Accident and rescue at Breakwater (Monterey, CA)

[janeothejungle]

I was assisting a class at the breakwater this weekend and was up on the wall today observing when a woman from one of the other open water classes popped to the surface not breathing. The poor woman was completely cyanotic by the time the 2 divers towing her got her to the sand. Wondering if anyone has heard the outcome??


~Kat

 

[fobturbo]

I was at Breakwater this morning too coming back from my first dive when the commotion started. At first my buddies and I thought it was some drill until some folks in the kayaks started yelling for people to call 911.

From what I heard, the woman lost consciousness doing a CESA. The paramedics were able to revive her and then took her to the hospital. Again this is what I heard, I didn't ask the paramedics or the dive instructor they were questioning what happened.

 

[RonFrank]

Wow, that is too bad. I often wonder the point of CESA's, in fact there was a discussion on that subject recently on SB, more to the fact instructors have to go through so many.

I hope she is OK.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Yeah seems like an awful dangerous thing for students and instructors both.

My instructor made us do it with regs in but we had to make a consistent Noise from start to finish to prove we were breathing out and not "cheating" I realize this allowed us a "crutch" but I think it reduced risks in OW with new students and still made the point. He made us practice the skill by swimming the distance at the level while making the required consistent noise until we were all doing it before we did the exercise as heading for the surface.

If the exercise is needed in more experienced/confident divers in later courses but if so then it seems would be a more reasonable time for the reg out practice.

He also made it clear how dangerous "bounces" were and how unhappy he would be if he had to risk another "Bounce" because one of us messed it up! He certainly put the fear into us enough non of us messed it up!

 

[pterantula]

I was DM'g a checkout class this weekend at the (Monterey) Breakwater. While filling out logbooks with the class in the parking lot with the instructor late this morning (Sun, Sept 13), I noticed several people jogging toward the main stairs to the beach; I moved off to have a look, and saw several clothed people running into the surf to assist a few divers carrying in what appeared to be an unconscious diver. After a few shouts from the beach, at least one man ran up to the parking lot to get an O2 kit, so I ran back to my instructor to see if we could get his; he then had me run back and see that 911 had been dialed (I had my cell on me so I could, just in case), and I confirmed from several bystanders (some divers, some clothed bystanders) that it had. People began to crowd over to the edge of the waterline, and some shouts ensued to clear the area as Coast Guard uniforms were making way to the beach. EMT, fire and Sheriff were on-scene within 3 minutes (?), as well as additional Coast Guard, I believe.

My instructor and I then corralled our own class at this point, as there was no additional assistance we could provide (other than maintaining our own new divers), and completed the logbooks while rescue crews worked down the beach.

(This scene neatly illustrated one of the great benefits to training on this beach: it's a Coast Guard station, with several instructors as well as several dozen divers on any given weekend - so response times to emergencies are very fast.)


I don't know what happened to the diver however, not the cause nor the outcome.
I thought I would post now just to see if anyone knew anything more, and if this scene might prove useful for analysis - just hoping that we're left with an analysis of a minor incident, where the diver comes back to dive another day!

Best hopes and wishes to everyone involved.

 

[--tom--]

Just a clarification, the paramedics arrived quickly, the injured diver was revived & breathing thanks to other divers. Don't underestimate your training and the value of immediate O2. I haven't heard any follow ups.

 

[dccentral1fox]

I was there as well today. Like you, we had finished up a class and were breaking down our gear on the grassy area when the event took place. Apparently, It was a student that had ejected a regulator while performing the skill: Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) and had aspirated some water. A divemaster on the pier viewed three people popping up to the surface, one of the three was unconscious. Alerted to the situation, the dive master called 911. The two people with the unconscious diver were struggling to tow the diver in. The Instructor was absent and needed to be there to initiate rescue breathing. Being new open water students, they were not taught rescue breathing while towing an unconscious diver which lead the diver not receiving CPR until the two students brought the diver to shore. EMS was there in a flash and immediately began to resusitate the diver. I approached the scene to gather as much information from the diver's buddy, but, no one would come forward... At this point I began to get very concerned... Finally, a rescue diver assisting me with info gathering directed me to what turned out to be the instructor. He was shuffling with his fins facing backwards coming out of the surf. Believing that he might be exhausted or in shock I aided in removing his gear for him.. At this time EMS was about to take the diver away before the instructor would have a chance to even see his student. That part really bothered me.. I will not go into too much detail or point fingers. I will let the incident report speak for itself.. It goes to show that even at a relatively shallow depth things can go very wrong quickly..

On a personal note. When I'm with students. I treat them all as if they are my direct family members. That's how it should always be...

 

[dwashbur]

Don't underestimate your training and the value of immediate O2.

That's for sure. My wife took a hit of pulmonary edema last month, while surface swimming in from a 23 minute dive to 25 feet! Thankfully, we had just gotten our O2 tank hydro'ed and filled and got her on 100% oxygen as quick as I was able to get her out of the water. We were close enough that my daughter and I just drove her to the local ER, where we discovered that the O2 we got her in is the main reason she can continue diving. I can't stress it enough for every diver: get oxygen certified, get a tank, and always have it on hand.

Glad to hear this person was revived and was apparently doing well. Looking forward to hearing the final report, if possible.

 

[Bruce Sawyer]

You may have noticed a short, stocky woman who was at the scene with the injured diver and then stayed for some time afterwards gathering information from the instructor and the remaining EMS crew. She is a PADI Instructor Examiner who was here to conduct the biannual Instructor Examination at Breakwater. She teaches nursing in her day job, and is probably as competent at dealing with this sort of situation as anybody you could find. And it was one of the instructor candidates--an ex-Army medic--who ran into the water and grabbed the victim, helped carry her to dry sand, and then started rescue breaths. Trust me, this whole incident is going to receive a lot of scrutiny.

 

[dgrolem]

The gentleman on the beach with the large O2 kit with the power inflator was part of the PADI examiner team as well. It was one of my students who stayed on the phone with 911 relaying info. There was some confusion as the folks in the water originally called out she was not breathing, then later said she was breathing and finally shouted that she was not breathing when they were about 200 feet from the exit. The woman's face was a ghastly blue when they got her to shore.

I did not understand why they were not doing rescue breaths on the way in. Makes sense that they did not have the training. Where was the instructor or DM? If this was a CESA accident, there should have been an instructor with his/her hands on the student during the skill.

As much as the rescuers reported her not breathing, then she spent a very long time with out oxygen. Does anybody know any facts about the outcome? The Monterey Herald usually has some info, but I could not find any today.