Safety Divers for Deep Dives - What Do They Do?

[Rick Inman]

... I think you are confusing 'Safety divers' for what you are describing which are 'Support divers'....2 separate team members in most organized dive expeditions.

Yeah, I think you're right. And there's the rub... that part about being "organized." Actually, we have what we have to work with. But what I think we are trying to come up with are divers that do a combination of your definition of Shallow Safety Divers and Support Divers:

**Shallow Safety Divers – [To 130 feet – No-Stop Profiles]

Certification - Nitrox (GUE Tech 1 or ANDI Nitrox 2 or NAUI TechEANX)

Rescue, CPR, DAN O2 and First Aid Certifications

Skill Proficiency -
1) Demonstrate ability in the Technical Skills requirement
2) Demonstrate mastery of the Pre Dive Safety Check
3) Demonstrate mastery of the Fundamental Skills requirement

Insurance – Dan Standard

Must log 10 dives within the past 12 months at this level

Must log 50 total dives within the past 12 months – any level.

Must support a training class to these diving levels bi-annually.



***Support Divers – [To 50 feet – No-Stop Profiles]

Certification – Advanced Diver, Nitrox and Rescue

CPR, DAN O2 and First Aid Certifications

Skill Proficiency -
1) Demonstrate mastery of the Pre Dive Safety Check
2) Demonstrate mastery of the Fundamental Skills requirement

Insurance – Dan Standard

Must log 10 dives within the past 12 months at this level

Must log 50 total dives within the past 12 months – any level.

Must support a training class to these diving levels bi-annually.

++Thought this might be of interest to you on your dive group as a road map of ideas...

 

[texdiveguy]

Yeah, I think you're right. And there's the rub... that part about being "organized." Actually, we have what we have to work with. But what I think we are trying to come up with are divers that do a combination of your definition of Shallow Safety Divers and Support Divers:

Rick....I know what you are saying.....the notes I had were just 'one' example from just a project team....just a 'road map of thought'.
Good luck---keep it safe and have fun!

 

[pickens_46929]

Yeah, Allen is my buddy on these dives, and he is not kidding about the last time we had "safety" divers. I had forgotten to mention the most important rule to the SD's: Stay out of the way!

They were, like, ten mins. late, and rode the line from the bag I shot for them straight down on top of us. And bumped into us several times during deco.

Because there are only three of us in this one-horse town, and we're the ones doing the dive!
Good stuff, Dave!

Yeah, good advice. All of it.

LOL... I like the idea of taking turns... the skills for "staying out of people's way" are something that everyone can practice at. (guilty as charged on occasion)

 

[pickens_46929]

A pretty good list. In addition, we expect our safety divers to be able to descend to bottom depth if need be. I would add.

• 
  Equally trained.
  Diving the same back gas.
  Meeting the team at their first gas switch. Usually, 40 meters for us.
  Providing an additional witness and confirmation at each gas switch.
  Positioned nearby but out of the way.
  Carrying extra cylinders of each deco gas

good stuff to add to the list... like the part later in this post about the difference between "shallow" and "deep" support divers...

interesting point about the ability to descend to depth if required... hence my orginal question about being deco trained...

 

[texdiveguy]

'Safety Divers' should and need to preform and the same level as the dive team members in terms of skill-certf.,,,,support divers are permitted not to have the same level of training/certf./skill as the dive team on deep dives.....that is the reason for separate positions....course this again apply more towards organized expedition diving.

 

[GoodToGo]

Because I've recently stepped into the world of tech diving, I have found this to be (another) excellent thread of information. I've only made about 40 deco dives in the last 4 months and usually with 5 or 6 others (experienced) on the same trip. Many times the first diver is coming out of the water while the last is entering which would enable him / her to assist in a high stress situation. I know that isn't an actual placement of a safety diver ... but it became an effective resolve to at least 1 (minor) situation where a diver required extra O2 and observation (remove and replace stage bottles).

Providing an additional witness and confirmation at each gas switch.
Positioned nearby but out of the way.

I agree .... but on several of our dives the current was so strong that staying out of the way was near impossible. Although we did seem to manage 2 way traffic on the descent line relatively well.
So with a strong current, cold water and poor vis ... I would imagine the requirements of a safety diver would become much more demanding, not just in relation to his or her personal dive .... but when considering how the safety diver would be required to approach a diver needing assistance under these higher stress conditions.

