Assistance Indecision

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chrispete

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Messages
950
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31
Location
Seabrook, TX
# of dives
1000 - 2499
Just wanted to bring this up to the group as a reminder that we train for a reason and should follow our training and instincts:

We were at a local diving spot this weekend and it was decently packed with divers and classes. Upon coming up from our last dive I noticed that there was a swimmer hanging on one of the bouys that was tied off to a platform for students to use for descents. He looked pretty much relaxed. I told the rest of the divers I was with that I was going to hang around and keep an eye on things. I looked back at the leaders for the group that this guy was with and they were watching him closely from shore.

At this point I made my first mistake, I assumed that this was a rescue class and that I needed to stay out of the way. However, I did stay exactly where I was (about 20 yards from the guy) and continued to watch. Then I heard one of their groups leaders say to someone (I had my back turned to them), "Head on out there." Again, I made the assumption that this was the start of a practical exercise in a rescue class. I continued to float as the swimmer went out and hung with the other guy on the bouy chatting. They finally did a tired diver tow and I watched them until they were in water they could stand up in to safely exit via the stairs. I never moved from the spot that I had surfaced at.

I saw the swimmer who had gone out to help a little later and asked him if they were doing a rescue class. He said, "No, that was a real assist. [The tired swimmer] had been doing swim tests all afternoon and exhaustion hit him. Both of us (instructors) were keeping a close eye on the situation." Which they were, they were ready, and they did the assist when needed.

Why am I posting this? Well, I was floating on the surface just a handful of yards from the guy with a 50# lift wing and a drysuit on me. I have the training that was screaming in the back of my head to just swim out there and say, "Hi! How are things?" I could have assisted in the situation more easily than the guy who had to tow the tired diver freestyle through rough water with no equipment on. All I would have had to do was inflate myself and I would have been a living buoy with a built in propulsion system.

The moral of the story: If you see a situation and the person isn't screaming their head off for a pizza, take action if you have the training to do so. It's easier to deal with a ticked off instructor if you interrupt their rescue class than to turn your back on someone in need, even if they just need a friendly smile and a "Just rest for a second."
 
Ticked off instructor?!?

An uncreative instuctor can simply say "no thanks this is a class"

A more creative instuctor can use willing uninvolved bystanders as a trainining aid.

During one rescue class I was teaching last summer, there was a family just there enjoying the beach. Mom was a nurse. When she saw what looked like an incident she came over to help. I informed her that it was a rescue class and invited her to participate. The student performing the rescue took it in stride and directed her four new volunteers on how to get the patient out of the water and out of his gear and then immediately handed of the medical management to the nurse.

It was an absolutetly perfect best case real word scenario.

Never hesitate to offer help even if you think it is a class. Your first impression might be wrong and someone might really need help, and even if it is a class your participation might make the class better.
 
A point well taken. At least you didn't abandon the situation altogether. I guess it never pays to just make assumptions. Good for you. And I'm glad all turned out well.
 
When I took my rescue class, we were instructed, instead of yelling help, to order a pizza, that way there would be no misunderstandings from bystanders. Also, we shore support monitoring the situation for situations exactly like you described. Just a couple of thoughts
 
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