US List of Emergency Recompression Chambers Near Active Scuba Diving Locations. . .

[Kevrumbo]

Apologies to the moderators if this breaks the request in the moderators post.


I am not based in the USA, but very occasionally get the opportunity to dive in the USA.

In the UK there are two primary numbers you are recommended to ring.

1. 999 (your 112) . Then ask for the coastguard, then state you have a diving emergency. From there they can source the nearest available chamber and the quickest method of evacuation (if speed is required), even tasking a helicopter if required.

2, 07831 151523. The Decompression Emergency Helpline. (Replaced the Royal Navy Emergency Decompression Help line). They can co-ordinate as above.

The question, if I am in the USA and need emergency medical aid for a diving incident, is there one number that should be used as a priority.

Here in Southern California and only in Southern California for a dive emergency: call 911 for local municipal government Emergency Medical Service response (Los Angeles County EMS); and/or Mayday Call on Marine VHF Radio Channel 16 to the United States Coast Guard:

All other USA locations, call the 24/7 DAN emergency contact number at +1-919-684-9111

 

[kelemvor]

Florida Atlantic University has a published list of diving emergency contacts. They include recompression chambers (both civilian and military) throughout the state.

Source: FAU - Recompression

RECOMPRESSION CHAMBERS
Bay Medical Center .......................................................
615 North Bonita Ave.
Panama City, FL 32401 Chamber Phone: 850-747-6950
Hospital Phone (ER): 850-747-6000
Fax: 850-747-6208
O2 Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center .........................
1669 S.E. Hwy. 19
Crystal River, FL 34429 Chamber Phone: 352-563-2407
Fax: 352-726-2461
Gulf Coast Medical Center ..................
13778 Plantation Road
Fort Myers, FL 33912 Chamber Phone: 239-343-0454
Baptist Medical Center ..................................................
800 Prudential Dr.
Jacksonville, FL 32207 Chamber Phone: 904-202-1151
Hospital Phone (ER): 904-202-2046
Shands Hospital .............................................................
1600 SW. Archer Road
P.O. Box 100376
Gainesville, FL 32610-0376 Chamber Phone: 352-265-0425
Hospital Phone: 352-265-0111
Fax: 352-265-0327
Florida Hospital .............................................................
601 East Rollins Street
Orlando, FL 32803 Chamber Phone: 407-303-5716
24 hr Phone: 407-303-1549
Fax. 407-303-7621
Health First Hyperbarics and Wound Center ...................
(expected to open by Jan. 2008 for dive emergencies)
5191 Babcock St
Palm Bay. Florida Chamber Phone: 321-837-1995
24 hr supervisor: 321-615-0924 (Dr. Scott Strong)
South Florida Center for H.O.P.E. .................................
1898 H. West Hillsboro Blvd.
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 Chamber Phone: 954-571-9392
Fax: 954-571-6788
Mercy Hospital ...............................................................
3663 South Miami Avenue
P.O. Box 2039
Miami, FL 33427-2039 Work Phone: 305-854-0300
24 hr Phone: 800-662-3637
Mariners Hospital ...........................................................
91500 Overseas Hwy. (MM 91.5)'
Tavernier, FL 33070 Chamber Phone: 305-434-1603
24 hr Phone (ER): 305-434-1600
Fax: 305-434-1599

MILITARY HYPERBARIC
RECOMPRESSION FACILITIES NOTE: treatment of civilians at military facilities is entirely at the discretion of the Duty Officer
NAVY Experimental Diving Unit ....................................
Building 321
Panama City, FL 32407-7015 Dive Locker Phone: 850-230-3235
24 hr Phone: 850-230-3100
Fax: 850-234-4238
US ARMY Special Forces Dive School ..........................
Fleming Key
Boca Chica, FL 33040 Clinic Phone: 305-293-4154
Base Phone: 305-797-2711 or 719-2704

 

[TeamBubbles]

This one covers a large portion of New York State:

Hyperbaric Medicine Services | Emergency Medicine |SUNY Upstate Medical University

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi @kelemvor ,

Some of the facilities on the FAU list are not 24/7 emergency centers: Bay Medical Center, O2 Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center, Baptist, Shands, Health First, and Center for H.O.P.E. Bay Medical Center specifically told me that they do not treat divers. NEDU will treat civilians only in the event of a dire emergency and should probably not be on any list of available civilian recompression facilities. The SF Dive School may be able to treat civilians but it's based on availability of personnel.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Colliam7]

The question, if I am in the USA and need emergency medical aid for a diving incident, is there one number that should be used as a priority.

