Standardizing CCR Rescue Skills

ScubaDadMiami

I just learned something today!

First (and not that it matters), I am in complete agreement with the first half of your post: Get the diver to the surface immediately. The part about the toxing diver in the tonic phase being able to expel gas is something I didn't know before. Hmmm . . . .

Sounds like a pretty easy protocol then: Get the diver to the surface ASAP. Make sure to have surface support available so that the rescuer, who might not be able to surface due to extreme risk, can send the diver up solo if necessary, and so that the surface support can take over from there.

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Howard Packer
IANTD CCR Instructor
Miami Beach, Florida
CCRDiveTraining.com

Mark Chase

Yeah but hang on a momnet.

Theres two types of dives. Major deco dives and virtualy no deco dives (deco obligation up to max 45mins on my 10/100 or 20/80 setting).

On a say 30-40m dive having racked up say 20mins of deco Id take the diver as fast as I dare, to the surface, signal the boat and make sure hes being dealt with before I went back down and did my Oz rulls missed deco bit.

I wouldnet just send him up polaris stile

Same on any deep dive with a short deco obligation racked up.

Then theres the two hours of deco comitment dive. Id attempt to get the diver up to say 21m but Id have to think long and hard (and make damed sure he was breathing) before I risked going up any further.

ATB

Mark

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ScubaDadMiami

No disagreement there. That's why I said "who might not be able to surface due to extreme risk." However, you more clearly articulate what I was trying to say concerning this "extreme risk." Thanks stating is better than I did.

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Howard Packer
IANTD CCR Instructor
Miami Beach, Florida
CCRDiveTraining.com

Capt. Ray Goosen

Hi, fellow divers, this thread makes for some chilling reading. I have a few questions, does an unconcious diver breath through his or her mouth or nose? And if the mask prevents the inhalation through the nose how do they exhale naturally?

I see some good points made, but I think that the first order of business is to warn the suface cover of the emergency. So emergency DSMB (Bright Yellow) would be my first action followed by getting the diver to the surface ASAP with minimal risk to the rescuer. I pray that DCI in most cases can be treated , Dead Divers thats a bridge too far....just my two fils worth..take care Ray.

Abbo

I was taught the orange bag was for general use and the bright yellow one was for emergencies. For years I went on believing that everybody followed that convention. Recently, I heard some people do it the other way round and many people have never heard of a convention. Of course, my yellow bag says EMERGENCY down the side, but very often these things don't sit on the surface in a way that makes that easy to read. It's all very well saying I should brief the boat crew before splashing, but if different people on the same boat have different conventions there is still plenty of room for misunderstanding. So:
1. is the colour convention different in different geographies? and
2. what strategies have you for getting the message across?

EBT

Yes. I always just comply to the local norm, since i dont want to be arguing from my wheelchair with the surface crew that I was really right

Brief/Agree with the surface crew before the dive....and try not to come across as an arsehole.

Back to the main topic, its a sad reality that beyond a certain ammount of deco, you put yourself at significant risk to do a direct ascent. Opinions vary as to where exactly that cut off is, but sooner or later you're left making a judgement call that you have to be happy with.

Its a bit easier on OC, where unconscious but breathing is easier to diagnose, but on cc you just might have to guess if the guys breathing or not. Thats a very very tough call. I dont think there can be anything other than "opinions" on this.... for me personally at the point of no return I'll do everything I can for you (send you up clipped to the line of a yellow bag), but thats it. I'm prepared to blow off 'some' deco, but theres not enough data for me to say thats anything more than a personal choice.

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Rebreather World Terms of service

SteveJ

It should be remembered that an unconscious diver, breathing or not, is in the process of dying, whatever the cause. The likelihood of them recovering consciousness with a dil flush is minimal as is waking up after an O2 fit. They are unlikley to retain a DSV or protect their airway. Their only hope is on the surface where there is abundant safe gas (the atmosphere) and hopefully alert rescuers.

The odds are stacked against a successful rescue and the idea that a buddy can maintain them through 30 mins of more of deco stops is, frankly, fanciful. Better alive and bent/embolised than drowned with completed deco.

My thoughts on rescue? In anything deeper than sports depths with any deco obligation:

1. Send them up
2. Signal the surface
3. Do your own deco
4. Forgive yourself.


Steve

Gilles

What are people's thoughts on an unconcious BOV'd diver. This is what I instruct others do to me.

1) Turn on BOV

2) if bubbles (then breathing), just hang around until I come to (and get re-oriented) and assist to the surface

3) if no bubbles, then CBL (if possible), or at least attach me to a SMB'd line to faciliate recovery of my corpse.

4) As mentioned above, "forgive yourself"

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Gilles
http://www.dirrebreather.com