Never leave a diver behind

[Jim Kerr]

Despite all efforts to the contrary, there is, occasionally, a diver or divers left behind by dive boats.
This thread is to explore ideas that satisfy Thass' "systems in place" that will work all the time, every time.
Bear in mind that in the case that precipitated this thread, people lied to the "head counter" who, believing the liars, counted a head that wasn't there. The head counter reported "all aboard" to the captain, and the captain believed him. The system in place must avoid deception, even intentional deception.
Some sticky wickets to consider in coming up with the "ultimate plan"
1. Just because someone says they're "present" doesn't mean they're present.
2. Just because all the tanks (or tags) are aboard doesn't mean all the bodies are.
3. Just because you told 'em to stand in one place doesn't mean they will.
4. There may be strangers in the group who aren't known to any of the crew.
5. Just because everybody was there 10 seconds ago doesn't mean they're still there now.
---
Rick

A liveaboard boat I was on in SoCal devised a system because of an incident like the one being discussed that I thought worked pretty well.

You were given an aluminum token with the number of your assigned station on it. You took it with you on the dive and replaced it by hanging on your tank when you returnd. Something like this should prevent anyone from being left behind if everyone does their job.

 

[ekremer]

The problem I see with tokens is the "honey would you carry this for me" issue. Where the token of one diver ends up in the hands of another who just puts it on the station at the end of the dive.
Unlikely? yes but we are dealing with unlikely situations that crop up once in a blue moon and leaving this in the hands of the gues will get you into trouble.

 

[merxlin]

The problem I see with tokens is the "honey would you carry this for me" issue. Where the token of one diver ends up in the hands of another who just puts it on the station at the end of the dive.
Unlikely? yes but we are dealing with unlikely situations that crop up once in a blue moon and leaving this in the hands of the gues will get you into trouble.

And as we know personal responsibility seems to be low on many peoples lists of character qualities.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Hmmm... hmmm... just contemplating how to use tokens better. My experience with boats that use them is that they don't work that well because their use depends on the divers, mostly...
Howzabout this:
To get off the boat you must hand your token to the DM (or rolltaker). When you get back on, you get it back from the DM. The DM must be out of tokens for the boat to move.
Rick

 

[Teamcasa]

Hmmm... hmmm... just contemplating how to use tokens better. My experience with boats that use them is that they don't work that well because their use depends on the divers, mostly...
Howzabout this:
To get off the boat you must hand your token to the DM (or rolltaker). When you get back on, you get it back from the DM. The DM must be out of tokens for the boat to move.
Rick

And if the DM loses one?

 

[Air On]

Another Idea:
Use a token (That you have to buy and return for refund, say $100)
In order to get a tank to use, you have to give the dive master or captain the token to unlock a tank. Return from a dive, to lock in tank and go get your token back from the staff.

This assumes someone doesn't just jump back in and swim or snorkle...though.

Probably need to combine it with something like the carnival wrist bands that are numbered or ID chipped (they are solid sealed, no moisture possible) If the band comes off... No more dives for you that day. The operator with the list needs to see and check off each band not just call out a roll call. Again assuming someone doesn't jump back in while your counting.

If your group is so large you can't keep track of the people... you might need to scale back on the group sizes to a level you can manage. Greed for the operatiors doesn't excuse any more then ignorance on the divers part.

Even if that means making everyone jump back in the water and counting them one by one as the reboard the boat just before you leave the dive site.

Some operations do have the pager like devices on the strap of your mask. Do these have a 911 button to call for help? Could go by these too?

Lastly... who the hell is their dive buddy! That person should have known they didn't reboard with them you'd think?

 

[merxlin]

The buddy system helps, but what about solo divers?

 

[Air On]

The buddy system helps, but what about solo divers?

You know an operation that lets you dive alone?
They should have assigned you a buddy or attached you as a third before letting you in the water.

That or stick to shore dives... If the local law allows it.

Personaly I think you need to be assigned buddies before being allowed on the boat and be buddied shore to shore.

 

[ekremer]

Another Idea:
Use a token (That you have to buy and return for refund, say $100)
In order to get a tank to use, you have to give the dive master or captain the token to unlock a tank. Return from a dive, to lock in tank and go get your token back from the staff.

This assumes someone doesn't just jump back in and swim or snorkle...though.

Probably need to combine it with something like the carnival wrist bands that are numbered or ID chipped (they are solid sealed, no moisture possible) If the band comes off... No more dives for you that day. The operator with the list needs to see and check off each band not just call out a roll call. Again assuming someone doesn't jump back in while your counting.

If your group is so large you can't keep track of the people... you might need to scale back on the group sizes to a level you can manage. Greed for the operatiors doesn't excuse any more then ignorance on the divers part.

Even if that means making everyone jump back in the water and counting them one by one as the reboard the boat just before you leave the dive site.

Some operations do have the pager like devices on the strap of your mask. Do these have a 911 button to call for help? Could go by these too?

Lastly... who the hell is their dive buddy! That person should have known they didn't reboard with them you'd think?

I don't like the idea of charging a diver $100 plus removing their diving privalleges for the dive (so maybee $125 total) just b/c it fell out of their bc pocket or whatever.

Also I don't like the idea of "locking down" other peoples property (the tank). Which would also require hardware (keys, locks, a coin operated unlocking mechanism? individually grooved coins?) If you are spending that much may as well go for a RFID system and be a lot more transparent.

 

[ClayJar]

You know an operation that lets you dive alone?
They should have assigned you a buddy or attached you as a third before letting you in the water.

That or stick to shore dives... If the local law allows it.

Even the boats out to the Flower Gardens allow solo (although they require the card).

Personaly I think you need to be assigned buddies before being allowed on the boat and be buddied shore to shore.

The problem with shore to shore appears when you have a diver sit out. Either you're flexible enough to rebuddy, which discards any shore-to-shore buddy benefit, or you're inflexible enough to likely cause peer pressure on the buddy who would have sat out the dive. It would be a very bad thing to "punish" a diver for his buddy sitting out a dive; it's hard enough sometimes to help a diver understand it's a good thing to sit out a dive when they're not up to it, and adding the guilt of forcing his buddy out of the water would not help him.