My Rescue Course

[coralreefer_1]

OK guys, please forgive me if this post seems like a personal blog of sorts. I had great feedback here from my dry suit training, so I am back again to drink of the bottomless cup of wisdom here on the board.

Many may not know, but I am an American in S. Korea doing all of my training in Korean language, from OW and to now Rescue Diver course.

Last week in the dry suit thread I began, I mentioned about how some details go over my head in regards to the language barrier. It was a response I made after my first rescue diver session in the pool. To be honest, i was feeling pretty crappy after last week as I had alot of trouble with remembering all of the sequence for assisting an unresponsive diver underwater.

Now its a week later, and I had my second class today. It was much better as this time I actually had a chance to memorize all of the steps rather than being told them in a foreign language and told to do them afterward. After last weeks class, i visited my instructor and went step by step through the appropriate order and wrote them down in my textbook ( because for some reason, PADI doesn't put that kind of stuff in the book)

But today went much better in regards to exercise 7. (amazing what a bit of preview and study can do for a student) Yet,i want to ask those here what i may be doing wrong or otherwise can improve with the sequence.



The videos shows me performing underwater ascent for an unresponsive diver, and rescue breaths on the surface while moving to a boat/shore/safe location.

My instructor called it "clean" but mentioned the heel of my palm should be on the forehead when clamping the nose during rescue breaths.

Otherwise, looking at it myself...there are the mistakes I made ( from my novice point of view).

1. A few times, I did not shake my hand free of water before closing the nasal passage to give breath.

2. I had a bit of trouble releasing my right shoulder harness. Granted ,I'm not used to doing it with my left hand, but i tried, failed, gave breath, and tried again 3 times over before i finally found the release and removed it.

3. I knew there was another instructor and student nearby, and although i knew they were not directly underneath us, I should have been more careful about dropping the weights. We were both using 8kg of weight, and when i released both,i let them fall like a rock without hesitation.


But here is my question for you all. Other than those ( and please feel free to give insight on those also) can any of you spot something i can improve on/do better/should have done differently? Not that i don't trust my instructor...but i want to do the best i can and have confidence next week when he hit the open water and get as much feedback/knowledge as I can.

Thanks for any insight or advice you are able to offer!

 

[exposure]

At the surface, to keep the rhythm, I count 1, 2, 3 (while removing something), then 4 to shake my hand and 5 for the rescue breath. Some says three times "I love PADI", this give you the second For your right shoulder harness, are you unclipping it or just enlarging it? I always unclip in this exercise. If you miss the 5 seconds, just give two breath and continue. For the weight belt, we use an assistant (or being close to the pool border) so we don't actually drop them, the important point is to ensure that you don't forget any steps.

By the way, I did a Rescue Course in English to Korean peoples in Paris

 

[coralreefer_1]

At the surface, to keep the rhythm, I count 1, 2, 3 (while removing something), then 4 to shake my hand and 5 for the rescue breath. Some says three times "I love PADI", this give you the second For your right shoulder harness, are you unclipping it or just enlarging it? I always unclip in this exercise. If you miss the 5 seconds, just give two breath and continue. For the weight belt, we use an assistant (or being close to the pool border) so we don't actually drop them, the important point is to ensure that you don't forget any steps.

By the way, I did a Rescue Course in English to Korean peoples in Paris

I was trying to unclip the right harness, ( not loosen) but my left hand wasn't used to finding it, but trying to keep the 5 second count If my left hand didn't find it right away, then abort and go to breath and try again next time. Not that it matters, but its been months since the skin on my hands have felt my gear because I've been wearing gloves for everything since last October.

 

[exposure]

To me unclipping is the right way, but I have seen people unclipping one, loosen the other a get rid of the rig by twisting their back and shoulder, why not. The point of practicing in the pool is that you can prepare for the scenario in open water, where sometimes you need gloves. If you don't feel really confortable, or you think that some part can be improved, asked for more time to practice in the pool. In all skills prepared in the Rescue course, this is the one that students think is the most difficult strangely. I think it is because of the timing, they are overwhelm by all stuff. Very often, I start without the timing, just to get the proper sequence, then we add the timing.

 

[coralreefer_1]

I agree. I dont feel uncomfortable with this exercise at all ( although i know there are things i could do better) I have personally found the self-rescue "taking off the scuba unit/re-equipping it far more challenging to do easily.

 

[Scott]

When bringing the diver up, I have students 'test' the patients buoyancy. If their light, no need to add air. I also have them on the right side just off the cylinder. Makes for supporting the head and working with the inflator easier.

I agree on the count; 1, 2, 3 (while removing something), then 4 to shake my hand and 5 for the rescue breath. The important thing is breaths, if you miss a buckle on 3, skip it.
My BP&W has no shoulder buckles, or a way to loosen, so its a quick chicken wing the right hand, slide it off by 3. Breathe. Support with right hand, left arm out, change support hand, breathe.
After the course practice getting out of your gear as though you were doing a rescue. That means instead of loosening straps, unbuckle.

When looking and listening for breaths, you have to be up by the face, not down by the cheek. If you're wearing a hood you will need to pull that back also. Hard to hear or feel with a thick hood on.

Rescue breaths I want to see them on the chin, not on the cheek or across it. More realistic. That means you have to kick up to administer the breath, which is what you will have to do in real life.