Here in Southern California and only in Southern California for a dive emergency: call 911 for local municipal government Emergency Medical Service response (Los Angeles County EMS); and/or Mayday Call on Marine VHF Radio Channel 16 to the United States Coast Guard. All other USA locations, call the 24/7 DAN emergency contact number at +1-919-684-9111

Good question.

While what Kevrumbo said is true for S. California, I think the applicability is far broader. In coastal areas of the US, the same would be true: for emergency medical aid - activate EMS with a 911 call, and/or call the US Coast Guard - first. Don't waste time trying to locate the nearest chamber on your own, notwithstanding whatever list you may have from SB. Call DAN after you activate EMS - they will be very helpful irrespective of whether you happen to have DAN insurance. There is not one central national number to call for diving emergency medical aid. While 911 is a nationally standard point of contact, it triggers an initial local response, as it should.

 

[tursiops]

Good question.

While what Kevrumbo said is true for S. California, I think the applicability is far broader. In coastal areas of the US, the same would be true: for emergency medical aid - activate EMS with a 911 call, and/or call the US Coast Guard - first. Don't waste time trying to locate the nearest chamber on your own, notwithstanding whatever list you may have from SB. Call DAN after you activate EMS - they will be very helpful irrespective of whether you happen to have DAN insurance. There is not one central national number to call for diving emergency medical aid. While 911 is a nationally standard point of contact, it triggers an initial local response, as it should.

Yes.
In the US, your needed numbers are 911 (*although not everywhere), VHF Channel 16, and DAN at 919-684-9111 (collect).

*At Lake Phoenix, south of Richmond VA, one calls the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (434) 848-3133.
There may be other exceptions to 911.

 

[kelemvor]

Yes.
In the US, your needed numbers are 911 (*although not everywhere), VHF Channel 16, and DAN at 919-684-9111 (collect).

*At Lake Phoenix, south of Richmond VA, one calls the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (434) 848-3133.
There may be other exceptions to 911.

I think I'd call 911 anywhere (on land) in the US if I had an emergency. It's supposed to be a national system, and there's thousands of call centers supporting it. However, I don't think I'd call 911 if I wanted to talk to someone at a recompression chamber.

 

[tursiops]

I think I'd call 911 anywhere (on land) in the US if I had an emergency. It's supposed to be a national system, and there's thousands of call centers supporting it. However, I don't think I'd call 911 if I wanted to talk to someone at a recompression chamber.

But it is not. And the point of calling it is to get to emergency services, which may or may not include a chamber.

 

[Colliam7]

However, I don't think I'd call 911 if I wanted to talk to someone at a recompression chamber.

True. BUT, if there is a diving emergency, which may or may not involve the need for recompression, the first step is to activate EMS. And, that is part of the issue that DDM has appropriately raised, and part of DAN's reasoning in what information they provide.

So, we shouldn't be worried so much about the location of the nearest chamber as we should be about activating EMS, and seeking assistance from organizations like DAN that know how to navigate the 'system', to marshall appropriate resources for the particular emergency.

Frankly, if I was concerned about symptoms after a dive that suggested the possible need for recompression, I would call DAN first, not a particular chamber. I would rather have their assistance in 'paving the way' than try to do it myself.

 

[kelemvor]

True. BUT, if there is a diving emergency, which may or may not involve the need for recompression, the first step is to activate EMS. And, that is part of the issue that DDM has appropriately raised, and part of DAN's reasoning in what information they provide.

So, we shouldn't be worried so much about the location of the nearest chamber as we should be about activating EMS, and seeking assistance from organizations like DAN that know how to navigate the 'system', to marshall appropriate resources for the particular emergency.

Frankly, if I was concerned about symptoms after a dive that suggested the possible need for recompression, I would call DAN first, not a particular chamber. I would rather have their assistance in 'paving the way' than try to do it myself.

True enough, but this thread isn't about what to do in a diving emergency.