Diver dies after being rescued in Jupiter

[Diving Dubai]

Anyone is free to do what they like.

Here's the rub. If a 400lb person wanted to dive on a boat I was operating, I'd say no. Quite simply it would be incredibly difficult to recover someone like that from the water. The risk assessment would say no.

Now given a 200lb smoker or a 400lb non smoker, I'd take the smoker every time, because they are manageable. I can recover a 200lb person, not so someone double that size.

We can discuss outward health all we like. fit 30 somethings drop dead in marathons all the time because of underlying health issues not known about. You cannot plan for everything. I can plan for the possibilities of of dealing with a morbidly obese person, that plan is to not admit them.

In the UK - there is debate over "hurting someone's feelings" by calling them fat, obese lardy etc. There are no such debates about calling someone a filthy smoker. Both people have made life choices, both people have similar health risks, but you can hurt the feelings of one group but not the other. Funny old world?

 

[iamrushman]

condolences to all family, friends, acquaintances and colleagues......

 

[MrChen]

What about a 300lb diver? Where do you draw that line?

 

[muzzon]

It's not really that difficult to find out where to draw the line. It took me about 10 seconds of Googling to find the morbid obesity is described as "100% over ideal weight" or a BMI over 30. I doubt it would be hard for doctors to find the BMI or weight that becomes a greater risk to go diving. I have a friend who has a serious eating disorder, therefore he goes to the doctor monthly. As his weight spirals up uncontrollably, the doctor notifies him of specific activities he should no longer be doing.

Nevertheless, this event is very sad. I don't think anyone should be "shamed" for being overweight, since you don't know what issues they may be going through. At the same time (as others have mentioned) it's not okay when they start putting other people's lives as risk. In countries with free healthcare, that includes taking up a greater amount of medical time, not to mention the additional costs of our tax dollars we all contribute.

If I were obese, I would make it damn clear to my family, that if I ever kicked the can while doing a physical activity I loved, not to blame the organization or anyone else involved (assuming my passing was related to my weight).

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

In order to get on a dive boat - you should have to do 25 push-ups- 10 pull-ups, and run a mile under 9 minutes.

That should fix everything - forget about the waivers...

 

[scubadada]

In order to get on a dive boat - you should have to do 25 push-ups- 10 pull-ups, and run a mile under 9 minutes.

That should fix everything - forget about the waivers...

I can do 25 push ups, I can do 10 pull ups, can you?, I can't run a mile with my bilateral hip replacements. However, I can dive very well, thank you.

 

[ManBearPig]

I do agree about self assessment, and would offer another consideration. Self assessment on how prone you are or are not to sea sickness.

It seems every summer I end up on a boat with folks who talk about their 100's of logged dives at the quary and how super duper awesome they are. Then we get out of the inlet and it looks like the pie scene from "stand by me". I am unclear how you make it to adulthood and don't know that you get sea sick. If you get sea sick, don't go on the boat. Best case is you will be miserable, worst case it starts the chain of events for something like this, and somewhere in the middle is the entire boat has to divert and alter their dives because you cant keep your breakfast burrito down.

 

[muzzon]

I could not agree more. I get seasick as can be. I know it's bad so I only go diving when conditions are awesome and I feel perfect; plus I STILL take 2-3 anti-nausea pills.

It sucks 'cause I love to travel and try new things, but my nausea has put a damper on more things than I would like .

 

[dumpsterDiver]

It's not really that difficult to find out where to draw the line. It took me about 10 seconds of Googling to find the morbid obesity is described as "100% over ideal weight" or a BMI over 30. I doubt it would be hard for doctors to find the BMI or weight that becomes a greater risk to go diving. I have a friend who has a serious eating disorder, therefore he goes to the doctor monthly. As his weight spirals up uncontrollably, the doctor notifies him of specific activities he should no longer be doing.

Nevertheless, this event is very sad. I don't think anyone should be "shamed" for being overweight, since you don't know what issues they may be going through. At the same time (as others have mentioned) it's not okay when they start putting other people's lives as risk. In countries with free healthcare, that includes taking up a greater amount of medical time, not to mention the additional costs of our tax dollars we all contribute.

If I were obese, I would make it damn clear to my family, that if I ever kicked the can while doing a physical activity I loved, not to blame the organization or anyone else involved (assuming my passing was related to my weight).

A BMI of 30 is the cut off huh?

Here are my results:

Your BMI is 34.7, indicating your weight is in the Obese category for adults of your height.

For your height, a normal weight range would be from 122 to 164 pounds.


I would be quite sick at 164 lbs..

I can handle rough conditions reasonably well, but you have to take drugs to cope - even when conditions are "awesome". I'm not so sure I want you making all the rules.

Possibly we could just say that anyone who is on ANY medication shouldn't be diving?

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I can do 25 push ups, I can do 10 pull ups, can you?, I can't run a mile with my bilateral hip replacements. However, I can dive very well, thank you.

I can and I can run faster than a 9 min mile - but it was tongue in cheek... Just in case you did not catch the smiley face... The point is - let the dive boats worry about the requirements to dive on their boat. Everything else is just noise from the peanut gallery. - see what I did again?