When An Incident Is Only That

[Dizzi Lizzi]

On the 2nd part of the topic, what approach should instructors take with new students on how to not turn smaller incidents into full blown emergencies?

As a relative newbie I would say educating them on the difference between incidents and emergencies. Wordsmithing is a craft, and a funny looking word. thanks @boulderjohn

 

[RayfromTX]

Instructors can only begin the process of instilling a proper response, depending on the mental and emotional abilities of the student. The best thing that happened in our first pool session was when my wife had a mask problem early on and in a panic response started to bolt for the surface. I grabbed her leg while exhaling and the instructor laid his hand on her which calmed her. She immediately relaxed and has never shown a hint of panic since. That was a valuable and painless lesson that gives me confidence in her now. If an instructor can instill a sense of "It's ok, breathe, you have time, breath, think, breathe, relax, respond, breathe" then everything else can be resolved through training, experience and time. There is precious little time in the modern OW training regimen to teach this but they can start the process and the curve of learning.

 

[RainPilot]

On the 2nd part of the topic, what approach should instructors take with new students on how to not turn smaller incidents into full blown emergencies?

Stop. Breathe. Think. Breathe. Act.

That's my (and my agencies) mantra. Instilling that becomes more tricky.
I approach it by going through a lot of "what-if" type discussion. Pre-loading reflexes and getting students to the point where they realise at a fundamental level that, as long as you have gas to breathe, you'll be fine.

It is probably the most fundamental part of teaching divers.

 

[boulderjohn]

On the 2nd part of the topic, what approach should instructors take with new students on how to not turn smaller incidents into full blown emergencies?

What I am going to say is controversial, because it contradicts what is probably the most common approach to things, which is to scare the crap out of divers in the hope that this will make them especially careful not to let things go wrong.

It involves a balancing act as you simultaneously instill in them two seemingly opposite concepts: 1) When things go wrong under water, it can lead to very, very serious consequences, but 2) I have taught you how to deal with everything that can go wrong easily and confidently, so as long as you do what you have been taught, you should be just fine. You want them take all due safety precautions, but you want them to feel confident they can handle anything so they don't panic. Panic is what kills.

I have told students that I check my gauges carefully and so have never come close to running out of air accidentally, but if the evil Lord Voldemort were to magically empty my tank and make my buddy disappear while I was at 100 feet on an NDL dive, I would head for the surface with the full confidence that I would be OK.

Because the PADI/DAN study showed that a rapid, panicked, breath-holding ascent after an OOA incident is the number one cause of preventable fatalities, I take a lot of time going over CESA. I have long maintained that we teach CESA incorrectly, in both the classroom and the pool, and I believe this contributes to those fatal panics.

• In the classroom, we usually do not teach one important fact regarding the CESA--when a tank is out of air at depth, it is not really out of air, and the diver will be able to breathe from it in shallower water. Keep that regulator in your mouth so that you will be able to get that breath if you need it!
• We have them go 30 feet at normal speed horizontally in the pool, exhaling the whole way. I know an instructor who failed students if they did it in 28 seconds, since "normal" speed was 60 FPM. That is very difficult for students, and the message they get from that is "Wow! If I had to go any farther than that, I would be screwed! I may have to hold my breath if I want to make it!" In real life, they are ascending vertically, and the expanding air will give them plenty of air to exhale all the way up. They are also going to go faster than 60 FPM. People I know who have done real CESAs from serious depths said it was not difficult at all.
• We fail them if they take a breath before they reach the end of the ascent, both in the pool and in the open water. Because their tank is not empty and air will become available to them as ambient pressure drops, we should instead reward them for knowing the tank is not empty and taking that breath.

In summary, our normal method of teaching CESA does everything it can to instill the belief in students that this will not work, so they are as good as dead if the situation arises. Might as well panic. I think a diver beginning a CESA should do so with the full confidence that everything will be just fine if they do it properly. I have seen many old-timers say that back in the days of J-valves, CESA was a normal part of their diving, so they learned it was no big deal to do it.

 

[NYCNaiad]

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_n_0?fst=asff&rh=n:3375251,n:3407021,k:Vindicator&keywords=Vindicator&ie=UTF8&qid=1493991222&rnid=3375301

Check which valve you have and voila.

Fantastic! Never knew such a thing existed. Thanks.

Stop. Breathe. Think. Breathe. Act. That's my (and my agencies) mantra. Instilling that becomes more tricky. I approach it by going through a lot of "what-if" type discussion. Pre-loading reflexes and getting students to the point where they realise at a fundamental level that, as long as you have gas to breathe, you'll be fine. It is probably the most fundamental part of teaching divers.

I adore this mantra! Much better than the "Don't panic. Panic kills divers." I was using which turned into "You're panicking, therefore, you're gonna die." when I was caught in a whirlpool. And it works well above the water too.

 

[AZNetEng]

When my wife and I discuss diving, procedures, drills, incidents and the like the thing I have repeated to her over and over and over is that whatever she runs into there IS a solution. Panic during an incident instead of following the steps to resolution is the difference between living and dying. I dont do it to scare the bejesus out of her. I do it because I want her to focus on the solution. I do it because I want her to have anticipated solutions to problems and already have an idea about what she will be doing to solve the challenge.

The OP's wife is exactly how I hope my wife will respond during an incident.

 

[tilikum]

The was a saying I read somewhere "underwater problems are solved underwater".

 

[DanBMW]

It's good that your buddy is near for a tank valve that is not open, but when alone, (your buddy is too far away to help) which is probably the case for many divers, and you cannot reach the valve, simply remove your BC, with the regulator in your mouth, turn it 90 degrees and open the valve. It is not a difficult skill and can come in handy.

 

[Patoux01]

"simply remove the bc". When you have no air coming out of your reg, on empty lungs. Sounds like a fun challenge indeed.

 

[Bob DBF]

I have seen many old-timers say that back in the days of J-valves, CESA was a normal part of their diving, so they learned it was no big deal to do it.

Before, and even when the j-valve was in use, the post and k-valve (what we use now) were used. Without an SPG the only indication was the reg breathing harder, now you don't get this because of balanced regs. As a new diver every dive was ended with an OOA, which was more a LOA, and then a semi CSEA, 60 fpm was the normal ascent rate. Eventually you got a feel for your air usage and could predict when to ascend without the drama, but by that time dealing with an OOA was a normal evolution and did not strike terror in your heart.

I adore this mantra! Much better than the "Don't panic. Panic kills divers."

Anyone who thinks telling someone not to panic works has not been anywhere near panic. The mantra stop, breathe, think, act works if you think of a solution and can act on it. My personal experience, panic starts when you can no longer work the problem. The more knowledge and experience one has, the longer one can work the problem, and the further one can stay away from panic.

I have not panicked yet, but I have seen when it was going to happen.

The was a saying I read somewhere "underwater problems are solved underwater".

No so much when you are out of gas.