Buddy checks - formal v. informal

[NorCalDM]

There was an incident in which two people drowned a couple of years ago. I was reminded of it when an old thread on the resulting lawsuit was revived today.

One diver ran OOA. He managed to get to the surface, but he was evidently significantly overweighted and could not stay there. He had a new weight integrated BCD and could not figure out how to release the weights. Neither could his buddy. The buddy only shared air briefly before also going out of air, at which point another diver--not his buddy--attempted to share air and release his weights--unsuccessfully. Clearly there was a problem with the pre-dive safety check if even the diver who had put the weights in the BCD could not figure out how to release them.

So what happened with the second air share attempt? Information is sketchy. We were told that the second diver, using a rental regulator, did not have an alternate air source and was attempting to share air by buddy breathing. We were also told that the second diver was not highly experienced, suggesting that buddy breathing was not a well-practiced skill for her. Some participants in the thread thought she might have had an Air II-type of alternate on the inflator hose, but if so, that was not published information, and the fact that the renter was sued for supplying inadequate equipment suggests otherwise. If that were that case, she either did not realize it was there or did not know how to use it. She was not this person's buddy, but she was somebody's buddy, and the fact that she did not know how to share air with the equipment she had should have come up during her buddy check.

So, two people died in one incident, and neither should have died if decent pre-dive checks had been completed.

I do agree that neither diver should have died in this incident but as I read it there was way more wrong with this dive than a pre-dive check. Two divers went OOA so neither managed their air properly not a pre-dive issue, significantly overweighted? a big maybe only if the buddy asked how much weight was being used and something sounds odd, could not complete a successful air share or buddy breathing to me that's a skill issue yes you need to now what configuration your buddy has but more important you need to now how to use it. The only issue I see that a pre-dive check would have helped with is being familiar with the releases which may have ultimately saved the divers but if the divers would have managed their air better the situation would have never happened.

 

[Storker]

if the divers would have managed their air better the situation would have never happened.

Sure. And if they had been able to ditch, no-one would have died.

Do you want to rely on just one layer of safety? I don't. That's the whole point of doing it by the book. You have several ledges on the edge of the incident pit, so when - not if - you screw up, you're still OK and can abort the dive in a safe and controlled manner. The more layers you have (ditchable weight, redundant buoyancy, redundant air, buddy, etc.), the more stuff has to happen simultaneously before SHTF at high speed.

People, including you and me, do stupid things, so I'll never dive in a way that turns one screw-up into something more than an annoyance or an embarrasment. It's like handling a gun: you never rely on just one layer of safety, e.g. you don't point your gun at anyone even if the safety is on.


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---------- Post added December 6th, 2014 at 10:27 AM ----------

I don't do the BWRAF, and I don't physically check my buddy's gear. We do a head-to-toe equipment check, where each of us checks his own equipment as the checklist is read.

Since you say you don't use BWRAF, I'd really like to see an example (or two) of the type of checklist you and your GUE-trained buddies use.

Linky?


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[MXGratefulDiver]

I can't answer for GUE, but not everyone uses BWRAF. I use "head to toe" checks. We start at the top and work our way down ...

- Mask check (we wear hoods here, so you want to make sure the mask skirt isn't outside of the hood)
- Regulator (2 breaths from each second stage with face in the water)
- Inflate/deflate (short burst into/from each, BCD and drysuit assures hoses are properly connected)
- Gauges ... got 'em?
- Weights ... where and how?
- Fins ... got 'em on, cool ...
- Gas check (what type and how much)
- Bubble check (each looks at their buddy's first stage while it's submerged to make sure nothing's leaking)

Takes less than a minute, then you're good to go.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[NorCalDM]

Sure. And if they had been able to ditch, no-one would have died./QUOTE]

Agreed and if you read the entire sentence you quoted I said the same thing. My point was there was more wrong with this dive than the pre-dive check. Running out of air has nothing to do with the pre- dive check you or your buddy can check your air a 100 times before you get in but if you don't manage it during the dive it doesn't matter. Grossly overweighted obviously never did a proper weight check most divers I see that do a pre-dive check my only ask if their buddy has their weight in or on but not how much? Not practicing and becoming familiar with new gear? Do I believe in more than one layer of safety yes, do I believe in a good pre-dive check yes they can catch small issues that can become big issues when you start adding them up.

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

I wrote and teach a PADI distinctive specialty in dive planning. There is a chapter on pre-dive checks. Quick summary: I don't like any of the well-known, pre-established methods I know.