 

[diver12345]

Here is my comments from a safety diver. In regards to a dive with 2 deco gasses. I disagree that they should be on the same mix as the team. They should be on 32% and meet them at their first gas switch.70 ft. Once everyone is ok go back up and tell the boat if there is one. Then proceed back down and deco out with them. At there 20ft stop and after the switch you can take their 70ft bottles and chain them off your left d ring with a leash and flip them over your leg. You normally dont carry a 100% bottle. It is on the boat. Why? Well if you do need it you can just pop to the surface and get it from the boat. If you dont have a boat then you do need to carry both bottles.They have to have at least Gue tec 1 or naui heliox and deco procedures. they need to understand what is going on with deco and how to do it. Now why do I say they should not be on the same mix? Well first you are not not going to go look for them if they dont show up. A solo dive to say 200 ft where your team just disappeared from and your gonna go help. No. Also you need to be able to goto the surface and back down without any deco obligation. 32% gives you that and some room for depth.

 

[fweber]

Here is my comments from a safety diver. In regards to a dive with 2 deco gasses. I disagree that they should be on the same mix as the team. They should be on 32% and meet them at their first gas switch.70 ft. Once everyone is ok go back up and tell the boat if there is one. Then proceed back down and deco out with them. At there 20ft stop and after the switch you can take their 70ft bottles and chain them off your left d ring with a leash and flip them over your leg. You normally dont carry a 100% bottle. It is on the boat. Why? Well if you do need it you can just pop to the surface and get it from the boat. If you dont have a boat then you do need to carry both bottles.They have to have at least Gue tec 1 or naui heliox and deco procedures. they need to understand what is going on with deco and how to do it. Now why do I say they should not be on the same mix? Well first you are not not going to go look for them if they dont show up. A solo dive to say 200 ft where your team just disappeared from and your gonna go help. No. Also you need to be able to goto the surface and back down without any deco obligation. 32% gives you that and some room for depth.

You may have immensely more experience at this than I. As, this has been our first summer utilizing a Safety Diver. So take my thoughts with several grains of salt.

First, you're assuming that the first gas switch won't be happening any deeper than 70'. I understand that would be the standard GUE gas to combine with oxygen. However, a team may be making their first switch at a depth greater than 70'. Either due to the use of a third gas, or because they've chosen a gas other than 50%.

With regard to "going back up and telling the boat everyone is o.k." We prefer our safety diver(s) stay with the team. There is little you can do for us while you're commuting to and from the boat. The boat doesn't necassaryily need to know everyone's o.k. We need to know we have support with us if needed. If there is some support that we are going to be in need of but that the safety diver can't provide or that will require time to coordinate, then head to the boat with such info.

After the 20' switch. We're not as concerned with unloading our deeper gas bottle as we are ridding our selves of cameras, specimens, tools and the like. We really have no use for the later and would like to get them on the boat with out any hurry. But, we might have a use for that gas and it's generally less in the way than the other stuff. And now visible from the surface, we're more comfortable with the idea of the safety diver commuting to and fro. Plus, it's a shorter trip and poses less yo-yoing for the safety diver who may be doing a second dive, or who may have completed an earlier dive.

We like the idea of having the additional O2 cylinder in the water, not on the boat. It can't help us on the boat. But, if one of ours has a issue and there's a second immediately available there is no reason to worry about altering schedules.

Backgas. We feel it's important that the safety diver can descend to any depth that they might see an issue at. And for the sake of simplicity in gas sharing, and contingency plans that it is important that their gas be one of the teams gases. If your teams first swith is at 70' and they are using 32 as a bachgas then it would make sense to use the same. However if the first switch is at 130' then it might be a good idea to have the same gas as the team in your backgas tanks. One scenario that we've discussed, is the possibility of the safety diver seeing the team ascending on a gas share. There should be no reason the safety diver can't descend and potentially provide much needed additional gas(of the same type).

This doesn't mean you have to be breathing your backgas. Here we are in agreement with regard to the benefits of 32%. The difference lies in that we're carrying it in al80 stage.

Just our reasoning for adopting a different set of protocols than your own.

 

[Rick Inman]

Well, after some help from this thread, this is what our support divers did for us on the 250' dive yesterday.

• Helped loading gear into boat.
  
• Set the hook and assisted us in kitting up.
  
• Met us at the 70' stop carrying an extra 70' bottle (100% O2 on the boat) and ready to assist with whatever.
  
• Ready with cell phone on boat, rescue and transport plan, and to assist remaining diver in the water if boat required to transport.
  
• Helped unloading gear from boat.
  
• Bought mochas after the dive (thanks, Bob!).

 

[texdiveguy]

Well, after some help from this thread, this is what our support divers did for us on the 250' dive yesterday.

• Helped loading gear into boat.
  
• Set the hook and assisted us in kitting up.
  
• Met us at the 70' stop carrying an extra 70' bottle (100% O2 on the boat) and ready to assist with whatever.
  
• Ready with cell phone on boat, rescue and transport plan, and to assist remaining diver in the water if boat required to transport.
  
• Helped unloading gear from boat.
  
• Bought mochas after the dive (thanks, Bob!).

Sounds like they did a nice job for you guys.

PS---post a bit about your dive.