Almost a bad situation!

[android]

I think it would have been best to treat this as a surface rescue. One of you could have gone in and the other called for additional help. It would be hard for the victim to drown you in a wetsuit and you could use a sausage or SMB for flotation.

65F is cold, but not that cold. People in Austin swim in Barton Springs all winter and the water temperature is 68F. ( Of course, you won't catch me there in the winter. )

 

[ScubaFreak]

the person in distress yelled out for help (this indicates that the person was not totally out of control or panicked)

Huh??

Correct me if i'm wrong, but if i fell into a quarry, fully clothed and had maybe hurt myself on the way (possible broken arm etc) and i yelled for help, are u saying that i'm in control and not panicked??? :06:

 

[scubamoo]

A few places provide absolute protection to the amatuer provided the rescuer acted in good faith. D.C. Code sec. 7-401 (Dist. of Columbia); Ga. Code sec. 84-930 (Georgia), N.J. Stat. 2A:62A-1 (New Jersey); N.Y. C.L.S. Pub. Health sec. 3000-a (New York, includes licensed doctors not working for pay, provided they are not grossly negligent; N.Y. Edu. Law sec 6527(2); Ohio Rev. Code "Ann. 2305.23 (except for wilful and wanton misconduct).

This is beautiful. You got your sec.s (sections), your wilfuls, your wantons, your negligents, misconduct, and even a "grossly". There's even a part about a doctor not working for pay! Next time could you throw in a northwest state (other than Oregon) just for grins... please?

That'll teach that arrrrnry Kracken to spout that urban legend stuff without consulting the Ohio Revised Code or the N.Y. C.L.S. Pub. Health sec. 3000-a! Ha!

You did your homework sir. Do we [ScubaBoard.com et. al.] owe you a class action stipend? Well done counselor, I am stunned.

P.S. Discover decaf.

 

[freediver]

Huh??

Correct me if i'm wrong, but if i fell into a quarry, fully clothed and had maybe hurt myself on the way (possible broken arm etc) and i yelled for help, are u saying that i'm in control and not panicked??? :06:

A distressed person in the water has the ability to sustain themselves, at least for a period of time until help arrives. The simple fact of being ABLE to call for help says the person is in some manner of control. Now if it were a non-swimmer that were to fall in, this would of course, change the whole dynamics. Note, however, that a distressed person, given the right circumstances, can become a panicked irrational person.

 

[DivePartner1]

This is beautiful. You got your sec.s (sections), your wilfuls, your wantons, your negligents, misconduct, and even a "grossly". There's even a part about a doctor not working for pay! Next time could you throw in a northwest state (other than Oregon) just for grins... please?

That'll teach that arrrrnry Kracken to spout that urban legend stuff without consulting the Ohio Revised Code or the N.Y. C.L.S. Pub. Health sec. 3000-a! Ha!

You did your homework sir. Do we [ScubaBoard.com et. al.] owe you a class action stipend? Well done counselor, I am stunned.

P.S. Discover decaf.

This was a pst 9-11 survey to guage if it was reasonable to set up first aid stations in offices throughout North America. The disappointed part is that the answer is not yes. It depends where the office is. Imagine a catastophe in states that discourage first aid?

It's even worse for medical professionals. In some states they're absolutely protected in emergencies, in some states only if responding for no pay, and in others (Texas) under no circumstances.

Frankly, I'm disappointed to see that the 'right to sue' seems to be eclipsing incentives to rescue, at least in some states.

 

[ScubaFreak]

The simple fact of being ABLE to call for help says the person is in some manner of control

Calling for help when in trouble is natures way of survival. its a natural instinct. We dont think "oh **** i'm drowning, better call for help..."

Good example, i was boogy boarding on vacation once and a wave caught me, i'm a strong swimmer, but i couldn't catch my bearings. I was distressed and couldn't get myself upright, but I don't remember shouting for help, i dont remember the lifeguard rescuing me either.

 

[whitedragon13]

When I went through ocean lifeguard training in Daytona Beach, we were specifically trained NOT to rescue someone if we didn't have our tubes with us because of the danger involved being within reaching distance of a panicked diver without a flotation device.

However, I did so twice...multiple people drowning at the same time, but separated by a fair distance. In both cases, by being very directive with my voice, I was able to get the victims to calm a little, turn, lie back, and safely approach.

On the other hand, I have had young kids...around the 7 year old range, jump on me during a rescue and take me under. Make no mistake-rescuing someone, even when you know what you are doing and are very experienced, your life is in danger.

 

[freediver]

Calling for help when in trouble is natures way of survival. its a natural instinct. We dont think "oh **** i'm drowning, better call for help..."

Good example, i was boogy boarding on vacation once and a wave caught me, i'm a strong swimmer, but i couldn't catch my bearings. I was distressed and couldn't get myself upright, but I don't remember shouting for help, i dont remember the lifeguard rescuing me either.

Ok, but calling for help is difficult, if not impossible for a drowning person because they are focused on survival (maintaining air in this case). A drowning person is struggling too much to let out a "help me, I'm drowning". In your case you were a distressed swimmer that could have escalated into a drowning situation if intervention had not occurred. When a person is focused on survival they can do some really irrational things. Example, if your very own mother were drowning and you attempted a rescue, she would drown you in order to continue breathing unless the rescue were made properly. The instinctive drowning process is extremely powerful and cannot be overcome.

 

[ScubaFreak]

i hear ye when it comes to doing what it takes to get air, very basics of a rescue course, a diver will crawl all over you and push you under if you let em get a hold of you. i dont have any first hand experience when it comes to rescuing without scuba lifeguard style. but i suppose the basics are the same eh?

 

[DivePartner1]

When I went through ocean lifeguard training in Daytona Beach, we were specifically trained NOT to rescue someone if we didn't have our tubes with us because of the danger involved being within reaching distance of a panicked diver without a flotation device.

Good point. Rule one is don't created two victims. I was teamed up with a buddy I'd never dived with before who said he hadn't dived in years. I do a lot of diving of opportunity alone, so this occurs often.

Sure enough, once in the water he was a mess and quickly worked himself up to a panic on the surface. About the second time I came near him to help he ripped the reg. out of my mouth and pulled my mask off.

One of the values of the Rescue courses is the emphasis on self-rescue and when to put yourself first and avoid two victims. In that case, I exhaled and descended to where he couldn't get me (hyperventilation had him glued to the surface), went to a secondary, cleared my mask calmy surveyed the wide-eyed panic, dunked well under him, came up behind and swum him back to the boat by his first stage. I then had pleasant dive with the divemaster, who had a similar experience with his friends.

Again, my hats off to the rescuer, but I think everyone should get some advanced training.