Rescue Diver!!!

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by CheeseWhiz
the reduction in drag from not having to tow a bulky BC/tank through the water made life a lot easier.

Of course a backplate/wing will zip right through the water with negligible drag so you wouldn't need to remove it from the *victim*.

Then again, in real life the victim will problably be wearing a bulky BC so I guess the *take it off* drill is the most appropriate.

 

[CheeseWhiz]

A backplate/wing setup has negligible drag even with a tank attached? Wow! Gotta get one of them.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by CheeseWhiz
Gotta get one of them.

Yes...
You do...
Kick once...
& glide twice...
Mike Nelson style...

 

[The Chairman]

The most important task that is rarely covered in Rescue Diver is pacing yourself. The ascent is important to do quickly, but once on the top you should be more deliberate. Do NOT race the victim into shore and get those massive spasms in your legs... Swim in briskly, but at a pace that will let you actually keep the rescue going when you reach shore. Too many students get in "race mode" and are looking for the excerise to end when you get to shore. That doesn't happen in real life! An exhausted rescuer is useless and liability all at once. So, slow that swim down a tad, and learn to pace yourself.

As for removing the BC... like Stone, I like them thar quick releases. The only problem is that here in Sunny Florida, there are many who dive without a wetsuit (guilty!). The victim may be a sinker or a floater without one, so we never take a chance, and leave them in the BC until we extricate. However, I would ditch my BC in a heartbeat since I do not need it to float with. Less drag and easier to get me and the victim out of the soup that way.

 

[Se7en]

I've also done a PADI rescue course recently - and it was a lot of fun, albeit a bit of an effort. The end of one excercise saw two of us dragging in 4 BCs and 5 weight belts in addition to our own gear... and we dive in 7mm suits, so each weightbelt is in the 24 to 32 pound range...

But what completely blew me away was another guy doing the course.

He is a paraplegic. With no use of his legs at all.

This diver did every exercise on the rescue course, and we were doing the tows from about 150 to 200m out from the beach each time. He performed, without assistance, everything from bringing an unconscious diver to the surface, removing their gear and his, towing them the 200m to the shore while giving rescue breaths, and supporting their head, then towed the patient (who would have had to been close to 100 kgs) up to the high tide mark.

All this without interupting the mouth to mouth he was performing.

I'd felt pretty smug about my own diving abilities and general fitness up until this course, and indeed, completed all the exercises without much stress. But I was humbled by someone who asked for no consideration, indeed nominated himself for the more arduous roles in the group exercises. And did it all with self depreciating good humor.

I've refrained from naming the diver, as I suspect he would be somewhat embarrased that I thought it a big deal. He just considers that he was doing what all of us were - making ourselves better divers.

And he is a much better diver than most I have dived with - and that's on an absolute level, not taking into account his lack of use of legs.

I'm now looking forward to doing DM training with the same guy...

ciao
Mike

 

[scuberd]

I just finished the naui RD course. the only hard part for me was pulling people out of the water. be prepared to tow lots of people to lots of places. use the gear you would normally use, you should not have to worry about new gear when you are working with a victom.

we always shouted abalone instead of help, I wonder if I will shout that when there is a problem?

 

[DeepSeaDan]

I'm teaching a N.A.U.I. Rescue Diver ( N.A.U.I. , for the moment , has two Rescue Diver courses...basic & advanced ) course this weekend. My views on diver rescue differ somewhat to conventional scuba rescue wisdom & I'd be interested to hear your points of view.

My point of view is simply this : " Keep things very simple. "

This philosophy is born of my experience as a Firefighter / E.M.T.
There are some basic truths about rescuers & rescuees & I believe more emphasis should be placed on the reality of emergency response situations.

