Diver accident in Michigan

[diverbrian]

I just picked up on this thread and have to commend you on your actions. You can be my buddy anytime. I hope your wife recovers completely.

On a side issue, there's been a lot of talk of O2 on boats (they should be) but even if they did, one never knows if they work. According to you profile, you are deco and trimix certified. Did you have a decompression gas clipped on (100% 02 usually)? I noted that this was supposed to be a NDL dive so maybe the need for one was eliminated? It seems to me that one of the advantages of being tech diver (I assume you're one) is the carry of your own source of oxygen.

Again, my commendation to you and hope your wife fully recovers.

Actually, the Cedarville doesn't get any deeper than 100 ft. I wouldn't be suprised if I heard that they were diving Nitrox and no stages. Also, the O2 bottle wouldn't have the on-demand reg like the DAN O2 kits. So the DAN O2 kits would be preferred.

 

[DandyDon]

Better said...

For the people that don't know, getting an unconscious person out a drysuit while trying to do rescue breathing would be somewhat near impossible. Wetsuit/drysuit, I don't care. Get some EMT shears and cut that thing off starting with the neck seal to encourage breathing. Oh, and I really don't care what DAN will or won't replace for equipment. I care that my dive buddy is still alive and well when things are said and done.

Thanks.

 

[countryboy]

Great job on the rescue! Please do not second guess what happened. You saved a life, one that is very dear to you and many others. Keep us updated on your wife's progress.

 

[DiveGolfSki]

Actually, the Cedarville doesn't get any deeper than 100 ft. I wouldn't be suprised if I heard that they were diving Nitrox and no stages.

That's what I suspected as well ...

Also, the O2 bottle wouldn't have the on-demand reg like the DAN O2 kits. So the DAN O2 kits would be preferred.

That is also true but in the event a boat doesn't have one and you've got a O2 stage bottle .... of course, it also wouldn't be practical if you're on dive trip/resort and didn't bring all your equipment.

 

[bobmaggi]

Thank you for replying for me - you were much calmer than I would have been.
On a better note, the sedative levels have come down enough that she was able to recognize me for a few moments this morning. Still can't talk due to the ventilator and she is more 'out of it' than concious but this was a wonderful suprise for me!

Bob

Having read all of this thread and others in this forum, I think I can help here, as wel as fix your quote marks....

Well meaning people distort facts all the time. It happens, nice to have this from the horses mouth....


She had some history of losing her reg when her lips got numb in cold water, and this time - apparently she inhaled some water when she put it back in, causing her to choke.

Unfortunately I couldn't control the ascent very well with holding on to her and the trying to keep the reg in her mouth so I wasn't able to dump air as we came up. So we shot to the surface in about 30 seconds based on dive computer having a 30 second logging interval.
They were deep, that is a fast ascent!

The short time period down (9-10 min), it being the first dive of the day probobly saved us from the bends although I'm sure my blood was fizzing pretty good.
The ascent was pretty fast, and he feared that they would both get bent from the N2 coming out of blood solution.

Once on the boat we really needed sissors to cut the dry suit off, we were able to use a knife to cut the neck seal but sissors are quicker and safer for the diver and person using the knife in this type of a panic situation. Luckily one of the other divers had shears that openned up the suit quickly.
You've never worn a dry suit, have you? More difficult than a wet suit to get off, especially in an emergency treatment of an injured diver.

 

[gangrel441]

Bob

I have been following this thread since you posted it, and wish you and Maggi the best. As everyone else has said, the end result was probably as good as could be expected, and while no one's actions are flawless, yours were definately effective and, for the most part, by the book.

I wasn't aware that 73 feet was considered deep. I know a State Police recue diver that have shot up from 100 feet in 10 seconds with no ill affects. Her ascent was so fast that her fins cleared the water. I was also on a dive a couple of months ago when the inflator valve of one of the divers BC malfunctioned and sent him straight to the surface. He also cleared the surface upon arrival. Again, no ill affects.

