I will contribute my two cents but for the benefit of Duckman, let me state that I have some bias since I sit on the Board of Directors at Dive Rescue International.
The members of the forum have spoken and the bottom line is that communications needs to exist between the diver and topside personnel. If you don't have good communications, problems will begin in very short order.
The Dive Rescue International system was developed in the 1970s and has been taught to tens of thousands of Public Safety Divers over a thirty year period. The signals were developed to be safe and effective and time has proven their relibility. They are similar to the signals taught to firefighters, if you are familiar with the OATH (ok, advance, take in slack and help) system.
LGS uses the Navy signals. These signals were developed primarily for VERY experienced surface supplied air divers and the most commonly used signals had the shortest number of pulls and the most seldom used has the most number of pulls.
To see the signals used visit:
http://www.diveinstruct.org.uk/terms8.html
I would challenge you to commit these signals to memory and then be able to use them when your adrenaline induced heart rate increases.
OR... you can use four signals that pretty well sums up everything a public safety diver and tender need to know!
The bottom line is the Dive Rescue International signals are simple, easy to remember, can be easily used by line tenders who might not be on the dive team, and can be used during high stress events.
While Dive Rescue International may have been the first to use these signals for public safety diving, they are not the only public safety diving training agency using them today. The programs taught by ERDI, PSDA (entry), IANTD and a host of other agencies offering PSD training use the four signal, International PSD line signal system.
I would encourage you to start simple and if you find these signals don't work well for your team, switch to something else. Remember ... KISS ... Keep It Simple S...
Fraternally,
Blades Robinson, Director
Dive Rescue International
www.DiveRescueIntl.com
P.S. Dive Rescue International now has waterproof decals the size of a business card with line signals printed on them. You can request FREE decals online by visiting the Dive Rescue International webpage and click on the "Contact Us" link.
www.DiveRescueIntl.com
Also, a one page version can be downloaded from the International Association of Dive Rescue Specialists website. Go to...
www.IADRS.org and click on the DOWNLOAD link.
Dive Rescue International (and most PSD training agencies)...
Tender to diver
1 pull on the line - okay, okay?
2 pulls - stop, take out slack, reverse direction
3 pulls - come to the surface
4 pulls - stop, don't move (there could be danger ahead or a boat entering the search area)
Diver to tender
1 pull on the line - okay, okay?
2 pulls - advance line
3 pulls - object found
4 or more pulls - assistance needed
Line signals can be combined if needed. For example, DVIER- 1 pull (wait for 1 pull acknowledgement) followed by four easy pulls could indicate, "I am okay but I need assistance" ... This is not confused with four or more pulls that may feel like a jigsaw in the tender's hands.
If anyone has trouble telling the difference between a diver okay and needing assistance from the back-up, versus a diver experiencing a full blown emergency underwater, then maybe they should study the list below...
- - - The "other" signals, used by Navy or commercial divers and copied in part by LGS - - -
Single Life Line Signal Code
General signals:
Surface
Diver
One Pull
To call attention
Are you OK?
To call attention
Made bottom
Left bottom
Reached end of Jackstay
I am well
Two Pulls
Am sending down a rope's end (or as pre-arranged)
Send me down a rope's end (or as pre-arranged)
Three Pulls
You have come up too far.
Go down slowly until we stop you.
I am going down
Four Pulls
Come up
May I come up?
Four Pulls followed by Two Bells
Come up - Hurry up
Come up - Surface decompression
I want to come up
Assist me up
Four Pulls followed by Five Bells
Come up on your Safety float
May I come up on my Safety Float?
Succession of Pulls
(Must be more than four)
Emergency signal Pull me up Immediately
Succession of Two Bells
Am foul and need the assistance of another diver
Succession of Three Bells
Am foul but can clear myself if left alone
Four Pulls followed by Four Bells
Attend telephone/DUCS
Direction signals:
Surface Attendant to Diver
One Pull
Search where you are
Two Bells
Go to the end of distance line or jackstay
Three Bells
Face shot, then go right
Four Bells
Face shot, then go left
Five Bells
Come into your shot, or turn back if on a jackstay
Working signals:
Diver to Surface Attendant
One Pull
Hold on / Stop
Two Bells
Pull up
Three Bells
Lower
Four Bells
Take up slack lifeline / You are holding me too tight
Five Bells
Have found / started / completed work
The organisation and conduct of dives made by divers in life-line communication to the surface should follow set procedures.
Other roped diver signals:
Fleet Dive Signals used by the Canadian Navy
DIVING SIGNALS
1. All signals are preceded by ONE pull to call attention.
2. All signals will be answered as given.
3. Supplementary signals in addition to those listed may be made between the Diving Supervisor/Attendant and the diver to take care of special circumstances as they occur.