One reason for me personally is that I do a lot of different diving in a lot of different modes for a lot of different purposes. I end up doing something different in each case. If I did the same kind of diving each time, it would be much simpler, and I could have a set routine that is all my own. For basic recreational dives--which I assume is the intent of this thread, since it is in the Basic Scuba forum--I can check my buddy over physically in a few seconds. I have done this enough that I can see if something is out of place easily. I check each of my regulators and inflator, usually speaking out loud as I do in part as a reminder to my buddy to do the same. I check my computer to make sure it is set for the right gas mixture and on. (If it is not on before the dive while diving at high altitude, it will not measure depth accurately.) The entire process takes seconds and can be easily missed by anyone not watching us closely.

I dive with insta-buddies with some regularity because my wife does not dive. When I was still a beginning diver, I was unsure of myself and intimidated, so when they did not seem interested in buddy checks, we did not do them. That does not happen today, because I initiate it. I first talk about the way I donate air in an OOA emergency, since it is non-standard. When it is time to go, I look at their gear and say something about doing so while I begin my regulator checks. They invariably take part without argument. I suspect my doing so signals to them that I might turn out to be an adequate buddy for the coming dive, and that I am expecting the same from them.

and if your buddy refuses then maybe that is a sign you may not want him as a buddy. Best post of the thread boulder john

 

[boulderjohn]

I do agree that neither diver should have died in this incident but as I read it there was way more wrong with this dive than a pre-dive check.

Of course there was more wrong with the dive than the buddy check, but if they had each done a proper buddy check, they would have been able to overcome them.

Two divers went OOA so neither managed their air properly not a pre-dive issue,

But the divers made it to the surface. If he had known how to drop his weights, we never would have heard about it because the only problem would have been retrieving them after the incident.

significantly overweighted? a big maybe only if the buddy asked how much weight was being used

Again, he made it to the surface just fine, but he could not stay there becaues he did not know how to drop the weights in an unfamiliar system.

and something sounds odd, could not complete a successful air share or buddy breathing to me that's a skill issue yes you need to now what configuration your buddy has but more important you need to now how to use it.

Not knowing how to share air in your system or your buddy's system would have shown up in a pre-dive check. They did not know they did not have the skills to share air in the third diver's system until it had to be done for real. A pre-dive check would have caught that.

The only issue I see that a pre-dive check would have helped with is being familiar with the releases which may have ultimately saved the divers

I see. So the only thing a pre-dive check would have accomplished is saving their lives. Got it.

but if the divers would have managed their air better the situation would have never happened.

One of the reasons you do a pre-dive check is to make sure you have the wherewithal to manage an OOA emergency.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I was taught the BWRAF method in my OW class. As was every other student that went through the class and still goes through the class with that instructor. The problem was that I don't feel the importance of it was really communicated effectively. It was kind of a "this is what we do to make sure we have fun and enjoy our dives safely". At no time was it communicated that "we do this to make sure no one dies!"

The cutesiness of it does not help to communicate the importance either. For a few years I still did it though and made some telling observations.
1. The lack of the "do this or you may die" aspect encourages apathy towards it.
2. Many divers as a result do not even remember it after a few months, years, or maybe weeks. You ask them what it means and you get B (begin)- BC, W (with) - weights, R (review, review what?) - ????, A (and) - air, F(friend? Do I have a dive buddy?) - ???? High five let's dive!
3. Since they don't really remember what it all stands for things get missed.
4. It just sounds silly and does not convey the seriousness of what it is.

Other agencies have similar ways to do the check that involve acronyms and their associated terms. It was not until I took tech training that I found the best way to do a check was to use an actual written checklist. After doing more training with Doppler that involved rebreathers and sidemount the use of multiple lists became more important. My GF is a checklist maestro. I am going to use some of hers as text book examples in my next book on training.

While not as detailed as she is I now have two sets of wet notes. One for tech diving and teaching, one for recreational diving and teaching. Each has several checklists for sidemount, back mount, single tank, and another general overview one. These are along with my teaching slates and cue cards.

Written checklists work and save lives.

They are easy to create, take less time to do since you check off items as you go over them. No searching for the meaning of a letter or term that may not even be related to diving. You can create them with a buddy and swap lists to check each other.

I am in the middle of a private OW class now. This week we started on tables and planning. Next week we finish that section up with decompression procedures and the creation and use of written checklists. I've shown him the onesI use and next week we'll start working on his that he will carry on all dives with me. We'll build the list based on the gear he's used and may use. It will go on a slate or in wet notes. In fact I am toying with the idea of requiring students to carry wet notes and may include them as part of the classroom materials I provide. They are cheap and they work.

As I get older the memory is not what it used to be. 20 years ago as a line officer in the Masonic lodge I memorized three lectures of roughly an hour each, one that was maybe a half hour, and several parts for ceremonies. These were all done from coded texts or oral instructions passed down from others. I am sorry to admit that I don't think that would be possible now. I use notes for my presentations and classes. It only makes sense to use them for pre and post dive checks.

