Brett Hemphill lost in Phantom Springs, Texas

[inquis]

Would you have to take special precautions to monitor PPO2 that was less than 5% ambient pressure?

No, a PO2 of 0.5 bar is in the calibrated range where there is very high confidence in that measurement (0.2 to 1.0 bar). Sure, the fraction of O2 is under 5% at that depth, but that isn't directly sensed.

 

[Manatee Diver]

NSS-CDS's Accident Committee released their report recently.

You can view it here.

Cliff note conclusions: No equipment issues, they speculate he had a heart attack. But no conclusive medical evidence of it due to the delay in recovery, but the heart condition suggests it along with prior visits for a cardiologists and Brett asking for antacids to be included in the deco habitat provisions.

 

[Whitrzac]

At first glance teh pp02 graph looked crazy. Then I zoomed in and saw the spikes were <10s long and would be from adding o2 manually.

Although there was a lot of time above 1.4 there too.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Although there was a lot of time above 1.4 there too.

They speculate it is because he heard a about a cave diver that survived a heart attack due to high PPO2.

 

[floridabobbeckner]

We had heard the story from Brett a few times.

 

[Pearlman]

I have a question - apologies if it is a naive one.

which is a very absorbing task. And you don't really have a lot of ability to watch what your buddy is doing, so it's really your buddy's responsibility to stay with you," Pitkin shared.

When I finished surveying, I looked around for him, and usually I would see him there, but on this occasion, I couldn't find him," Pitkin said.

Why are audible alerting devices not used in such diving scenarios as part of the standard kit? From a simple shaker to a perhaps a louder one for emergencies?

 

[tursiops]

I have a question - apologies if it is a naive one.




Why are audible alerting devices not used in such diving scenarios as part of the standard kit? From a simple shaker to a perhaps a louder one for emergencies?

Audible signals are problematic underwater, especially in a cave with all the acoustic multipaths. You can't tell where the sound is coming from, nor how far away it is.

 

[Rilelen]

It’s easy to bang on your tanks with a light or double-ender; much harder for your buddy to know where the sound is coming from. Lights are a better way to signal distress in the dark, and the report suggests that Hemphill may indeed have tried to signal when he ran into trouble (hard to say).

 

[floridabobbeckner]

Signal or no signal, with whatever method one chooses to use, there is not much a buddy can do in those situations: depth, distance, etc.

I am glad that the information was received, reviewed and released in a reasonable time frame and it that it may help answer people's questions. I acknowledge the report does not answer all and even raises some other, questions--but I feel like it confirms it is not a diving death (so to speak).

 

[Manatee Diver]

I am glad that the information was received, reviewed and released in a reasonable time frame and it that it may help answer people's questions. I acknowledge the report does not answer all and even raises some other, questions--but I feel like it confirms it is not a diving death (so to speak).

The timely publication of accident analysis seems to have largely killed the rampant rumor mongering that we used to get over cave diving deaths. Which is a good thing, most of the rumors end up being completely wrong.

I am also pleased to see that my suggestion to Charlie that they should provide some insight in what they are currently working on was acted on, as the Accident Analysis page shows that the report for Plura as being "In Progress".