4. A clear distinction must be made between a "Pull" and a "Bell". A Pull is a firm, slow and steady signal. A Bell is a short, sharp jerk. A series of Bells is to be given in the same manner as ringing a ship's bell.
5. Particular care should be taken when diving in deep water and/or strong tides to ensure the utmost clarity in transmission of signals is achieved. The ability to make and intercept signals in these conditions must remain largely a matter of experience.
DIVER TO ATTENDANT
2 PULLS "Lower me or Give me slack"
3 PULLS "Take up my slack"
4 PULLS "Haul me up"
4 PULLS 3 BELLS "May I come up"
Series of single pulls which does not have to be preceded by one pull: EMERGENCY "Haul me up".
NOTE: This signal does not have to be answered, immediate action is to be taken.
ATTENDANT TO DIVER
2 PULLS When diver descending- "Stop going down"
When diver ascending- "You have come up to far"
3 PULLS "Stand by to come up"
4 PULLS "Come up"
4 PULLS 4 PULLS "Come up, hurry up"
DIVER TO ATTENDANT and ATTENDANT TO DIVER
1 PULL "I am alright" - "Call attention" - "Made bottom" - "Left bottom" - "Interrogative"
2-1 PULLS "Send down a rope's end" or as previously arranged
4 PULLS- 3 BELLS "Come up your safety float" or "May I come up my safety float"
DISTRESS SIGNALS
2-2-2 PULLS "I am fouled and need assistance of another diver"
3-3-3 PULLS "I am fouled but can clear myself if left alone"
DIRECTION OR SEARCHING SIGNALS
1 PULL "Search where you are"
2 BELLS "Go to the end of your distance line or jackstay"
3 BELLS "Go to your right"
4 BELLS "Go to your left"
5 BELLS "Come in" or "Turn back if on jackstay"
WORKING SIGNALS
1 PULL "Hold on" or "Stop"
2 BELLS "Lower"
3 BELLS "Pull up"
5 BELLS "Have found" or "Started" or "Finished my work"
HAND and SPECIAL SIGNALS
Thumbs up I am Okay
Hand waved across face I am in trouble
One thunderflash exploded underwater ALL DIVERS SURFACE IMMEDIATELY
Hand clenched on chest I am low on air
Finger pointing to mouthpiece Buddy breath
The members of the forum have spoken and the bottom line is that communications needs to exist between the diver and topside personnel. If you don't have good communications, problems will begin in very short order.
The Dive Rescue International system was developed in the 1970s and has been taught to tens of thousands of Public Safety Divers over a thirty year period. The signals were developed to be safe and effective and time has proven their relibility. They are similar to the signals taught to firefighters, if you are familiar with the OATH (ok, advance, take in slack and help) system.
LGS uses the Navy signals. These signals were developed primarily for VERY experienced surface supplied air divers and the most commonly used signals had the shortest number of pulls and the most seldom used has the most number of pulls.
To see the signals used visit:
http://www.diveinstruct.org.uk/terms8.html
I would challenge you to commit these signals to memory and then be able to use them when your adrenaline induced heart rate increases.
OR... you can use four signals that pretty well sums up everything a public safety diver and tender need to know!
The bottom line is the Dive Rescue International signals are simple, easy to remember, can be easily used by line tenders who might not be on the dive team, and can be used during high stress events.
While Dive Rescue International may have been the first to use these signals for public safety diving, they are not the only public safety diving training agency using them today. The programs taught by ERDI, PSDA (entry), IANTD and a host of other agencies offering PSD training use the four signal, International PSD line signal system.
I would encourage you to start simple and if you find these signals don't work well for your team, switch to something else. Remember ... KISS ... Keep It Simple S...
Fraternally,
Blades Robinson, Director
Dive Rescue International
www.DiveRescueIntl.com
P.S. Dive Rescue International now has waterproof decals the size of a business card with line signals printed on them. You can request FREE decals online by visiting the Dive Rescue International webpage and click on the "Contact Us" link.
www.DiveRescueIntl.com
Also, a one page version can be downloaded from the International Association of Dive Rescue Specialists website. Go to...
www.IADRS.org and click on the DOWNLOAD link.
- - - COMPARISON - - -
Dive Rescue International (and most PSD training agencies)...
Tender to diver
1 pull on the line - okay, okay?
2 pulls - stop, take out slack, reverse direction
3 pulls - come to the surface
4 pulls - stop, don't move (there could be danger ahead or a boat entering the search area)
Diver to tender
1 pull on the line - okay, okay?