When I service a reg that I have done many times I still open the manual and follow it step by step. The course I just wrote for SDI/TDI was based on a written outline and as a result was a quick process. One that I will use with more detail for my next book(s).

Not using a written list leaves too much room for bad stuff to happen.

 

[DaleC]

That is why I use BAR (though anything that actually works is fine).
BWARF is too complicated. If you need a sentence (blonde women really are fun?) to remember the mnemonic then you probably won't remember what the mnemonic stands for.
I like to think in systems. There is a buoyancy system(s): BC, DS, Lift bag, SMB, an air delivery system(s): primary, octo, hoses, spg (pressure), pony; and a release system(s): rig, weights cutting tool.

The check has two parts: 1.This is how it works. 2.Demonstrate that it works.

With a buddy I would exchange the following info about air. "I'm diving a 72 with 2500psi, air and (breathing each) both regs work. If you need it you can take this reg or this reg.

Here's a good test. If you can stand and go through your whole predive check with eyes closed (locating, indicating and deploying by feel) then it'll probably work on a regular basis.

 

[NorCalDM]

Of course there was more wrong with the dive than the buddy check, but if they had each done a proper buddy check, they would have been able to overcome them.

But the divers made it to the surface. If he had known how to drop his weights, we never would have heard about it because the only problem would have been retrieving them after the incident.

Agreed but could of orally inflated as well.

Again, he made it to the surface just fine, but he could not stay there becaues he did not know how to drop the weights in an unfamiliar system.
Not knowing how to share air in your system or your buddy's system would have shown up in a pre-dive check. They did not know they did not have the skills to share air in the third diver's system until it had to be done for real. A pre-dive check would have caught that.

Again could of orally inflated but being overweighted makes that difficult to fin and staying above water. Per your post he did air share with his buddy until his buddy ran out of air again air management. Without doing a buddy check with the third diver who tried to help who was not his buddy? Practicing with new gear and different configurations that would have helped.

I see. So the only thing a pre-dive check would have accomplished is saving their lives. Got it.

Agreed they may have figured out were the releases were but running out of air?

One of the reasons you do a pre-dive check is to make sure you have the wherewithal to manage an OOA emergency.

Knowing were your stuff is only gets you part way but practicing and knowing how to use it gets you all the way there.

I don't disagree that you should do a good pre-dive check but practice and being comfortable will your skills and equipment would have changed this outcome.

 

[Storker]

BWARF is too complicated

My pre-dive check is:

• BCD and DS: Check that inflation and deflation works, and that the BCD holds air. It has uncovered a forgotten DS hose more than once, and once a BCD dump valve string trapped beneath the harness, holding the valve open, before a wall dive without hard bottom at rec depths.
• Weights: Check that weight pockets are secured, review ditching procedure if instabuddy. Mandatory for safety if SHTF and ditching buddy's weights on the surface is needed. I've never had to ditch, but my buddy's weight pockets are a bit difficult to secure fully, and there's been a couple of times that we've discovered that they weren't properly secured.
• Releases: Feels superfluous, because most BCDs have very similar releases. Checking that all the clips are secured is a Good Thing (TM) anyway, so... And anyway, I've picked up the thing about putting your hand on them to refresh your muscle memory on where they are, and that really seems like a Good Thing (tm) to do, so I'll probably adopt that.
• Air: Pre-breathe primary & secondary. Report tank pressure to buddy. I've never forgotten to turn on the air (yet), but I've been uncomfortably close.
• Final check: Always. Uncovers those small errors that may well cause an embarrassing incident or at least make things a bit more irritating.

It takes less than a minute and is really not that complicated. I'm well into middle age, but I'm not so old that I can't remember that little list, and it has saved me from making a fool out of myself before.



Regarding the "W", there was a fatality in Norway back in 2012. This guy took a noob - according to press, uncertified - friend diving. Someplace underwater, the guy gets in some kind of trouble, but manages to make it to the surface where he loses consciousness. The poor noob, who obviously hadn't gone through the "W" part of the buddy check tried to hold his friend afloat, but finally had to let go to see him sinking back down. I don't want to imagine how he felt. A proper buddy check should have told him how to ditch his unconscious buddy's weights.

---------- Post added December 6th, 2014 at 09:38 PM ----------

I don't disagree that you should do a good pre-dive check but practice and being comfortable will your skills and equipment would have changed this outcome.

I don't disagree that you should practice and be comfortable will your skills and equipment, but if he had known how to drop his weights, it would have changed this outcome.

By omitting the pre-dive check, you deliberately strip away a very important layer of safety.