Rebreather accident in South Florida

[joestilley]

I posted the information for the Mike Riopel Benefit Fund which is compass bank yesterday. I have found out that is not active at all branches yet. It should be active tomorrow.

The branch that it was set up at is
Compass Bank
9550 San Jose Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32257
904-564-8188
Contact Robert Reber

For those of you who have tried to make a donation thanks, Please try tomorrow

[joestilley]

Good Morning everyone. I need to make an update to the Mike Riopel Benefit Fund. First please be advised that if you are contacted for money by anybody other than mikes immediate family which is Lisa, Scarlett, Summer and Brock do not send them money. We have someone which is trying to take advantage of our sadness to steal from the fund. Lisas phone number is 904-571-9088


The bank info is The Mike Riopel Benefit Fund
Compass Bank
9550 San Jose Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32257
904-564-8183
Contact Robert Reber
Routing 063013924 Acct No. 0072306848

Thanks again for all your support

Joe Stilley, joestilley@bellsouth.net 904-813-3297

[missicetea]

Hello,

I want to thank all who have left comments about my wonderful Husband. I am saddend beyond belief. He was my best friend and business partner in what ever i chose to do in life.
words are had to find to express how I felt about him. He was the Love of My Life.

Myself, Lisa Riopel, Son Brock Riopel, Daughters Scarlette and Summer are grateful for your outporing of love and compassion.

My God Bless you all!!!!

missicetea@hotmail.com

[wedivebc]

Hello,

I want to thank all who have left comments about my wonderful Husband. I am saddend beyond belief. He was my best friend and business partner in what ever i chose to do in life.
words are had to find to express how I felt about him. He was the Love of My Life.

Myself, Lisa Riopel, Son Brock Riopel, Daughters Scarlette and Summer are grateful for your outporing of love and compassion.

My God Bless you all!!!!

missicetea@hotmail.com

So very sorry for your loss. I can't imagine your grief. Please understand that this forum will discuss your husbands accident frankly and openly. I hope that these sometimes heated debates are not offensive to your family because in the long run we are trying to prevent these losses and educate ourselves.
Again, my deepest condolensces.

[joestilley]

Everybody should have dan insurance. Even if you are not a CCR diver. it is the cheapest insurance you can get and if you ever need it you will wish you signed up

[TSherman]

If you can't afford Dan insurance....sell your equipment. I agree with Joe...it made all the difference for a friend of mine.

[DandyDon]

This is truly a sad event. after reading the questions posted and the whole concept goin through my mind I just renewed that DAN membership i've been waiting on doing.

I have mine set up for auto-renewal on my credit card. It's really a must for any diver, even the ones who say they don't dive enough. I dived with a lady who hadn't dived in years last summer, everything easy and conservative, then after 3 dives - she passed out by the Cozumel hotel pool, woke up several days later in Miami ICU. Without DAN, she'd stayed in Coz without treatment. Get it, even for the first trip; for you, I'd suggest the auto-renewal.

[joestilley]

In Loving Memory of Mike Riopel August 10, 1955 - March 15, 2008 We miss you Mike

Mike Riopel, 52, of Jacksonville, Florida passed away this past Saturday in an unfortunate Scuba Diving accident in South Florida. Mike was loved by everybody he met. His love for being a scuba diving instructor and his passion for teaching and showing fellow divers our wonderful underwater world was enormous. Mike will be greatly missed by his family and friends and the world is a much better place because he was in it. He is survived by his wife, Lisa; sons, Jesse and Joseph Riopel of Merced, CA, Joshua and Michael Riopel of Panama City, FL, and Brock Riopel of Jacksonville; parents, Fred and Dee Riopel of Magalia, CA; stepdaughters, Scarlette and Summer White of Jacksonville, and Cassie Callaway of Panama City, FL; chosen son, Jeffrey McLarry of Jacksonville; sisters, Rione Landgraf of Magalia, CA, and Debra Salce of Mass.; grandchildren, Jesse, Jr., Lillian Rose and Kara Mae Riopel; dear friend, Louie Combs of Redding, CA. The family will receive friends this Thursday evening, March 20, 2008 between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m at Jacksonville Life Church, 7818 Phillips Hwy. A celebration of Mike’s life will be held in the church at 11 a.m. Friday, March 21, 2008 with Pastor Steve Wallace officiating. Interment will follow in Mandarin Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Mike Riopel Benefit Fund, c/o/ Compass Bank, 904-564-8183. Arrangements under the direction and are of ETERNITY FUNERAL HOME, 4856 Oakdale Ave.

[Narcosis Diver]

I am saddend for the loss of a friend, however proud to have had him as a part of my life. It didn't matter what the mood or events of the day were, if Mike came strollin' in, it would all change. Although he ran his business throughout the day, and taught his classes to perfection, he had the most "care-free" atmosphere about him, that brought a smile to everyone.

I was privelaged to be a part of Mike's training in 5 separate PADI specialties, his PADI Master Scuba Diver Award, and then his pro training in Divemaster and Instrcutor.
I was also honored to take rebreather instructor training side-by-side with Mike.

I would like to wish Mike's family all the best wishes and prayers, and for them to know, that in life, Mike posessed the respect of a professional, the frienship of a brother, and the caring of a mentor. He will be sorely missed

Mike Winkles
PADI CD180952

[Richie Kohler]

Richie,

Since you are one of the most q-fied on these rebreathers, why do you think we are having these accidents?

Thanks

480 volt,
I am not sure I am the most qualified to answer this, and I not sure there is an answer that would cover every incident. Each accident is as unique as the person it happened to. Like small aircraft crashes, its almost always human error. There is a trigger, a cause and an effect and as rebreather divers we train for almost every possible bad scenario to happen. It seems that somewhere between our training and the reality of a problem or failure, something is lost. It could be skills not kept sharp, diligence in assembly or maintenance, or just complacency in planning and execution. When you boil it down, the victim made a left when he should’ve taken a right.

Generally we all play Monday morning quarterback and say (in hindsight) that "I would have done this or that given the situation" but we neglect to factor the panic that almost always stops logical thought in its tracks, and derails us from self rescue. We cannot factor that into our water cooler assessments unless you’re the one believing your seconds from death. The ability to stave off panic, logically access, and correct the problem is developed by training, realistic drills and experience. The best answer is to prevent the problem from starting by due diligence in assembly, planning and maintenance but since Murphy loves divers, we must to train for and keep our self rescue skills sharp, whether its bailing out, shutting down, or turning on.

There is an assumption of risk we all take when we step off the boat and we can minimize the risk of failures and problems, but we will never totally eradicate the chance something will go wrong. When I ride my motorcycle I am constantly looking for an “out”, head and eyes moving, just waiting to get cut off, backed into or swallowed up. The same applies in rebreather diving, you have to always be ready for the truck that you didn’t see, and have your “out.”