student sent to chamber at Casino Pioint Sat - 6-25-11

[snowshoedavesdad]

We were diving Casino Point Sat when the paramedics took a man to the chamber around 10am. We had just came out of the water as they were already treating him. This information is from the "group mom" who stayed on shore and talked with the victim and the instructor as they exited the water. The victim was coming up the stairs and looked pale and dazed when our non diver for the day asked him if he was OK. He said no and walked to his gear area. She again asked if he was OK and still said no. At this time someone alerted the lifeguards and help came. When she asked what happened she was told by the instructor they were 20' deep practicing buddy breathing. Apparently the instructors "octopus" was a normal second stage and the student put it in his mouth upside down. Apparently on his first breath he sucked in some water, spat out the reg and bolted to the surface. We did not find out the previous dive profiles or if this was the first one of the day. He was showing signs of DCS so they took him to the chamber. I went to the bathroom about 20-30min after the student was taken away and walked by the instructor involved in the incident. I overheard him telling someone on the phone " and they took him to the chamber" as he was laughing. That was the most disturbing part of the incident. I do not understand how he got away from the instructor and how the instructor took it so lightly.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Don't worry yourself, if Karl Huggins did a dive and found him to be bent, then this student turned over the instructors name and the cert agency was informed, maybe informed as now. you waited this long to come forward. In diving all info needs to be instant.

Dr bill will be better to find what has happen to this student diver.

 

[merxlin]

Being taken to the chamber while at the dive park is not unusual for any dive related injury. I was at the park as well and saw them take the student away. There did not appear to be any urgency to the transport, or the treatment, which made it look like it was more precautionary than anything else. But that is just my opinion. I'm sure for the person involved it was much more than that.

As early as it was, and watching divers come and go, I'd bet it was their first dive of the day. And there are a lot of assumptions here. How do we know the student "got away from the instructor"? Students can "bolt" even while under control of the instructor. Whether that results in an uncontrolled ascent is a separate issue. The instructor could have arrested the ascent, but that might not have alleviated the divers panic and anxiety. Also, the "symptoms of DCS" may not have been from an embolism, which would be normal for an uncontrolled ascent.

As far as the instructors demeanor while on the phone- unless they were talking to you I wouldn't put too much into that. People deal with stressful situations differently. If he was laughing while dealing with the situation or talking to the family or other students in the class I'd have a different opinion.

 

[drbill]

Although I heard there was an incident that morning, I was at home still drinking my coffee and editing so I have no first hand knowledge of the situation.