Mask on forehead=panic. Where did this mask signal originate?

[USdiver1]

was MOF for distress ever in the new science of skin and scuba diving? the text book for many old divers. I am one

Have not seen it in Editions 1 - 4. Will check editions 5 and 6 tonight.

Here is the only reference I could find, from TNSOSASD Edition 6, published 1985:

"Make sure that the mask is securely in place before entering the water, and do not remove the mask from your face until you are back on the boat or on dry land following the dive."

No mention of MOF = distress.

 

[Bob DBF]

The theory was that a mask on the forehead was easily displaced by a wave, and lost. To this day, I don’t put my mask on my forehead.

It's more than reasonable for the work you were doing, and the conditions you were likely to meet.

This "sign of panic" is an old wive's tale that has no basis in reality.

Rejection of gear when in panic is a real thing, however neatly placing MOF and calmly going with one's business is not panic. Conflating these two conditions is done by some, almost exclusively by trained professionals in my experience, to show their vast knowledge and lack of nuance.

 

[34109411]

In the U.S. Naval School for Underwater Swimmers, Key West, Florida in 1967, if one of us was caught with a mask on our forehead, it would cost us at least 20 pushups, in full gear. “Who do you think you are, Mike Nelson? Drop!”

The theory was that a mask on the forehead was easily displaced by a wave, and lost. To this day, I don’t put my mask on my forehead.

SeaRat

that's what i learn also from my OW.

 

[San Diego Climber]

You want weird "distress" logic?

In San Diego, if you deploy an SMB while shore diving without notifying lifeguards that you're going to, they'll come out and (apparently this has happened!?) try to drag you up by the line. Or yell at you afterward for shooting and SMB without prior notice. Means "DANGER I NEED HELP" and a large local dive group seems to agree and perpetuate this bizarre logic. wtf??

 

[Wallowa]

It's more than reasonable for the work you were doing, and the conditions you were likely to meet.



Rejection of gear when in panic is a real thing, however neatly placing MOF and calmly going with one's business is not panic. Conflating these two conditions is done by some, almost exclusively by trained professionals in my experience, to show their vast knowledge and lack of nuance.

True that.... rejection of gear by a panicked diver does occur and true that just a mask pulled up off the face does not in itself denote the diver is panicked....need context....lots of other tell tale signs; however, when a diver that is trained in mask retention and dropping the mask around their neck to secure it removes their mask in the water that can be a red flag that at the least the diver is distressed and perhaps shortly could be in full panic...same with over inflated BCD, spitting out the reg or snorkel and flailing...not necessarily a panicked diver, but you damn well need to rivet an eye on that diver until you can assure they are not in distress.

It was "not mentioned in a text or training" to secure the mask while in the water? Not necessary; logic, common sense and experience as a diver should dictate you secure the mask. Without the mask you are no longer a safe and functional diver but more just flotsam bobbing in the water. Experience is the best teacher and remaining "fully functional" is primary. Like posted on thread, having the mask in place getting off the boat, shore and during return keeps you operational and just makes sense.

Oh, 'conflating' is a great term but sometimes those instructors are not showing off or lacking nuances but rather trying to pass on hard learned lessons to their students so those students do not have to learn the hard way.

 

[Wallowa]

You want weird "distress" logic?

In San Diego, if you deploy an SMB while shore diving without notifying lifeguards that you're going to, they'll come out and (apparently this has happened!?) try to drag you up by the line. Or yell at you afterward for shooting and SMB without prior notice. Means "DANGER I NEED HELP" and a large local dive group seems to agree and perpetuate this bizarre logic. wtf??

Interesting....We did not use SMBs up on North Coast when shore diving....during very rare boat dives a version of SMBs were used during a drift dive. Too much surge, surf to use as an ascent line and without a vessel to signal of no use. Just more gear on the diver punching through the surf off rocky entry points and during exit. Independent of that I believe wreck divers in particular use differing color SMB floats for different signaling messages. Perhaps you folks down south could arrive at a convention regarding SMB color?

Also remember SMBs are a relatively recent addition to diver kit. Proliferation of "essential" dive gear is now the norm.

 

[Steelyeyes]

My mask on my forehead means I'm about to blow my nose. If I put my mask around my neck....well, that's where the snot will end up. No bueno.

 

[Bob DBF]

Without the mask you are no longer a safe and functional diver but more just flotsam bobbing in the water.

If losing a mask a mask turns you into flotsam bobbing in the water, you aren't doing it right. It's an inconvenience, not a catastrophe..

 

[Wallowa]

If losing a mask a mask turns you into flotsam bobbing in the water, you aren't doing it right. It's an inconvenience, not a catastrophe..

Underwater, divers need masks to be divers....without them they are indeed flotsam relegated to the surface.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

As the title says. Where did mask facing forward on top of head equates to diver in distress?

I understand that it originated in the early days with the PIOOMA certification agency. Loudly and often repeated by their instructor corps. Unfortunately, many folks heard it and took it as gospel. It's kind of like the folks that say if your aluminum tank is over 10/15/20 years old it must be condemned or at the very least is unsafe to fill. That bit of wisdom came directly by way of extensive PIOOMA propaganda. "It's for the children!"

The credentials of PIOOMA have generally not been well recognized, for many good reasons. This is likely one of them.