The importance of briefing your dive plan to a non-diving person

[LIVES4SHARKS]

Just take discretion where you park. However, I have been broken into at home and at work in the daylight at the hospital with secruity cameras. So if someone is going to steal...it's going to happen.

Carolyn:sharks:

 

[shoredivr]

I keep my gear in giant rubbermaid-type containers - keeps my station wagon floor dry.
On the top of the containers is the phone number of my contact person and my name in big black marker pen, so if someone is looking in the vehicle they can see the information. This is in addition to "feet wet/dry" calls.

 

[JEScholz]

Most of my diving is with a group. Sometimes we do unusual dives that could result in a good intent call to 911 by a passerby. (night dive off a beach or boat on an inland lake, Ice dive, river dives in unusual locations) In those cases we have called the local 911 center on a non-emergency line and given them a heads up with the number of divers, and planned time to be out of the area.

When our group dives we normally have someone on dry land as surface support. We are in the process of developing an emergency contact form that will be left at the surface. The form will be two sided and sealed in plastic, but folded so that the medical information is on the inside and hidden until the plastic is cut and the form is unfolded. The normal contact information will be on the outside and there will be a place to write on the plastic coating with a grease pencil the dive profile, location and other information the local emergency responders may need.

I like the idea of dog tags. I use one now but it doesn't have much more than name, SS# and blood type on it. I plan to check out the sites mentioned and get another with more info on it.

 

[NancyLynn]

I had dog tags made up. On there I have my name, citizenship, two tel numbers, my DAN number, ID card and drivers license number. With that information someone can figure out who I am and where I live from anywhere in the world. It cost $10.-

I have DAN tag clipped to my BC. DAN Divers Alert Network : Product Catalog : DAN Tag It has emergency contact, medical information (including insurance into) and DAN phone number. In addition, it has a slide on mirror backing for emergency signaling. It's about $20.

 

[petronius]

Actually its a good practice no matter the sport. When I lived in Washington State, we hiked, biked, camped etc. Many times we were very much out in the wilderness. We would leave a topo map with our friends and I would leave one at work. We also left a note in our vehicle on the dash for park rangers with the expected time of our return and where our destination was planned to be. This way if we did not show up at work or check in on our return, people knew to start looking and where.

I've thought about doing this when backpacking, but do you worry that putting a return date on your car is an invitation for thieves? Or do you just figure that any theif willing to head to a trailhead pretty mych knows that the vehicles are going to be unattended for an extended period?

As for diving, I always tell my wife where/when I'm going, and call her as soon as I'm out of the water.

From good advice on other threads here, I plan to also leave a list of safety/signalling equipment I'm carrying so rescuers know what to listen for...

 

[JEScholz]

I finished the "Diver Information Card" Version1. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[stiebs]

I have DAN tag clipped to my BC. DAN Divers Alert Network : Product Catalog : DAN Tag It has emergency contact, medical information (including insurance into) and DAN phone number.

The DAN tag clipped to the BC is fine idea if you get back on the boat in an un- or semi-conscious state, and need medical attention. Not so great if you, heaven forbid, don't make it back to the boat.

 

[2Tours N Iraq`]

I finished the "Diver Information Card" Version1. Any feedback would be appreciated.

I like it, I think it could use three additional things. They are as follows below:

1. Instructions on how to fold & wrap/heat seal in plastic
2. Possibly a dotted line for showing where to cut along around the edge of the card.
3. A space for suspected diving injury since the card will be accompanying the victim to a treatment facility.

Maybe even make a listing of the most common dive injuries so all a person would have to do is circle the suspected injury with a marker or grease pencil. I also think the word "suspected" should be in bold and all caps so medical personnel don't misdiagnose the injury or overlook any treatment options.

Other than that, I think it is a great card.

Blane

 

[Gombessa]

I'd like to tack on an idea from another thread - telling your emergency contact what kind of safety and signaling equipment you have. I think somebody posted before that you're up to twice as likely to be found by the CG if they know what you're using (SMB, radar reflector, strobe, etc.), and sometimes they will only use a certain method (e.g., radar) if they know you're equipped for it. Also, an S&R is much more likely to happen hours after the incident if they know you have the exposure protection to survive the conditions.

 

[Dive-aholic]

My air supplier almost always knows when and where I'm diving since I stop by for fills on the way to my dive. He's also the one that will be stuck pulling my body out of the cave should anything go wrong. If I'm solo, my wife always knows and gets a call before and after the dive. My mother and sister pretty much know if I'm not working I'm diving. They always get a call at the end of my diving days. All the important numbers are in my cell phones, but I guess after reading Ber's story I need to make a card to put in my wallet. I just assumed EMS would start looking through the contact list, specifically the speed dial list.