Pre Rescue Course - so challenge me!

[InTheDrink]

Right.

Here's the gig. This year I'll be doing my rescue course at some point. Soon as poss but poss isn't always as soon as I'd like.

I've two other variables:

1. Diving in Tanzania for 10 days at end of Jan
2. Stopping drinking (which is kind of a big deal-ish for me)

So I'd like to put the time in TZ to good use. Where I'm going there's nothing to do but drink and dive and I aint doin the former. So I need to fill my time...

Anyone out there with a good list of what I can pre-plan and practise for my rescue course? A list would be dynamite...the harder the better... above water as well as below...

Cheers,
J

 

[TMHeimer]

That's a tough one. The course I took was basically pool work going over the stuff in the manual. The tows, bringing up an unresponsive diver from the bottom, inwater rescue breathing, equipment removal while towing, etc. Most of this is hard to do by yourself, and best done in the class after reading the book. The OW scenarios can't be practised because they're spur of the moment stuff. What I might do would be to buy the book, study it (there's a lot in there) and do all the Knowledge Reviews (if PADI) ahead of time. I use this approach with any course I take. Then you can concentrate on the practical side of it and other valuable tips the instructor has. Having done all my studying, I would then go to TZ and enjoy the diving.

 

[jacrmill]

If drinking is a problem for you (which Im guessing since your name is "in the drink"), congratulations on stopping. Stopping is no joke, in my profession I've seen it cause many problems...you are to be commended. I have no input on your actual question, just wanted to congratulate you for doing something that some should do, but dont have the guts to.

 

[TSandM]

Well, one of the big focuses of Rescue is self-rescue, so practicing such things as regulator recovery and air-sharing definitely comes under the heading of pre-rescue practice. If you can talk a buddy into playing around with things like towing, or getting one another out of your gear in shallow water, that's good stuff, too.

Another thing you can do is just internal. As you go about your diving each day, look around you and ask yourself, "If somebody got into trouble here, how would they be likely to do it, and what could I do about it?" This will get you into the habit of looking for safety equipment on boats, for example, and assessing entries and exits, currents, boat traffic, and other hazards at a dive site. A lot of Rescue has to do with being prepared -- knowing what your resources are at a site, and how to activate them.

You could even bring a notebook and write down your thoughts about each dive situation, and then review them afterwards to see if anything occurred to you as the dive progressed and ended that you didn't think about beforehand. Then try to figure out WHY you didn't think of that ahead of time, and over the course of the trip, see if your pre-planning becomes more complete and thorough.

Keeping your mind active and productive and positive will help defuse the desire to numb it.

 

[Bogie]

Rescue Classes vary a bit from instructor to instructor. Some are much more demanding than others.

Some suggestions:

Study the book in advance, it will be a bit easier.
Good physical conditioning is a plus. The better physical shape your in the easier it will be.
Review the basics.
Practice taking off (quick disconnects, dry suit hose) your bcd in water. With buddy next to you in a safe area.
Practice good balance on surface with BCD. I have a back inflation BCD with makes balancing more challenging. The jacket bcd's are vertically more stable on surface. You will be simulating giving breaths every 5 seconds while balancing on the surface while towing victim in. Know your victim's bcd, you will be taking that off too.
You always keep yourself safe first, then help the victim.
Relax it is a great learning experience.

 

[ColinB]

I just took rescue in Oct, and I'd say you've already got some good options, especially TSandM's advice about mental prep and observation. and I strongly recommend a partner to practice towing and gear removal with. The things I can think of to practice solo would be speed donning your gear, since the sooner you can get to the victim, the better their chances, search patterns (expanding square, wave) and observation. The better you get at looking all around you and noticing where other divers, boats, currents etc are, the more likely you may be to notice a potential problem before it develops, or, if a rescue is needed, you may already have thought of options for the rescue, such as boats or floatation devices in the area. Another option to try solo might be to practice using a throw bag for rescues from shore, dock or boat.
Good luck and enjoy the class. I found that my class was very hard work, but also fun and rewarding, and I think you'll learn better if you find ways to make it enjoyable.

 

[OceanEd]

Read the book and follow some of directions in the book. If you know an instructor ask him/her if they will let you take their Rescue Diver DVD with you to study. It will help you a lot.

 

[SailNaked]

Congratulations on Rescuing yourself first, My step father drank himself not quite to death but more so than alive.

Rescue class is the second most fun class I have taken (DM is #1). Good answers so far as usual TS@M is right on. thinking about the rescues is key, think about the contingencies, think about your buddies gear, know how it works. What if a panicked diver were to try to attack you? Underwater? above water?
situational awareness is what is being taught, so begin by looking around any time you have water near by and think about what you would do if there was someone unconscious, or panicked in the water or near it. where is the O2? the back board? how to do a search if someone told you there buddy was out there somplace?

 

[tmi116]

I loved the rescue class, I feel that it made me a more aware diver. One thing that I try to practice for me is mask removal. I take my mask off and swim around every time I get in just because it is the most difficult skill for me to get comfy with. If there are any skills that you just dont like doing DO Them often. Best of luck. Have fun and dont drink. I quit too about 10 yrs ago people like me better and I like myself alot better. Drank like a fool in Okinawa and missed out on some of the most beautiful diving in the world.

 

[DaleC]

I'm not sure what you can do directly but I would offer two insights.

First, consider taking a better First aid course. I don't know if the training varies region to region but I was very disappointed in the F/A component offered as part of the rescue course locally. It can't hurt to know more first aid.

Second, improve your physical strength in general and swimming skills in particular. It's nice to learn the rescue techniques in theory and practice in a controlled environment but if one is too winded to actually tow someone for any real distance or too weak to lift someone out of the water ones effectiveness in real life will be diminished.

For me diving is something of a lifestyle. I dive, study, tinker and exercise because of it. And of course I am using the "general" you and not the "specific" you when I speak as I don't really know your particular situation.