DAN's new emergency number FOR YOUR CELL PHONE - member or not!

[DandyDon]

When in trouble or just in doubt, it's good to call DAN for counsel and they will accept collect calls from anyone, counsel anyone, not even asking if you are a member until late in the call to my experiences. I keep several numbers for DAN in my cell, and the recent issue of their magazine announces this new hot line number; the old one will be continued for a while.

Using the DAN Emergency Hotline
+1-919-684-9111

Whenever you need help, DAN is there. DAN's medical staff is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to handle diving emergencies such as decompression sickness, arterial gas embolism, pulmonary barotrauma, or other serious diving-related injuries. Each year, DAN answers more than 2000 calls on the diving emergency hotline from its members and divers.

When you call the DAN Emergency Hotline:

* Depending on what time of day you call, the number +1-919-684-9111 may be answered at the switchboard of Duke University Medical Center. Tell the operator you have a diving emergency. The operator will either connect you directly with DAN or have someone call you back at the earliest possible moment.
* DAN's medical staff may make an immediate recommendation or call you back after making arrangements with a local physician or the DAN Regional Coordinator. DAN Regional Coordinators are familiar with chamber facilities in their area, and because they're qualified in diving medicine, they can make recommendations about treatment.
* DAN's medical staff or Regional Coordinator may ask you to wait by the phone while they make arrangements. These plans may take 30 minutes or longer, as several phone calls may be required. This delay should not place the diver in any greater danger. However, if the situation is life-threatening, arrange to transport the diver immediately to the nearest local medical facility for immediate stabilization and assessment of his or her condition. Call DAN at this time for consultation with the local medical provider.

Other numbers you may want to have in your cell.

My DAN tag is on my BC and it is away to Oceanic for zipper repair. I guess it has the old number on it...?

[Peter_C]

Thanks DandyDon, I changed the number in my phone to the new one!

[DandyDon]

I suppose all members received this email...

DAN is pleased to announce a partnership with the experts in diving medicine at the University of California at San Diego Medical Center. This additional university affiliation improves DAN’s ability to serve divers and strengthens its commitment to education.

What does this mean for you? It means that the pool of resources on which DAN can draw to help you just got deeper. The physicians at UCSD Medical Center will provide expertise and resources for our emergency call center; this is in addition to those currently provided by our partnership with the Duke Center for Hyperbaric Medicine.

This multi-center approach also means ensuring the lifeline on which you depend will be here in years to come. This is because the affiliation broadens opportunities for doctors seeking training in diving medicine to study case management, triage and evacuation in a wide range of dive settings.

This new affiliation does not change how divers access the DAN Emergency Hotline at +1-919-684-9111, which is provided at no charge to DAN members and non-members alike. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for both diving and non-diving emergencies.

To learn more about this new partnership, please visit us online.

[njedrn]

thanks for the update!

[joystershell]

Thanks! I had their number(s) in my cell phone. It was off by one digit, don't know if that was a typo on my part, or if that was the only change.

[DandyDon]

Thanks! I had their number(s) in my cell phone. It was off by one digit, don't know if that was a typo on my part, or if that was the only change.

Good point. I usually test dial new numbers I load. Just did, briefly told them I pressed the wrong button, and said thanks.

[EyeDoc Jim]

Thanks for the update. I programed the number into my cell.

[reefduffer]

I was just looking at the DAN tag I bought a couple of years ago.
It has the DAN Hotline number 919.684.8111
That may be the discrepancy that others have noted.

Nice, they get me to spend $25 on this, then change the number. And they won't sell you the insert without the mirror "for my own safety" per the faq.

I don't see an easy way to change it; the paper is encapsulated in heavy plastic, and the surface is subject to abrasion in use, so taping a change on the top isn't particularly viable, although I might try it.

Yeah, it could be in my phone, and on the wallet card, but I'm anal enough that this wrong emergency information hanging on my BC is an irritant, and I may end up (unhappily) buying another tag.

I called Palacar to see if they had a take on it, so far just left a message. Grrrrr.

[DandyDon]

A discount replacement would be nice, huh?

[reefduffer]

I had my call returned today by Harvey Malkin of Palancar Industries, who make and sell the tags for DAN. He said he'd been assured by DAN that the -8111 number on the current tags will continue to be answered at Duke University for "at least another year, and probably longer." So if there is an issue, it's by no means urgent.

Beyond that, they simply can't be replacing these at reduced cost for the tens of thousands of tags out there, and they expect that people replace them every few years or so for changed phone numbers etc. Not sure I'd agree with that, but that's their position.

I also asked about softening their position on having to buy a new mirror with every tag. The DAN position is that the mirror back is necessary to hide the personal info (it used to have SSN!). I asked about refills for previous tag purchasers who manifestly already have mirrors. They must have a database of these; you have to create an account with Palancar to buy a tag. He said that he'd discuss that with DAN; it's their policy.

My inquiry probably stops here. I'll probably just sit on it for this year, since it's not actually misinformation yet. Beyond that, it will depend on the cost of a new insert, whether my info changes somehow so I need a new tag anyway, and my attitude.

BTW, I got Mr. Malkin's permission to post his response here. I think he's being as reasonable and responsive as I could reasonably expect.