Diving Accident in Pompano, FL Sunday 3/16

[WreckWriter]

As said unconscious diver ascends a fairly large volume of gas is going to be attempting to escape from these very small nasal passages which are further obstructed by said diver's mask and any congestion/snot which may exist. Not much resistance perhaps but lung tissues are known (at least in the traditional wisdom that I foolishly follow) to be pretty delicate. The faster that diver is brought up, the greater the volume of gas which needs to escape.

Should anyone ever need to bring my unconscious body to the surface, please hold my head upright.

WW

 

[The Chairman]

I am pretty sure that I would automatically do the same thing... hold the head in an upright-ish position. However, for those who don't know a thing about rescue diving or are too panicked to remember, just get my butt back on the boat... I really don't care how you do it! :tease:

 

[The Chairman]

how fast would you want them to ascend? I teach 60+fpm is "OK" and that the "traditional" 30 fpm is way too slow in an emergency. Even at that rate of speed (60 fpm) you would have to get rid of a lung full of air in about 30 seconds... and I can fully exhale through my nose in less than 5 seconds. I have their left arm in a do-se-do tow and my right hand holds their inflator valve, at their tank valve and the top of their head.

I do agree with you that any congestion would mitigate the issue, and really... you aren't in a position to ask them squat. There was a lady who had an OxTox convulsion in one of the caves and her husband brought her up that way (chin down)... she died, but I never heard the final autopsy. Some said she embolised, but that may have happened at depth (the real reason for the convulsions) or not at all. I have not heard the coroner's final assesment.

 

[dsgobie]

thanks for the info. I'll be sure to brief my instructor the next time I see him.

 

[crazyc]

dsgobie,

I bet your instructor was referring to "Scuba Life Saving" by Albert Pierce copyright 1985 "Do not punch him in chest. This may cause the air embolism you are trying to avoid, or other problems."

Ask the instructor to show you the reference material used.

CrazyC

 

[dsgobie]

crazyc once bubbled...
dsgobie,

I bet your instructor was referring to "Scuba Life Saving" by Albert Pierce copyright 1985 "Do not punch him in chest. This may cause the air embolism you are trying to avoid, or other problems."

Ask the instructor to show you the reference material used.

CrazyC

I will.