What's in your Emergency Kit?

[large_diver]

Wow -- I'm getting emergency kit envy....

This probably goes without saying given the prevelance of cell phones these days, but a cell phone (if you have one) should be a key part of anyone's shore diving emergency kit, especially in remote areas. Also -- you should program the local emergency numbers into your phone (if not 911) -- police, ressue, Coast Guard, DAN, etc.

 

[Frog]

I never even thought of about 90% of that stuff Jon.
/me feels a shopping rush coming on

PS Jon what is that special tool for removing the Apeks face plate? Where can i get 1 and do you know of any pictures of them on the net. Also if its not too much trouble...what else will i need to strip my second stages? (tx100 and TX40)

 

[100days-a-year]

ID,I knew we had something in common.OCD.I even have dift colors of nail polish to mark things with(I wont get into what)Neil ,a BFW is more fun than a sawzall+no 25 miles long extension cord

 

[popcorn]

Thanks for all the good replies.

Yikes!!! What a list. Thanks for all of the good ideas. I will definately sift through all of this and set a few more things in the kit. I like the idea of have multiple kits based on the length of the trip.

Thanks all

 

[Iguana Don]

Neil,
Vienna Sausage is about 1/2 the length of a regular hot dog and a pasty tan color, what kind of meat they are made out of, only is left to one's imagination. They come in a can of 7 I think. I use them to feed the fish in the lake. When taking new divers on their 1st night dive. Really neat to see the fish of all species swarm around when you crumble them in the water.

Now you know.

ID

 

[greg somers]

A bottle of 'Ballentynes' 21yr scotch whiskey.43%.
When I want a drink it's a real emergency.heheheh.
Anyone else need the Gasman's Emergency Services to rescue them?
Cheers Big Ears,
The Gasman.

 

[neil]

Don,
Oh yeah, I've seen em. We used to feed hot dogs to the fish at a reservoir in NJ. Had to watch our fingers!

Tony, I saw a cordless sawzall (type) at a home store, now there's no excuse not to complete your kit! Never know when you have to fillet something big.

Neil

 

[turnerjd]

Originally posted by large_diver
This probably goes without saying given the prevelance of cell phones these days, but a cell phone (if you have one) should be a key part of anyone's shore diving emergency kit, especially in remote areas. Also -- you should program the local emergency numbers into your phone (if not 911) -- police, ressue, Coast Guard, DAN, etc.

Living where I do at the moment, I regularly run up and down the local alps. Here there is absolutely no mobile signal at all - and people carying a mobile as their only planned emergency kit is a MAJOR cuase of accidents being worse than otherwise.

Just remember, coverage for mobiles is never 100%. You will always find dead spots - especially in the middle of nowhere. When you plan a dive, it is always good to have some idea where the nearest phone box is, and have a pile of coins as well.

Also, on the inside cover of my dive log, I have all the necessary phone numbers (diving medical insurance, PADI insurance, DDRC and RN diving medicine helplines, and several recompression chamber numbers) so they are readily to hand.

Jon T

 

[turnerjd]

Originally posted by Frog
I never even thought of about 90% of that stuff Jon.
/me feels a shopping rush coming on

PS Jon what is that special tool for removing the Apeks face plate? Where can i get 1 and do you know of any pictures of them on the net. Also if its not too much trouble...what else will i need to strip my second stages? (tx100 and TX40)

Frog,

most of that stuff has evolved over the last 5 years being the most senior diver in a university dive club. There was always some-one that had forgotten something, or some minor problem with reg hoses not fitting etc...

With that kit (especially on long trips) it meant that there was minimal disruption to planned diving. Good examples are when I ripped my drysuit open on the HMS Hood (the WW 1 HMS Hood, not the 'mighty hood' from WW II) on the first morning dive, and was back in the water for the first afternoon dive.

Now that I have moved away from the university club, there will be some rationalisation (some of the spare hoses will get left behind etc..) especially in the 'on the boat' kit (most of the spare gloves etc.. will get put in the 'in the car' kit).

As for the face plate removal tool, I got it through an Apeks dealer that I know, and who trusts me not to kill myself. It is a large circular aluminium plate, knurled round the edge, dished on one side to fit over the front cover, with two pegs that fit into holes on the cover. It avoids making a mess of the front cover, which is inevitable if you use screwdrivers etc.. to try and unscrew it. It is the only tool necessary for the whole of the Apeks reg set, although a GOOD set or O-ring retreivers are necessary, and also a good C-spanner to remove the environmental sealing on the bottom.

TX100 second stage - no idea! my TX50 and 40 do me fine!

Jon T

PS, If you do take the first stage apart, you have to re-pressureise it without the environmental sealing. Then once pressurised, on the tank, you can screw the bottom window/environmental seal retainer back on.

 

[Frog]

Cheers for that response Jon. I wouldnt mess with my first stage , but about the TX50.. I was given the impression from most tech divers that the TX50 can be stripped easily underwater without any tools and with gloves on!?