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It sounds like the writer got some facts wrong. Fireman use SCBA bottles, not SCUBA. I've only seen two tanks, both Alu80, blow a burst disk after a hot fill and some hours in the hot sun on a hot day. The tank didn't go anywhere, it just made a lot of noise. The second tank was in a water bath...

I found out about the handy tool after I'd picked up the brass picks. Which have so many other uses. And, my vintage hose fitting may take a "special" o-ring but that's a conventional size that I was easily able to obtain. Special, like a fine thread metric screw may be special--but still standard.

I think the usual protocol between friends is to say "Sorry, I can't do this. Beer's on me." and then to adjourn to a pub after stripping off the dive gear. Friends can deal with that.

"Some can be penetrated, others are essentials just a pile of lumber." That's the difference between diving a wreck, and diving a pile of wreckage. That's why PADI is offering a course in "Diving Vocabulary" next year. Eight hours in classroom, over a hundred pages of reading, and a mandatory...

I can understand when boat operators say they MUST run the prop while divers are in the water, i.e. to pick them up during drift dives or whatnot. I just don't think there's any valid reason for civilian recreational divers (we're not SEALs deploying from a RIB at high speed) to be mixed up with...

HAVE TO change it? Probably not. On the other hand, there's a small o-ring in the quick disconnect fitting. Like all o-rings it has a limited life. Changing it requires some finicky picking with a brass pick, so there's some value in simply changing the entire hose. Especially since all rubber...

There's nothing quite as irritating as a wetsuit that is trying to give you a bear hug, and that's more common than you might think, because most of the cheaper suits actually shrink over the first five years, year after year. So by all means, start with something that you can tolerate, and if...

Punta Cana? So, you've got a batch of Dominicans? And some gringos? And you're trying to measure things using Arabic numbers, instead of Spanish or Roman ones? And no one has tried to keep it in metric? I don't know, I think you've opened too many possibilities for translation errors there...

Things like metal hose connectors? Better to hit it with some CRC contact cleaner, which leaves no sticky residue. Or try soaking in vinegar or lemon juice overnight, or CRL (calcium stain remover) to remove any residues, if that says it is rubber safe. But once the metal is clean, some "dry...

Chairman- "including DMs turning off my air." We were warned about that, and "anything goes" during harassment day during training. Anyone surfacing before their tank was empty, would be flunked. So I'm hanging out in the deep section of the pool bottom, trying to keep one eye behind me head...

"It just appears to me that these shops may know how to dive, but really don't understand how to run a business." I came to that conclusion about 30 years ago. But it isn't just dive shops--there are a lot of businesses where someone has a passion, but no business skills. A lot of doctors...

There are, literally, military grade portable solar power generators like SolarStik on the market. A large Pelican case with batteries, controller, inverter, built in, then a separate solar panel array. Ain't cheap but it won't fail on you. The cheap stuff from Horror Freight...is more...

I think I had just heard a TV commercial for CLEAR waterproof Gorilla tape yesterday, worth calling them. But any duct or gaffer's tape should be waterproof, if you apply it to a dry surface, as opposed to trying to apply it to a wet one. Self-adhesive Velcro (preferably the "heavy duty" all...

"Wouldn’t a fill shop be sketched out by a generic vip sticker that doesn’t have a reputable shops logo on it?" Shop policy varies. Some won't do generic stickers, some will. And when you get into "oxygen" they may get even pickier about who oxygen cleaned it.

They're not common, but nickel-zinc rechargeable AA cells are out there too. They are rated 1.6 volts, higher than Eneloop and all the NiMh cells. Apparently they cannot be recharged as much as NiMh cells can be, but they are supposed to be able to put out lots of power, at the nice higher...

resq- Billing practices and policies for EMA and SAR have been changing. In Yellowstone they have discussed billing for helo rescues for a long time. In many states, EMS responders can only charge if they transport the patient. If the patient can't afford an $800 ride, they can say "No thanks...

IIRC the Wasp is the dive knife that has a CO2 cartridge in the handle, so you can stab a shark, inflate it, and watch it go away. An alternative to a bang stick. And since there's only one source of them (are they still being made??) the price is whatever the maker wants. As for carrying it...

"Is a PLB guaranteed to give your location ? " NO! Nothing is guaranteed to connect to any satellite communications. There have been defective EPIRBs from top names that simply did not transmit--even when they showed a confirmation light. And depending on which satellites are overhead, the...

Bonus points if you can find any data on the old PSI "Steel 96" tanks. Some of us still ride these unicorns. DOT 3AA 3000psi and + rated, so presumably the 96 (I think it was sold as 96.2 or something) is with the 10% overfill, which is now problematic because there are apparently no records of...

In a discussion of USCG SAR assets elsewhere a year or two ago, it was pointed out that apparently the new USCG helos have one of those nice military grade optical ball turrets complete with IR night vision cameras onboard. Except...apparently they are not allowd to use them, because someone...