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Kansas professor dead - Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Thread starter DandyDon
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I believe there was a problem with a diver at the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa last weekend. At least, that is what I understood from a conversation we had with a policeman there on Monday. We were not diving there--just getting tanks filled to dive at Rock Lake, and the policeman came by and was chatting while we were working on the tanks. He may have been taken to Albuquerque for hospitalization.
I happened to be there when this happened. He was a technical diver, with years of experience.
My friend was at the surface working with a student, and overheard Stevanov and his buddy taking about their regulators breathing hard.
Subsequent to that, they decended. His dive buddy told me he was at 44 feet and was having equalization issues, Stevanov was at the bottom. Several people saw him going hand over first io one of the lines. One instructor told me he was going up "really fast."
His dive buddy followed him up, and as they surfaced Stevanov inflated his bcd and then rolled over into the water. His buddy called for help, and began towing him to the stairs. Several people told me the lifeguards did not react.
Divers took him from the water and began doing CPR. The lifeguards didn't go and get there AED. Divers continued doing CPR until the ambulance arrived.
(All the above is based on what people told me, so take that for what it's worth)
I went over to the water when I heard the ambulance, and they quickly loaded him and departed.
Afterwards, another diver and I were talking to the buddy, and I realized he was in shock. We got the buddy on ow, called for ems, etc and when the ambulance came back for the buddy, they told me that Stevanov had been revived at the ER, and was being airlifted to Albuquerque.
I saw the buddy later, after he was released from the hospital (he was ok).
I'm sad to hear that he didn't make it. I don't know if am aed would have made a difference, but for those of you who dive blue hole, take a minute and put eyes on that aed.
From what I gathered, it's a volunteer ems service, and a BLS ambulance so an aed is going to be more critical than it would be in other places with stronger ems systems (but really an aed so much more effective than CPR, and even if you haven't every used one, they have instructions, and they tell you what to do so you can use one without any experience).
My friend was at the surface working with a student, and overheard Stevanov and his buddy taking about their regulators breathing hard.
Subsequent to that, they decended. His dive buddy told me he was at 44 feet and was having equalization issues, Stevanov was at the bottom. Several people saw him going hand over first io one of the lines. One instructor told me he was going up "really fast."
His dive buddy followed him up, and as they surfaced Stevanov inflated his bcd and then rolled over into the water. His buddy called for help, and began towing him to the stairs. Several people told me the lifeguards did not react.
Divers took him from the water and began doing CPR. The lifeguards didn't go and get there AED. Divers continued doing CPR until the ambulance arrived.
(All the above is based on what people told me, so take that for what it's worth)
I went over to the water when I heard the ambulance, and they quickly loaded him and departed.
Afterwards, another diver and I were talking to the buddy, and I realized he was in shock. We got the buddy on ow, called for ems, etc and when the ambulance came back for the buddy, they told me that Stevanov had been revived at the ER, and was being airlifted to Albuquerque.
I saw the buddy later, after he was released from the hospital (he was ok).
I'm sad to hear that he didn't make it. I don't know if am aed would have made a difference, but for those of you who dive blue hole, take a minute and put eyes on that aed.
From what I gathered, it's a volunteer ems service, and a BLS ambulance so an aed is going to be more critical than it would be in other places with stronger ems systems (but really an aed so much more effective than CPR, and even if you haven't every used one, they have instructions, and they tell you what to do so you can use one without any experience).
No judgement. No experience there. Wasn't there. Just curious.
Would there have been a reason that the life guards were told not to react to divers? i.e. surface swimmers are their priority, divers sign a release. etc. at a minimum it seems a shame that they couldn't have sent someone with the AED.
Rest in peace, Doc.
Would there have been a reason that the life guards were told not to react to divers? i.e. surface swimmers are their priority, divers sign a release. etc. at a minimum it seems a shame that they couldn't have sent someone with the AED.
Rest in peace, Doc.
OP
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Thanks for the limited report flightofpenguins. I wondered if a diver from Kansas would travel 454 miles to Santa Rosa for diving, and I guess that it does indeed happen.
A rapid climbing ascent could be from any of a number is issues, but I have to wonder if his "breathing hard" reg failed on him?