I open my rescue lecture with a few facts & a reality check :

*Things must be kept simple to be effective

*Speed is essential...thinking is paramount

*Life saving is A B & C...all the rest is window dressing

*Adrenelin can "crystalize" or "incapacitate" a rescuer

*"Adaptability" is a highly desireable rescuer trait

*Successful rescue is a "team effort"

*Despite all that you do , the casualty may die



Here's a thought : " In most instances, in-water rescue breathing is inappropriate , ineffective , & counter-productive to the chances for successful resucitation. "

When a casualty stops breathing, the heart will continue to beat for a minute or so, followed by cardiac arrest. Without circulation, rescue breathing is useless. It is also a very, very difficult skill to perform correctly in the water , in calm conditions, in a non-emergency situation. Since cpr is impossible to do effectively in-water, it makes no sense to waste precious time ( biological death begins in that :4 - :6 window ) trying to ventilate a non-circulating casualty in open water in the stress of a life & death emergency. How can you be sure their heart has stopped? This is often a difficult vital to discern even in the dry ( so much so, that all the major players in 1st aid / cpr training now teach the rescuer to look for "signs of circulation" in addition to the traditional carotid pulse check ). Better to get them to a hard, flat surface out of the water as fast as is humanly possible.

Even with fast transport to dry conditions, the outlook for a v.s.a. ( vital signs absent ) diving casualty is grim. Without cardiac defibrillation / advanced life support immediately available, the casualty is unlikely to survive. CPR is not meant to restart the heart ( it is possible, but highly unlikely ), it is a means of moving oxygenated blood to the vital organs ( it is also effective in removing lactic acid from the heart muscle & assists in converting the heart to a fibrillating rythym...one of two convertible rythyms necessary for cardiac defibrillation ).

This is not meant to discourage or despond the would-be rescue team. What it is meant to do is force rescuers to face the hard reality of such situations. It is also meant to prevent rescuers from taking unacceptable personal risks in their zeal to help the casualty. The #1 rule in rescue remains " do not become another victim."

All emergency situations involve unique & varying circumstances. The rescuer / team must assess the situation carefully & adjust procedures accordingly.

Layperson emergency response must be kept simple. We cannot ignore human nature. How many trained Rescue Divers practice or even think of rescue techniques beyond the end of their course? Not many I'd wager. So it is imperative to instill in these people some basic , practical knowledge / techniques that are easily remembered & will hopefully come back to the rescuer should they ever be faced with an actual emergency.

What do you think?

D.S.D.

 

[divegirl]

My advice is Have Fun !!

Rescue is a serious class but it is more about getting you to think on your feet (or fins). What should be done ?? What was I able to do ?? How could I have done better ??

Most of all remember, whatever you are able to do for the diver in trouble is better than if you had not been around or trained. Any help you can provide is good. Also be careful and don't let yourself become a victim during a rescue. You always need to keep your self safe first.

Rescue is a great class. Enjoy !!

 

[Uncle Pug]

Originally posted by DeepSeaDan
This philosophy is born of my experience as a Firefighter / E.M.T.
There are some basic truths about rescuers & rescuees & I believe more emphasis should be placed on the reality of emergency response situations.
~~~~~~
Here's a thought : " In most instances, in-water rescue breathing is inappropriate , ineffective , & counter-productive to the chances for successful resucitation. "
~~~~~~
What do you think?

I think this is one of the best post I have ever read.

 

[otter-cat]

DeepSeaDan,

Those were some great thoughts you put out there, and I wish all of that had been discussed in my rescue diver course.

I think that it still might be appropriate to continue to TEACH in-water rescue breathing for two reasons:

1) For use in the possible instance where it may be the best or only option...I know this may be a rare case, and in fact I'm not sure what that case would be. Possibly at sea, while a rescue boat is coming to you??? When the boat is gone?

and,

2) Just because it's a good exercise to have the rescue diver pratice dealing with their gear and another's with added difficulties (be it rescue breathing or some other similarly difficult task) while doing a tow. It's just more learning how to deal with gear better, and how to deal with complexity, which, while best minimized in a real rescue situation, is something which most real rescue situations will provide plenty of.

Thanks for the advice. If I am in a real rescue situation, I hope I will remember what you said.

otter-cat