Panicked diver not exhaling during ascent?

tmacdiver · Feb 13, 2009

Greetings All
I was given a scenario last night and asked how I would handle this problem. I was uncertain of the correct answer and I thought I would ask for input on this forum. I am sorry if this question has come up before.
The scenario is this: A diver is bolting to the surface due to panic. The diver started to bolt at about 70 feet. You are within arms length of the diver. You are able to slow the divers ascent, but cannot stop his ascent. You are unsure of the reason the diver is trying to surface, what you know for sure is that the diver is not exhaling, just in full panic mode and not paying any attention to you. You think that the diver is in serious risk of lung overexpansion, and something must be done. How do you try to get the diver to exhale?
I realize that most scenarios have different and proper solutions. I am interested in hearing how you might handle a scenario like this.
Again, I am sorry if this question has come up before.

Best Regards,
Tom

IXÎYÎ£ · Feb 13, 2009

The question comes up regularly, and needs to.
There is the possibility that the lack of exhalation is because the diver is OOA and already at the "bottom" of a breath. Therefore... offer the diver your primary reg while slowing the ascent. The punch/knee in the gut is next if you get no response.

Rick Inman · Feb 13, 2009

A diver in full panic will do anything to anyone at any cost to get to the surface, and you may not be able to do anything about it. You can try to slow them down by physically grabbing whatever you are able, but the chances are they will use their super-panic-enhanced strength to get free, and quite possible injure the rescuer in the process.

Stopping the panic or reducing it before it gets to this point is really the best scenario, although this could be impossible also. If, before the panic gets full blown, you can make eye contact and reassure the diver, you might be able to prevent the panic. But once it's going, it's going. I've seen divers bolt, and it can be over before you have time to react.

We can't always do something about every problem.

JDostal · Feb 13, 2009

I would try within reason to slow the person down. But a diver in a true panic is hard to control. In a recreational situation I could see getting behind him (out of arms reach) and slowing the person down or offer a reg. A knee to the gut would be acceptable to force an exhale in that situation.

On a deco dive though if the diver were in a panic and bolting for the surface I hate to say it but I'm going to step back and not get myself injured in the process. There is no room for panic on a dive like that. If a gear emergency (or other) will cause a diver to panic to the point of bolting they have no place being on a technical dive.

Doc · Feb 13, 2009

Omicron:
On a deco dive though if the diver were in a panic and bolting for the surface I hate to say it but I'm going to step back and not get myself injured in the process. There is no room for panic on a dive like that. If a gear emergency (or other) will cause a diver to panic to the point of bolting they have no place being on a technical dive.

........................... :lotsalove:

Outside of the Darwin solution as above, this applies to any dive, not just a deco dive.

You can't help him on the surface if you put yourself in jeopardy.

Your precise question was: How do you get the diver to exhale?

The simplest method is to punch him in the lower chest, the knee thing is difficult, and hugging it out of him isn't going to work.

ReefHound · Feb 13, 2009

How about sticking him in the chest with your dive knife and involuntarily venting him?

JDostal · Feb 13, 2009

Certainly effective!

RonzoTheGreat · Feb 13, 2009

if you slow them down enough, they'll run out of air ... this will make them gasp, once they gasps, they'll begin gasping for more ... punch in the chest is readily ineffective underwater ... (obviously the first thing you do when you catch them is to dump ALL of your air to get as negative as possible) ...

bottom line.... S L O W the ascent

TSandM · Feb 13, 2009

If you are trying to make someone exhale, the most effective place to hit them is not in the chest, but just below the breastbone, in the area called the solar plexus. With the resistance of the water, though, it may be hard to get enough force to get much reaction from somebody in full-blown panic.

Web Monkey · Feb 13, 2009

tmacdiver:
Greetings All
I was given a scenario last night and asked how I would handle this problem. I was uncertain of the correct answer and I thought I would ask for input on this forum. I am sorry if this question has come up before.
The scenario is this: A diver is bolting to the surface due to panic. The diver started to bolt at about 70 feet. You are within arms length of the diver. You are able to slow the divers ascent, but cannot stop his ascent. You are unsure of the reason the diver is trying to surface, what you know for sure is that the diver is not exhaling, just in full

Wave goodbye, do a safe ascent (60'/min was standard for many years), make sure they're OK or start first aid if necessary.

The chances of you stopping a runaway diver without getting injured or killed are really, really small, since you would need to exceed their ascent rate to intercept, and by then, you would probably both already be on the surface.

The stuff about punching someone is likely to make things worse. Maybe they did exhale and you missed it, maybe there was no air left to exhale and you just stopped what would have been a safe OOA ascent.

Terry

Panicked diver not exhaling during ascent?

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