Yeah, that was my thought. Just guessing that they're trained to deal with swimmers, not divers in gear, and perhaps told not to get in the way if there are other divers to tend to the rescue, maybe? Providing the AED could indeed have helped tho.
I used to be one of those "meet you on the bottom" divers as I clear so easily and my home bud always had issues, but we evolved into "buddies stay together, every step" divers.
A rapid climbing ascent could be from any of a number is issues, but I have to wonder if his "breathing hard" reg failed on him?
My wife and I just got back last Saturday night and it was a 420 mile trip from the OKC area. We needed a cool water trial run before a trip next month to Catalina Island. I don't think she would go back just for the diving, but I would in a second. Loved the cool water. None of the divers we talked to mentioned anything about an accident and I didn't ask. I didn't see any lifeguards either, it I wasn't really looking. Once the swimmers show up, it gets crowded.
Even though you can see just about everything in a couple of dives, I could still dive it all weekend, several times a year, and be fine. Tropical level water clarity, very nice facilities designed for divers, friendly staff, on site fills for $8, and lots of divers to talk to from all over during your surface intervals. Did I mention incredible visability compared to Oklahoma Lake standards? It's $20 a diver to dive for a week, so it's much cheaper than Bonne Terre and closer by 2 hours for us.
Condolences to the family and to the Buddy.
Jay
I think it was more of a couple teenagers being in a position they'd never been in before. I'm sure those kids feel horrible, and are reliving that, and I don't blame them. Mistakes happen and those kids were probably in a place where they never expected to be.
I know several divers talked with Santa Rosa's mayor, and asked him to ensure that the lifeguards were better trained.
From my training and experience, my best guess is that Stevanov was having his heart attack when he talked about his reg breathing hard, and his heart failed shortly thereafter .
Either way, we, as a community, should take away this message: If things aren't going right at the surface, take 5 and see if things are improving. If things go bad for someone else, you need to know what's available to help, and fill those gaps when someone else misses it
I didn't know about the AED until after this event. I'm sorry that I didn't, but that's a lesson learned for me, and it won't happen again, for me or for anyone that divers with me. if
I know several divers talked with Santa Rosa's mayor, and asked him to ensure that the lifeguards were better trained.
From my training and experience, my best guess is that Stevanov was having his heart attack when he talked about his reg breathing hard, and his heart failed shortly thereafter .
Either way, we, as a community, should take away this message: If things aren't going right at the surface, take 5 and see if things are improving. If things go bad for someone else, you need to know what's available to help, and fill those gaps when someone else misses it
I didn't know about the AED until after this event. I'm sorry that I didn't, but that's a lesson learned for me, and it won't happen again, for me or for anyone that divers with me. if
OP
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It's a small town and challenging to govern in its way. I know that diving and the Blue Hole pumps a lot of money into the town. The town is a little larger than the farm town I live in, but surely has a much larger budget. If every diver paid the appropriate fees, that should cover training lifeguards, but I guess it'd also have to pay for the fee enforcer.
I once dived their as part of a trio (hate those!), surfaced in a crowd, got to talking to folks, then couldn't find one of my buds! His crippled wife was waiting at their car, and I was not leaving him behind, so submerged on my 19cf pony to search for him, ascending back on my back gas. Then I heard that he had gone to his car. They'd left town by the time I got out, maybe after hearing I was looking and was expected to be upset when I got out. Guessing.
A year later I went diving there again with the other member of that trio, who I had discussed the importance of entering, descending, clearing, descending, ascending, and leaving together - initially because he was the usual bud who took longer to clear, and he remembered how upset I was when I couldn't find the other guy the year before. We surfaced in a crowd again, got to talking, and I couldn't find him. "Damn, again?!" I started to switch to my pony to search again, but this time walked up the steps and saw him at our pickup! We had a hard talk!
I haven't been back in years. My home bud with ear challenges quit diving, then died, so I lost interest. Good to hear they have an AED now, but it needs to be well known and accessible. I guess they keep it locked up at night with all of the vandalism.
And buddies stay together, every step - clearing at 15-20 feet, descending, ascending, leaving.
I once dived their as part of a trio (hate those!), surfaced in a crowd, got to talking to folks, then couldn't find one of my buds! His crippled wife was waiting at their car, and I was not leaving him behind, so submerged on my 19cf pony to search for him, ascending back on my back gas. Then I heard that he had gone to his car. They'd left town by the time I got out, maybe after hearing I was looking and was expected to be upset when I got out. Guessing.
