Rescue or ???

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Really you think a one armed or one leg person can successfully do a rescue? Loose a fin sometime as see how well you do in the water. I have no problem with anyone taking a class. but reality has to set in sometime to say your disability counters the effort possibly to the point of being useless depending on the limitation. This is a reality and not a PC matter.
And before you ask i will tell you. I would not refuse to dive with a disabled diver depending on the dive. I also would,,,, not with out question, expect them to be able to render any meaningful emergency assistance if needed.

Actually I would. If I had an emergency while diving with Manthos Marras, a technical diving and DDI instructor in Greece, I have complete confidence in his ability to take over the situation.

 

[NAM001]

Actually I would. If I had an emergency while diving with Manthos Marras, a technical diving and DDI instructor in Greece, I have complete confidence in his ability to take over the situation.

no offence intended however because you can find one that can ,,,, that can does not mean the majority can. A one armed diver can not shoot a bouy like a two armed diver can any more that a one armed fireman can pull a hose like a t armed one can. I have a brother that has lost many of his fingers in his primary hand. can he drive a nail with a hammer YES can he do it with the same efficiency that he would if he had fingers NO. He can hang a picture but not build a structure. The mere ability to accomplish a task is one thing, doing it timely and with accomplishment is another. a one legged racer can run a track to completion. but not in a time that is competitive. The very proof of that is that they need special rigging to participate. the rigging only provides for participation not effectivness. there are always examples of the ones that have amazing corrective results. As a PC society it is almost taboo to suggest one person is anything less than another. I have this gadget or that gadget to compensate. but when they loose that gadget or it breaks ,,,where does it leave them. People can get around in wheelchairs and be effective. let it rain and they cant get away form the house or if they get somewhere with out a ramp and they are stuck where they are. These are realities of life. My opinion is not a slam to those disabled. Its only an admission that there are things that can not be over come as yet with our technologies. Here is a hypothetical. to fly you can not depend on glasses. Until laser technologies came along there was nothing that could be done. Now it is and that changes the game regarding what can be done to restore FULL capabilities. That is good for near or far sight problems but that technology will never work for blind in one eye. I know that there are special training courses available and again it is a statement that it takes special changes to complete the course.

 

[NAM001]

That is a pretty wide brush you are painting. I suggest taking stock of the type of people you see on the dive boat, there are a lot of people with two legs or two arms that have issues lifting a simple AL80 or struggle against a mild current. Many of those people even have rescue cards.

then perhaps for the good of all they should not be diving. If reaching your valves is a needed ability and you have arthritus and cant fully raise you arms you either have to have remote valve operators or not dive. I have also seen many divers that cant lift their tanks. IF you cant lift a tank you are not physically fit enough to assist me in needed. and those are folks that have all their faculties.

 

[NAM001]

One example of a rescue is to drop the weights of someone struggling on the surface & put air in their BC. It's not necessarily a ascent from 100 ft. and a 400m tow.

If your comment was in reference to my post let me say this.

I never suggested that there are NO rescue functions that various levels of dissability can do. Just that I cant be depended on to have a problem that is with in the relm of what they are able to do.

 

[dumpsterpurrs]

Got it. Promise I won't attempt to rescue KWS (including preventing accidents). Stick with your ableist crowds.

 

[markmud]

One of my good friends (and dive buddy) is an attorney and has tried to discourage me from getting the Rescue C card. She warns... too much liability and obligation, and with all the litigation these days, I’d be exposing myself to unnecessary liability if something went wrong.

I don't have rescue for that reason. I have been deposed and required to testify in a court of law. I have had to defend myself in a court of law. Don't oversell your qualifications as you may have to prove in court that you are not what you marketed yourself to be. You will have a positive defense, but you will have to prove it in court. If you are a bonified, trained, and experienced rescue diver whose employment gives you that title, great--you are good. A weekend course? No way.

Winning in court is not winning. You will spend years of your life and your hard earned assets defending yourself, even when you start the process with a positive defense. Have you paid legal fees before? What do you think the retainer will be to hire a really good lawyer if you are sued or indicted criminally?

A faux expert credential? Not for me.

As for the legal aspect, get trained but don't get any cards, then you arn't certified. There is no Agency record of non certified divers. Of course you don't have to forget what you learned.

Bob has it right.

Also for those that have concerns of legal liability, get teh books and self learn. its the skills that are important not the card.

So does KWS.

As far as furthering your training, I would recommend Tech 40 (or equal). It is the first truly comprehensive Scuba training I have received. The other stuff might be fun for some, and you gradually learn a lot. Not like tech training. Even the entry level tech course is truly worthwhile.

I don't tech dive, but the training was worthwhile anyway.

Good Luck,
markm

 

[M-Cameron]

One of my good friends (and dive buddy) is an attorney and has tried to discourage me from getting the Rescue C card. She warns... too much liability and obligation, and with all the litigation these days, I’d be exposing myself to unnecessary liability if something went wrong.

Im wondering how you would be open to any liability?

the only way i could see you being liable in any sense is if you actively marketed yourself, and were employed as a "rescue diver".

its no different that if you were CPR certified, and you tried to save someone who stopped breathing....you should be protected under the "good Samaritan law"....just having a rescue C card does not obligate yourself to act as rescue personnel

if anything, having credentials that make you more able, would only serve to help you if for some reason you were sued.

 

[tursiops]

Im wondering how you would be open to any liability?

the only way i could see you being liable in any sense is if you actively marketed yourself, and were employed as a "rescue diver".

its no different that if you were CPR certified, and you tried to save someone who stopped breathing....you should be protected under the "good Samaritan law"....just having a rescue C card does not obligate yourself to act as rescue personnel

if anything, having credentials that make you more able, would only serve to help you if for some reason you were sued.

You, of course, can be sued for anything by anybody. Never drive a car, mow a lawn, walk down the street, go to a shooting range, take a book off a shelf in the library, open a door for someone....where does it end? The Good Samaritan Laws are there for a purpose....to encourage us to use whatever training we have to help someone else. Of course, there is always the sleazebag lawyer looking for a buck. Screw 'em. Do what's right.

 

[Bob DBF]

Im wondering how you would be open to any liability?

You probably won't, but it may take paying a laywer to get the court to understand that. Since I do not have a recent enough CPR cert, my rescue cert is not valid at this time, I think a lot of "Rescue" divers fall into this category, and may do themselves a disservice by bragging.

I'm with @tursiops, I'm going to do what's right, and sort out the consequences after, so far so good.


Bob

 

[tursiops]

Since I do not have a recent enough CPR cert, my rescue cert is not valid at this time,

I'm not sure about that. The CPR cert is needed to get the Rescue cert, but the Rescue cert doesn't require any continuing CRP certification. After all, all the cert says is that some time in the past you satisfied the standards. Kind of like a DM cert. You are always a DM whether you stay current and insured or not.