Have You Ever Used A Cutting Tool In An Emergency Situation?

Have you ever used a cutting tool in an emergency situation?

No, but I came close to using one in a non-emergent situation -- Forgot I had lent my backplate rig to someone else, put it on and failed to recognize it was too tight. Did the dive fine, but couldn't get out of the equipment in the water (which is the best way to reboard our boat). So I attempted to climb our ladder in gear (which is not designed for it) and in the process of reboarding, broke a couple of ribs. I should have cut myself out of the harness, which would have taken about 60 seconds.

rleslie:

Have you ever used a cutting tool in an emergency situation?

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I'm assuming you're referring to one involving diving, as opposed to self defense.

In this case, yes... divers were scattered about on the surface and the "mother ship" had a zodiac out zipping around picking people up. At some point, the zodiac was full, so the operator threw out a tow line for people to grab and get towed. It was quite long, 6, 7, 8, 9 I dunno how many people hanging off of it. At some point, the guy in front of me had managed to get himself tangled up in this thing and was being dragged along in quite an uncomfortable position, face in the water, sort of twisting and twirling around, getting ever more tangled up in this rope. He was not having any fun at all - and as an added bonus, his tank had come loose from his BC and was barely hanging on. I pulled myself closer so I could help him out (zodiac operator didn't respond to calls to stop - I doubt he heard us) and at some point, I cut the tow rope in front of this other guy - bringing us to a stop while the zodiac kept going. This allowed us to get him untangled from the tow rope and get his BC sorted out. Zodiac eventually came back for us. Guy was quite thankful I cut him loose.

I nearly got fished up once.

I was swimming along with my buddy when suddenly I felt something hit my back. Initially I thought it was my buddy so I looked over and he was giving me the "look there" sign. I looked the other way and laying on the bottom on the other side of me was some kind of contraption for fishing. It had the form of a box-kite. It was weighted down and there were hooks all over the place with floating bait that held the hooks up off the bottom.

That was what hit me in the back. I started swimming away from it and realized that the line was somehow wrapped around one of my regulators. My buddy saw it too and got busy trying to get it loose but I guess all the pulling on the line made the fisherman think he hooked something big so he started reeling it in!

I wrapped my arm two or three times around the line to stop that "thing" from catching up with me--I was already bracing for the pain--but he was still reeling and I was getting pulled along now so I said "F this" and pulled out my knife and cut it loose.

It wasn't really an emergency, more just irritating. I was, however, happy I had a knife handy. AFter the fact we went and had a chat with the fisheman. Before the dive we had spoken to him too to tell him where we would be diving but he claimed that he forgot. He understood that I had to cut it loose so even though lacking in memory department it was ok.

R..

I've had to use my knife to sharpen my pencil so I could write a note on my slate.

I should have used it to cut some abandoned fishing line that I was gathering up during a dive. Instead, I decided I could break it with my hands. I could, but later discovered I had cut my hands.

This Saturday past a whole group of us headed out on an adventure that was most likely guided by Devine intervention. We stood on deck and discussed several off-shore sites. We needed a good place to begin our three-tank diving day. None of us had been to the Chippewa for several years so that seemed to be the best decision.


The seas were calm and the breeze cool against our faces as we sailed past the rocks. Then, almost as if in unison, the whole group decided that it would be better to hit bridge span thirteen first, then go to the Chippewa second. Following unknown instincts, we agreed on the span first.

Span thirteen, is so far out that few divers have experienced her. She lies in 103 feet of water and is way out in the blue Gulf. As soon as I entered the water, I could see the structure seventy feet below. My heart raced at the thought of a new and unknown location as I free descended in the warm, clear water


Almost immediately, scattered pieces of turtle skeleton reminded me of "Unlucky thirteen." We swam around the sand and as I rounded the corner I spotted an intact sea biscuit shell. I started toward it and Kathy scooped it up with my hand less than two feet away. Dang! I thought.


We looked at marvelous creatures and searched for more. Then Jerry saw her, a sea turtle, entangled in fishing line and struggling. She seemed to look at him through sad eyes that said "Help me please!" Jerry rushed to her side and began cutting her free. She swam quickly for the surface. Once, she turned and looked back as if to say, I'd like to hang around but I so need a breath!

I don't have any idea what brought us there first, I like to think that it was a guiding hand. Whatever it was makes no difference, what matters is that another of God's magnificent creatures lives and swims free. Thanks Jerry for your quick reaction and your heart of gold.

An old thread but I saved it because of the useful and informative stories ,,, http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/67060-can-i-really-cut-myself-out.html

(I miss Snowbear)


I like your story Tom, happy ending .. you will always wonder what made you go there first


Edit: while I have never needed to use my knife underwater, I think it's foolish to not have some form of cutting device on your person .. rescue training says you should have two

Several times... most often cutting students out of tangles... but once or twice to free myself or a team member from lines inside wrecks and once from discarded line on the outside of a wreck.

In the hope of preventing these events, I habitually strip discarded and ill-placed line from wrecks both outside and in. I would guess that I have taken more than 100 metres of line off the bow of the Jodrey over the past ten years

Never in an actual emergency situation, but once while exploring a quarry (wild, on private property) I took a fish hook into the shoulder hanging off a trot line. Had to cut myself off the trot line, then go to the ER for hook removal and tetanus shot. Minor injury but fairly painful until they numbed it up in the ER.

Only time I have ever used my knife underwater is to cut open old fish traps that have been left on the bottom as a permanent death trap for fish. Sadly, still too common in the Caribbean.