Spreading communicable diseases via regulator

[Addicted2H2O]

I disagree most strongly!
In an out of air situation, the standard of care is to give the regulator that has been working perfectly (your primary), and then take the spare reg that is hanging around your throat for yourself, since you checked it at the start of the dive it should still be working 30 minutes later.
What the panicked out-of-air diver doesn't need is problems with the donated reg!
If you are not willing to assume buddy duties for others, dive alone!
Michael

I'm not in either camp honestly, as the most acceptable method for donating to an OOA diver is the one that actually works and you're most comfortable performing. I think most agencies teach donating the octo, but I also think it depends on the instructor. I'm not currently set up to donate my primary and stow my secondary on a necklace, as I primarily dive a full face mask and donating my primary just won't work. But along the lines of what you said, since you pointed out that before a diver beings his/her dive they have checked their secondary to ensure its proper operation, wouldn't it be feasible to think it would still be working 30 minutes into the dive (as you previously stated) and just as safe to donate as the primary out of the donating diver's mouth? The only difference I can see if that the OOA diver at least has complete assurance that the reg taken directly from the donating diver's mouth is indeed working and may help to ease the situation just a bit more. But if the question here is regarding the spread of communicable disease, aside from all the "you shouldn't be diving" comments, it would indeed be "safer" to donate the octo. Again, with my current setup, that's the only option because my primary reg is permanently attached to my mask. I do; however, carry a spare 2nd stage and traditional mask in a BC pocket in case I'm forced to doff my ffm during a dive. Then I can attach the spare 2nd stage via QD fitting and still have a reg to donate to an OOA diver if necessary.

 

[kelemvor]

I look at it like this. The OOA guy is the one who's going to get a reg that was just in someone else's mouth. If that's me, then I'd rather get herpes or mono or covid or whatever than drown. That said, I have thus far never run out of gas.

If someone else is OOA, I will offer them my primary and put my air2 into my mouth. If they choose death instead of risking my regulator then that's their choice. I doubt that would happen.

I guess if I'm on a dive where I'm carrying my pony, then they would get my pony. Unless it goes down like everyone says it will and they mug me.

Kind of a moot point though because I pretty much always buddy with my wife these days. If one of us had mono, we both would have mono already.

 

[formernuke]

We just had this discussion.

I dive primary donation. It's the way I'm most comfortable.

If I have a active disease, guess what I'm not going to be in the water till I'm over it.

If I have something that I'm not aware of and I give it to you, I'm sorry, but your alive so don't complain about a couple days taking tylenol and theraflu.

It's just like if I have to give someone CPR, sorry if I crack a rib, your alive stop complaining.

 

[David Novo]

DAN Europe recommends "to use an alternative gas source and avoid donating the regulator from which the diver is breathing."

https://www.daneurope.org/c/documen...b88-05a1-408a-8e2b-b408af49c6b0&groupId=10103

 

[formernuke]

DAN Europe recommends "to use an alternative gas source and avoid donating the regulator from which the diver is breathing."

https://www.daneurope.org/c/documen...b88-05a1-408a-8e2b-b408af49c6b0&groupId=10103

That would be ideal but do they really expect the entire dive community to purchase yet another regulator and a pony. I don't see that happening.

 

[David Novo]

That would be ideal but do they really expect the entire dive community to purchase yet another regulator and a pony. I don't see that happening.

Probably "alternative gas source" is intended to mean second stage, not an actual different tank. Nevertheless, your interpretation is valid and I did not actually consider it.

 

[Umuntu]

BB isn’t taught by any agency I know of for OOG situations. It might by used as a confidence builder.

I understand NOAA still teach it. Their Standard equipment until recently had just a primary and a combined inflator/octopus.

 

[Edward3c]

I understand NOAA still teach it. Their Standard equipment until recently had just a primary and a combined inflator/octopus.

BSAC dropped BB about 20 years ago.

For an Alternate Source (AS) to be classified as such it must meet, as a minimum: An AS could be an octopus (an additional second stage attached to the first stage of your main regulator) or an independent alternative supply (such as a pony cylinder with its own regulator)[1].

1. BSAC Safe Diving

 

[Umuntu]

BSAC dropped BB about 20 years ago.

For an Alternate Source (AS) to be classified as such it must meet, as a minimum: An AS could be an octopus (an additional second stage attached to the first stage of your main regulator) or an independent alternative supply (such as a pony cylinder with its own regulator)[1].

1. BSAC Safe Diving

Then an SP Air2 (or AP Diving equivalent) type secondary would satisfy that requirement ?

 

[TMHeimer]

You may be confusing your terms.
Buddy breathing is the practice of only one working regulator between the two of you, and you each take one or two breaths and hand it back and forth. This practice is not in any recreational scuba classes I am aware of; it still exists only at the professional level.

What you are concerned about is the OOG person taking the working regulator for the mouth of the donor, and not giving it back while they (presumably) surface together. In this case, only the OOG diver has the minuscule chance of catching something from the donor; the alternative is to drown. The donor has no extra jeopardy.
In the case of donating the alternate air source, rather than the primary reg in one's mouth, common practice varies (as seen in this thread). Either way, the donor is in no extra jeopardy.

If you are so incredibly concerned about disease transmission, you may want to rethink scuba diving or at least random buddies.

Agree completely. Even if the best way to donate according to your set up is to give the OOG person your primary, you have to consider two things--
--As someone mentioned, would you not do this and let the person drown because you worry about infection?
--What are the chances you'll ever even be in that situation with a buddy?
Also, as someone said, if these things concern you so much dive solo.
Regarding the Virus--I rarely buddy dive anyway and have no thoughts of doing that until a vaccine is available and Covid19 is no longer a concern.
I think there was recently a thread (months ago?) that went all through this regarding rental equipment.