Do you carry basic safety equipment on dives? If not, why?

[Divegal40]

1. SMB (surface marker buoy) :Yes
2. Working Light with fresh batteries :Usually, Only on Night Dives but do have a small pocket one now
3. Reflective Signaling Device (mirror) : YES...it's part of my DAN Tag.
4. Noise Making Signaling Device :Yes..tucked in bcd pocket

 

[suprane]

Always!!

 

[captain]

Depends on the dive. Open ocean yes and more, small spring, lake probably not or at least not everything mentioned.

 

[Mandy3206]

Always carry all of the mentioned items, also carry an EPIRB with GPS capabilities in a sealed container, I don't want to surface in the ocean and find out that there's no boat and drift away into oblivion, if after a reasonable time, the boat don't show, I'll hit the EPIRB for sure.

 

[augk]

Yes
SMB
Dive Alert
A whistle
Knife Ramora
EMT Sheers

I could slip an old CD in a pocket to use as a mirror

 

[D_B]

CD as a mirror? ... tested, shown to be ineffective as a reflector
... if your going to carry a reflector, get a real mirror

Dont remember posting this here , it very useful and informative reading on just what works

EVERYONE ... you need to save this, a very good, if long read, on rescue trials in real world conditions, conducted in the Scapa Flow ... How far can you see me? ... http://www.jeanelaine.co.uk/diveraids/intro.htm

And this .. Equipped to Survive ... http://www.equipped.com/signal.htm
and the rest of the website is a treasure trove of info ... http://www.equipped.com/toc.htm

and this is a good thread on the subject ... http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ge...ignalling-equipment-searchers-point-view.html
so, how aboot a radar reflective SMB ? yeah, they do have them

 

[Thalassamania]

My favorite weird device was a thing a guy sent me to test years ago, it had a Mylar balloon, a small spool, and a helium filled cartridge. It worked pretty well and the ship could see it easily on radar.

 

[Mortis65]

+ EMT sheers.

 

[farsidefan1]

I carry all plus knife and shears. My noisemaker is one of the "air alert" (hide you head under water when using to protect your ears.

I read an interesting article some time ago by an air rescue pilot. He said without question the signal mirror was most helpfull of all devices from his perspective (which is a pretty valuable perspective from my perspective)

 

[lsorenson]

I carry all plus knife and shears. My noisemaker is one of the "air alert" (hide you head under water when using to protect your ears.

I read an interesting article some time ago by an air rescue pilot. He said without question the signal mirror was most helpfull of all devices from his perspective (which is a pretty valuable perspective from my perspective)

Interesting... My son is a air rescue pilot (USAF) and it never dawned on my to even ask him his opinion...!!! I think I will... and another moment to bond a bit...!

lee