version of the story, that says the buddy rushed to the surface for help, and the rescuing third diver then went in the water to find him. Man has heart attack while scuba diving - Fox29 WFLX TV, West Palm Beach, Florida- I guess he did what he could or thought best in the emergency, but that delayed rescue.

I've never had to bring up a stricken buddy, but I would have tried even right out of OW - and I think I could have even then.

 

[ahava]

Maybe I'm overconfident but bringing up a buddy can't be rocket science. You ascend and maintain your buddy's bubble. If you can do more without overtasking, you do so. Otherwise you and your buddy are on the surface as soon as possible, which is the only place your buddy is going to get "real" help.

Perhaps I have too much emergency training to be considered a "typical OW" newb but I really don't think it's too hard to grasp. Certainly not easy to accomplish without practice, but managing someone else's BC and swimming up doesn't seem that difficult to me. Am I missing something?

Yes you are, There is no way to practice all the scenarios, bouyancy, airway, gear configuration, current, emotions, victims size, surface conditions.etc.etc. a very good friend of mine and dive buddy for years just brought unconcious buddy up from 100 ft and said it was the hardest thing he has had to do both physically and emotionally. This diver is no rookie with 1000 dives under his belt, full cave cert. adv. trimix , rescue and all the rec. stuff. Surface emergency training might help with staying calm but not much help with the underwater procedure.

 

[DandyDon]

Ok, ok - maybe this will answer questions left from the first news story...

From Women's race to save diver off Boynton Inlet futile - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

BOYNTON BEACH — Two women dove into 75 feet of water several miles off the Boynton Inlet Sunday and swam against the current while trying to rescue their friend and fellow diver Jack Valente, according to an official account of the tragic incident released Tuesday.

Nancy Holloway, 51, of Boynton Beach, was able to carry Valente up to the surface shortly before noon. There, he was lifted onto the 38-foot Fiberglas boat they were diving off of and given CPR.

Valente, 47, of Bellmore, N.Y., was taken by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue crews to Bethesda Memorial Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

"We all knew Jack pretty well," Holloway said Tuesday evening in a phone interview. "You don't expect anything like that to happen."
Holloway declined to comment about the diving incident because the investigation is still open but confirmed she did pull her friend–– who comes to Palm Beach County during the winter –– out of the water.

Holloway said Valente has been a diver for about 20 years and they had dived together for at least 10, she said.

"He was a good, experienced diver," Holloway said. "We all love Jack and we'll miss him."

Valente's dive partner, 68-year-old Melvyn Nathanson, also of Boynton Beach, told the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Marine Unit that he and Valente were on their second dive off the boat - "Deeper" - in about 75 feet of water, the marine unit's report said.

Once in the water, Nathanson went to look for lobsters and lost sight of Valente.

A short time later, Nathanson realized he had only a small amount of air left, and went to find Valente who was lying face down on the ocean floor.

Nathanson tried to help Valente, but realized he too was out of air. Nathanson rushed to the surface, causing dizziness, the report says.

When he reached the surface, he told the boat's captain David Floyd, of Boynton Beach, that he found Valente on the ocean floor.

Meanwhile, Holloway and Kathleen Jacoby, 42, of Winter Haven, and Stephen Sherwood, 45, of Lakeland, were on their second dive.

Holloway resurfaced when she was running out of air and heard the discussion about Valente.

The boat picked up Jacoby and Sherwood. Holloway and Jacoby dived back in for Valente, and Holloway brought him up.