2 pulls - advance line
3 pulls - object found
4 or more pulls - assistance needed
Line signals can be combined if needed. For example, DVIER- 1 pull (wait for 1 pull acknowledgement) followed by four easy pulls could indicate, "I am okay but I need assistance" ... This is not confused with four or more pulls that may feel like a jigsaw in the tender's hands.
If anyone has trouble telling the difference between a diver okay and needing assistance from the back-up, versus a diver experiencing a full blown emergency underwater, then maybe they should study the list below...
- - - The "other" signals, used by Navy or commercial divers and copied in part by LGS - - -
Single Life Line Signal Code
General signals:
Surface
Diver
One Pull
To call attention
Are you OK?
To call attention
Made bottom
Left bottom
Reached end of Jackstay
I am well
Two Pulls
Am sending down a rope's end (or as pre-arranged)
Send me down a rope's end (or as pre-arranged)
Three Pulls
You have come up too far.
Go down slowly until we stop you.
I am going down
Four Pulls
Come up
May I come up?
Four Pulls followed by Two Bells
Come up - Hurry up
Come up - Surface decompression
I want to come up
Assist me up
Four Pulls followed by Five Bells
Come up on your Safety float
May I come up on my Safety Float?
Succession of Pulls
(Must be more than four)
Emergency signal Pull me up Immediately
Succession of Two Bells
Am foul and need the assistance of another diver
Succession of Three Bells
Am foul but can clear myself if left alone
Four Pulls followed by Four Bells
Attend telephone/DUCS
Direction signals:
Surface Attendant to Diver
One Pull
Search where you are
Two Bells
Go to the end of distance line or jackstay
Three Bells
Face shot, then go right
Four Bells
Face shot, then go left
Five Bells
Come into your shot, or turn back if on a jackstay
Working signals:
Diver to Surface Attendant
One Pull
Hold on / Stop
Two Bells
Pull up
Three Bells
Lower
Four Bells
Take up slack lifeline / You are holding me too tight
Five Bells
Have found / started / completed work
The organisation and conduct of dives made by divers in life-line communication to the surface should follow set procedures.
Other roped diver signals:
Fleet Dive Signals used by the Canadian Navy
DIVING SIGNALS
1. All signals are preceded by ONE pull to call attention.
2. All signals will be answered as given.
3. Supplementary signals in addition to those listed may be made between the Diving Supervisor/Attendant and the diver to take care of special circumstances as they occur.
4. A clear distinction must be made between a "Pull" and a "Bell". A Pull is a firm, slow and steady signal. A Bell is a short, sharp jerk. A series of Bells is to be given in the same manner as ringing a ship's bell.
5. Particular care should be taken when diving in deep water and/or strong tides to ensure the utmost clarity in transmission of signals is achieved. The ability to make and intercept signals in these conditions must remain largely a matter of experience.
DIVER TO ATTENDANT
2 PULLS "Lower me or Give me slack"
3 PULLS "Take up my slack"
4 PULLS "Haul me up"
4 PULLS 3 BELLS "May I come up"
Series of single pulls which does not have to be preceded by one pull: EMERGENCY "Haul me up".
NOTE: This signal does not have to be answered, immediate action is to be taken.
ATTENDANT TO DIVER
2 PULLS When diver descending- "Stop going down"
When diver ascending- "You have come up to far"
3 PULLS "Stand by to come up"
4 PULLS "Come up"
4 PULLS 4 PULLS "Come up, hurry up"
DIVER TO ATTENDANT and ATTENDANT TO DIVER
1 PULL "I am alright" - "Call attention" - "Made bottom" - "Left bottom" - "Interrogative"
2-1 PULLS "Send down a rope's end" or as previously arranged
4 PULLS- 3 BELLS "Come up your safety float" or "May I come up my safety float"
DISTRESS SIGNALS
2-2-2 PULLS "I am fouled and need assistance of another diver"
3-3-3 PULLS "I am fouled but can clear myself if left alone"
DIRECTION OR SEARCHING SIGNALS
1 PULL "Search where you are"
2 BELLS "Go to the end of your distance line or jackstay"
3 BELLS "Go to your right"
4 BELLS "Go to your left"
5 BELLS "Come in" or "Turn back if on jackstay"
WORKING SIGNALS
1 PULL "Hold on" or "Stop"
2 BELLS "Lower"
3 BELLS "Pull up"
5 BELLS "Have found" or "Started" or "Finished my work"
HAND and SPECIAL SIGNALS
Thumbs up I am Okay
Hand waved across face I am in trouble
One thunderflash exploded underwater ALL DIVERS SURFACE IMMEDIATELY
Hand clenched on chest I am low on air
Finger pointing to mouthpiece Buddy breath