A year later I went diving there again with the other member of that trio, who I had discussed the importance of entering, descending, clearing, descending, ascending, and leaving together - initially because he was the usual bud who took longer to clear, and he remembered how upset I was when I couldn't find the other guy the year before. We surfaced in a crowd again, got to talking, and I couldn't find him. "Damn, again?!" I started to switch to my pony to search again, but this time walked up the steps and saw him at our pickup! We had a hard talk!
I haven't been back in years. My home bud with ear challenges quit diving, then died, so I lost interest. Good to hear they have an AED now, but it needs to be well known and accessible. I guess they keep it locked up at night with all of the vandalism.
We will never know if the life guards were following protocol or too spooked to react.
AED's are not expensive now days. I suggest divers start thinking of them as a potential part of their dive gear. We always bring ours and the O2 system when we shore dive. I hope to never use it again but it is comforting to know it is there.
I always let my buddies know where to find it if needed. Who knows you could purchase on and wind up having it save YOUR life! Consider it...
AED's are not expensive now days. I suggest divers start thinking of them as a potential part of their dive gear. We always bring ours and the O2 system when we shore dive. I hope to never use it again but it is comforting to know it is there.
I always let my buddies know where to find it if needed. Who knows you could purchase on and wind up having it save YOUR life! Consider it...
There are no lifeguards at the Blue Hole! There is no hospital in Santa Rosa.
I have been there with students a couple of dozen times and have had very different experiences than described above. Often there are many rescue diving students and lots of trainers.
In January (2018) I was there when a diver surfaced and weakly called out. Before I could do anything, a nearby instructor responded and from the weakness of the reply he decided to check the diver’s condition. A second instructor another few feet away joined him and they called for help. The diver was about 15 yards from the exit. People were immediately gathering emergency equipment. I was out of the water near the exit. My backboard was just a few feet away so I dropped my gear grabbed the backboard and took it to the exit. Within seconds his BCD was off and we carried him to the top of the stairs where two EMTs (one an open water student, the other a DM) immediately initiated emergency procedures including providing O2. Although the situation initially looked bad, by the time an ambulance arrived the diver was stable. In a short time the diver had recovered enough to be up and was instructed to be seen by a doctor (He could not get back in the water anyway- the EMTs had cut off his wet suit.). The diver was shaken but apparently OK. [He later explained he had gotten disoriented,lost his buddy, and then lost his depth control] The speed at which all of those people responded, and their professionalism was impressive and may have kept an unfortunate situation from getting worse.
I have also observed a fatal event at the Blue Hole. The nearest serious trauma center is in Santa Fe over 100 miles away.
I suspect luck plays a big role at Santa Rosa injuries - the nature of the problem, who else is there when the event happens, the weather, etc.
I have been there with students a couple of dozen times and have had very different experiences than described above. Often there are many rescue diving students and lots of trainers.
In January (2018) I was there when a diver surfaced and weakly called out. Before I could do anything, a nearby instructor responded and from the weakness of the reply he decided to check the diver’s condition. A second instructor another few feet away joined him and they called for help. The diver was about 15 yards from the exit. People were immediately gathering emergency equipment. I was out of the water near the exit. My backboard was just a few feet away so I dropped my gear grabbed the backboard and took it to the exit. Within seconds his BCD was off and we carried him to the top of the stairs where two EMTs (one an open water student, the other a DM) immediately initiated emergency procedures including providing O2. Although the situation initially looked bad, by the time an ambulance arrived the diver was stable. In a short time the diver had recovered enough to be up and was instructed to be seen by a doctor (He could not get back in the water anyway- the EMTs had cut off his wet suit.). The diver was shaken but apparently OK. [He later explained he had gotten disoriented,lost his buddy, and then lost his depth control] The speed at which all of those people responded, and their professionalism was impressive and may have kept an unfortunate situation from getting worse.
I have also observed a fatal event at the Blue Hole. The nearest serious trauma center is in Santa Fe over 100 miles away.
I suspect luck plays a big role at Santa Rosa injuries - the nature of the problem, who else is there when the event happens, the weather, etc.
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