This is one point I would like to address. Like Rec Diver, I too hold Master Scuba Diver certification, which encompasses Rescue. However, it seems he may have missed the class that I was in where they taught students to make a hasty but SAFE ascent. While there may be stories of police divers and accidental ascents which meet these rates with no ill effects, this should in no way be considered safe or prudent in a rescue. The key here is to make all necessary effort to save the other diver WITHOUT UNDUE RISK OF BECOMMING ANOTHER VICTIM YOURSELF, AND THUS DIVIDING THE RESOURCES OF THE REMAINING RESCUERS. Regardless of the bottom time prior to the ascent, 100 ft in 10 seconds is 10ft/second, or 10 times the recommended safe ascent rate. Getting bent is just one of the laundry list of things that could happen to you at that rate.

Not that I believe you would, but please do not second-guess yourself based on this foolish post. Take comfort in knowing that your actions were correct and saved your wife's life, and by all means, take that rescue course!

As has been said by many others here, you could be my dive buddy anytime!

 

[Rec Diver]

Bob

I have been following this thread since you posted it, and wish you and Maggi the best. As everyone else has said, the end result was probably as good as could be expected, and while no one's actions are flawless, yours were definately effective and, for the most part, by the book.



This is one point I would like to address. Like Rec Diver, I too hold Master Scuba Diver certification, which encompasses Rescue. However, it seems he may have missed the class that I was in where they taught students to make a hasty but SAFE ascent. While there may be stories of police divers and accidental ascents which meet these rates with no ill effects, this should in no way be considered safe or prudent in a rescue. The key here is to make all necessary effort to save the other diver WITHOUT UNDUE RISK OF BECOMMING ANOTHER VICTIM YOURSELF, AND THUS DIVIDING THE RESOURCES OF THE REMAINING RESCUERS. Regardless of the bottom time prior to the ascent, 100 ft in 10 seconds is 10ft/second, or 10 times the recommended safe ascent rate. Getting bent is just one of the laundry list of things that could happen to you at that rate.

Not that I believe you would, but please do not second-guess yourself based on this foolish post. Take comfort in knowing that your actions were correct and saved your wife's life, and by all means, take that rescue course!

As has been said by many others here, you could be my dive buddy anytime!

I guess Bob was right, the facts can and do get distorted, including taken out of context.

Bob, I am glad to read that your wife is doing better. I hope she has a speedy recovery. I believe you were a lot more level headed than I would have been in this situation. I was just wondering how you were able to be so. This is the reasoning for my questions.

 

[PRL]

30 second ascend at a 30 second sampeling interwal is an ascend 30 seconds or less. How much less? Can't tell with a 30 second sampeling rate on a computer. A 15 second ascend would still register 30 seconds (as I understand it) So as I uderstand it Bobs comment was supposed to show that the ascend was less than 30 seconds, but he was unsure how much less.
Bob was very specipic that he remembers the events but has no concept whatsoever of time.

 

[nitroxbabe]

<snip>
Bob was very specipic that he remembers the events but has no concept whatsoever of time.

...which is very common in times of extreme stress. Let's not nitpick the point to death, come on now.

When a person has no reg in their mouth, it's really difficult to do much more harm to them than has already occurred. Get them to the surface and try to keep their airway open!!! That's the victim's only chance at that point.

 

[PRL]

...which is very common in times of extreme stress. Let's not nitpick the point to death, come on now.

I wasn't trying to nitpick (sorry if it seemed that way) just wanted to point out to an SB user claiming that 30 seconds was to long to surface from over 70 ft, that he misunderstood the sentance.

Get them to the surface and try to keep their airway open!!! That's the victim's only chance at that point.

I agree 100%, just got a little steamed when I saw someone critsizing a SUCCESFUL rescue.

When a person has no reg in their mouth, it's really difficult to do much more harm to them than has already occurred

I don't agree 100% on this one. You will do more harm if you become a victim yourself. (but i do agree with the general idea of that statement)