Rescue Scenario Dive - 3rd Air Source?

[scuba_frog]

Hi everyone. A couple weeks ago a group of us completed our Rescue cert. There was a scenario I would like some feedback.

Scenario is a dive pair is underwater. Diver #1 gets injured. As the "rescue team" reaches the pair, Rescue diver #1 assists the injured diver. In the meantime, Diver #2 runs out of air and goes into an active panic. He reaches and takes RD #2's primary 2nd stage right out of his mouth. While doing so, unknowing to both divers, knocks the octo out of its "holder". RD #2 reaches for his octo and it is not there. Now RD #2 has no air. RD #1 does not see what's going on because he is working with his injured diver. Luckily, this was just a scenario. Since RD #2 could not find his AAS, he controlled his own panic and was able to reach Diver #2's reg and was ok. Yes, this could have turned into a real rescue.

Because this is not a stretch from reality, would it make sense to have a 3rd air source. I cannot remember what they are called, but one of the AAS's that is an octo and BC power inflator. (By the way, what are they called...lol).

Thanks for your comments.

 

[AndrewJD]

...not a stretch from reality,...

Well, I would tend to disagree, but rather then nitpick the details of the scenario I'll offer the following.

A. RD #2 should be able to recover his octo by following the hose from the 1st stage.

B. RD #2 can get gas from RD #1 or buddy breath with D#2 until he can execute A.

Even better, having a necklaced backup would tend to reduce the likelihood of the scenario.

Jonathan

 

[SteveAD]

A 3rd air source would not necessarily solve the problem. A properly rigged aas would. An "octo" clipped off to some random spot on the divers chest that can get knocked loose and lost is not a great idea.

As your scenario illustrates a panicked diver is most likely to go for the primary, so any setup designed to donate the primary is preferable to "donate the octo". In any such configuraton the primary should have an extended length hose (5-7 feet is ideal). The backup for the donor to switch to should be rigged such that it cannot get lost. A very popular option for this is to wear a relatively short hosed conventional 2nd stage on a bungie necklace so it sits dirctly under the chin. A less popular option would be an inflator/ regulator or air2, which combines the bc inflator with a 2nd stage. I've used both options, and like both. The air2 is on my warm water/vacation rig to make it a bit more compact in the luggage. my cold water rig uses a bungie necklace 2nd.

 

[Thalassamania]

A huge stretch from reality, why not make it a rescue of a threesome or two buddy pairs of dives ... about as likely. Anyway ... we used to buddy breathe with 6 or more.

The primary error in the situation lies with the idea that if the octo is out of its holder it's no longer available. If you can't comfortably recover your octo except when it is secured by whatever system you have decided to use, you're likely wasting your time carrying it.

 

[pafindr]

As others have stated already. The RD should be able to retrieve his octo.

In my opinion if a rescue dosen't know how to retrieve his octo, if it was not out of it's holder, he shouldn't be a rescue diver.

 

[vtxkev]

Hi everyone. A couple weeks ago a group of us completed our Rescue cert. There was a scenario I would like some feedback.

Scenario is a dive pair is underwater. Diver #1 gets injured. As the "rescue team" reaches the pair, Rescue diver #1 assists the injured diver. In the meantime, Diver #2 runs out of air and goes into an active panic. He reaches and takes RD #2's primary 2nd stage right out of his mouth. While doing so, unknowing to both divers, knocks the octo out of its "holder". RD #2 reaches for his octo and it is not there. Now RD #2 has no air. RD #1 does not see what's going on because he is working with his injured diver. Luckily, this was just a scenario. Since RD #2 could not find his AAS, he controlled his own panic and was able to reach Diver #2's reg and was ok. Yes, this could have turned into a real rescue.

Because this is not a stretch from reality, would it make sense to have a 3rd air source. I cannot remember what they are called, but one of the AAS's that is an octo and BC power inflator. (By the way, what are they called...lol).

Thanks for your comments.

I know you want comments & feedback, but I am not rescue certified so I have none, sorry. I do however want to point out what I see in your senario. You say Diver 2 ran out of air but then you say RD 2 stayed calm and got D2 reg and was ok. To me it still sounds like RD 2 is out of air. Am I reading this wrong?

 

[scuba_frog]

I know you want comments & feedback, but I am not rescue certified so I have none, sorry. I do however want to point out what I see in your senario. You say Diver 2 ran out of air but then you say RD 2 stayed calm and got D2 reg and was ok. To me it still sounds like RD 2 is out of air. Am I reading this wrong?

D2 was to pretend he was out of air as part of the scenario. After D2 grabbed RD2's reg and then knocked RD2's AAS out of its holder, RD2 was without any sort of reg so he grabbed D2's reg which he was actually able to use.

 

[scuba_frog]

Agreed, RD2 should be able to retrieve hi own octo. I think part of the problem is that a "standard" reg hose is not very long...guessing maybe 30-36 inches. So when D2 grabbed the reg, he would still be in a sort of panic state and because there was not a lot of space between the two divers, it made retrieving the octo more difficult...just speculating here.

So if I am understanding correctly, are you suggesting that if RD2's primary had a longer hose, this would have given the divers more space where RD2 would be better able to retrieve his octo. How long of a hose do you suggest?

I was actually D1 in this scenario and it was not until the ride home that I heard about this.

My setup is pretty basic I think. I do use a necklace but on my primary and have my octo attached in the "triangle". So what you guys are saying is that I should be breathing off whatever reg has the longer hose (currently my octo) and then necklace the other reg and let it dangle below my chin in case of emergency. Am I understanding this correctly?

 

[Joe-Diver]

It can be a fine line.....knowing just how much to "simulate"....without causing an actual dangerous situation.

 

[ptyx]

As others have said, recovering an octo shouldn't be an issue. It's not something which needs to be done immediately either: taking 15-20 seconds to reassure diver #2 and only then look for the octopus might be a good call. Or if diver #2 recovers quickly, start buddy breathing as a last resort.

That said, in a rescue situation rule #1 is to not put oneself in danger. If the hypothetical (and highly unlikely) scenario is RD #2 failing to find any air source once diver #2 grabbed his, the decision is not pretty :depressed: