Ever had to use Rescue training?

[boulderjohn]

I have never had to do anything close to a rescue myself. I was once in a situation in which someone near me ran out of air (she had apparently put her BCD on a used tank and had not checked) and grabbed her buddy's octo, but that is an OW skill. I was also near a situation in which a diver successfully rescued his buddy in a cave in an apparent oxygen toxicity situation, but that is more advanced than rescue.

As for the rescue diving course, the key feature is the scenario in which an unconscious diver is found after a search, brought to the surface, given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while the rescuer removes his or her gear and the victims gear, towed to the shore or a boat, removed from the water, and then given CPR and oxygen. I would really like it if someone would supply a case in which that full scenario has ever resulted in a survivor.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I had a buddy's regulator hose explode right by his mouth. I almost died of laughter because he still had the reg in his mouth (we had no octo's) and there was just 6 inches of frayed hose hanging off horizontally.. EXACTLY like the old cartoons with an exploded cigar in the character's mouth. The explosion of the hose was incredibly loud, I thought someone had shot a powerhead.

I jumped on his back and turned his air off (since the hose was wipping around behind him) and then released him to go to the surface.

I never offered any air because we were like 20 feet deep and I pointed out the large aneurysm in the hose before we got in the water and he said don't worry it worked last time.

The same guy ran out of air on me at 90 feet and was signaling to buddy breath. Again we had no octo's and manually inflated BC's. I grabbed him and started swimming, but never gave him my reg. I figured he would take it when he needed it. Somehow we made it all the way with no safety stop. All I was think was "man he is going to PAY for my light, my catchbag and my speargun, if I have to drop them because he is such a Dumbassss"

I had a women make it to 60 - 70 feet with her tank completely off and then she panicked and would not accept my regulator after repeated attempts (I had an octo at that time). I ended up grabbing the back of her head with one hand, shoving the second stage HARD to the front of her mouth and then just floored the purge button, so she could see nothing and i couldn't see if she was breathing or not.. and just swam like hell for the surface. She was fine, I was literally shaking 20 minutes later.

I did rescue breathing and then later CPR to a young scuba diver who was recovered unconscious from the bottom at a depth of 20 feet. He died.

I have pulled many struggling, floundering divers on the surface back to the stern of a dive boat.

There have been many other incidents, accidents and funny stories. Out of air scenarios, entanglement of a panicked diver etc. etc.

 

[kathydee]

Several times, three gas shares in OW with divers very low on gas. A gas share in a cave due to a hose failure.

Also I assisted in two serious rescues: one was an embolism (we found a diver face down, unconscious on the surface with no reg), the other was a surface accident where a diver nearly drowning (we pulled the unconscious non breathing diver out of the water). I believe both divers recovered.

 

[Pullnglide]

I had to do a free ascent with 2 other divers in a VERY strong current and had one of the people go OOA on the safety stop, he didn't even give me a signal but I felt his body jerk and I asked if he was OOA and he shakes his head yes. The free ascent was the result of him heading toward the surface inverted and me having to dump my air to keep him down until I could get his feet back down and me having to dump his air. Vis wasn't great and after that ordeal I had lost the ascent line and he was very low on air so we had no choice but to ascend. When we finally surfaced i told him to orally inflate and he didn't respond and just keeping going under water so I had to inflate it myself. I had to tell him I wasn't comfortable with him doing the 2nd dive, I felt terrible to have to tell him that but it had to be done. Dove with him the following day and he was outstanding from buoyancy to air consumption, great dives! This same person I have also had to do a real life tired diver tow of 200' back to shore, he is @280 lbs and I am 210, got it done though! He is learning though, it's nice to see how he has progressed thus far!

 

[fisheater]

And I also had this incident, which was published in Alert Diver. http://www.alertdiver.com/wheres_dave


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[kensuf]

Hi everyone,

I just completed my PADI Rescue Diver course this past weekend. And it got me thinking - how many certified Rescue Divers have ever actually had to use their training? I know it's a very small percentage, but I'd be interested to hear stories about people using their rescue skills in a real emergency. I know a decent amount of people have had to use some of the more basic skills like cramp removal, out of air situations, and even helping to eliminate diver stress before a dive. But I'm talking more about panicked divers (had to use the "approach out of their reach, spin them around, cradle tank with knees" technique) and things like unconscious diver tows with rescue breaths, missing diver, etc.

Let me know if you've ever had to rescue these types of people or if you know about any such rescues that happened. I'd be interested to hear about these real-life situations!

Yes, I have. It seems I use the skills once a year, on average.

My most recent time was in Grand Cayman back in June, I was just mind my own business on a Stand Up Paddleboard when I heard a "help help, I'm having trouble swimming" call. My first thought was "oh gee, here we go" then I went and saved him.

A year ago I had to rescue a divemaster that was caught in a strong current and struggled to keep up.

Two years ago I witnessed a student diver (not my student) down in the keys go into full blown panic while trying to descend for the deep dive. I caught her and calmed her down -- had to go through the entire "look at me, pay attention to me, listen to me" mantra to really get control of her.

And so it goes..

 

[JMBL]

Well, if I remmember correctly, I had to assist divers 5 times. Twice, years before I took my Rescue class : 2 divers panicking and making rocket like buoyant ascents. More recently (years after my Rescue class) : once again a panicky diver reaching the surface balistic like, a friend who was out of breath during descent, and once a friend whose 1st stage exploded minutes after the immersion. All stories ended well, with more fright than damages.

 

[TMHeimer]

Not yet (either diving with a buddy or during a class) knock wood. But most of the instructors I've talked with have at least one story.

 

[CamG]

I ve used my Rescue training many times.
Usually it is before we even get close to the water.
If you can identify stressors in students and dive buddies it is simpler to derail the stress before it reaches a critical point.
Been around several in water situations.
When any diver becomes unresponsive, truly no longer listening or reacting the time to act is NOW!
Situations only get worse!

Once I had to literally jurk a diver off a down line, spin them around whilst they pulled my mask off beating the crap out of me.
A fast spin tank cradle and tow back to boat as I forced a reg into their mouth and inflated their BC.
The scariest thing about the whole incident was it was my wife!
She simply froze up and later admitted she couldn't hear anyone as two of us were shouting, keeping the boat bow from crushing her.
I am going to be very clear YOU WILL USE YOUR TRAINING!

I assisted a CCR diver out of the water that I was certain was having a heart issue.
He was responsive, but very lethargic, I then feared gas issues, only later did I find out they had a accident on the dive and he panicked.
I assume he over breathed his unit, but he was literally turning colors in front of my eyes as I stripped his gear and had him breath O2 on a bench.
There were multiple issues with him and one month later he expired post dive from a heart related complication after a DCS hit.

You never know Ive assisted divers with simple free-flows and had no issues then the next one goes into panic!
If you are trained you can offer assistance but also know you assume liability and the diver does not always survive even despite efforts.
My best use of training has been to identify stress and deal with it pre-dive!
It has allowed me to tailor dive plans to help reduce stress and also address the golden dive rule!
Anyone , Anytime, can call the dive! NO QUESTIONS!

CamG

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I also have had to engage in rescue work, particularly during open water training weekends. Such episodes have included older divers with syptoms of cardio/vascular difficulties; hyperventilating divers, divers panicking and bolting for the surface, calming panicky or anxious divers at the surface, and some others. We have never lost a diver on training weekends, but have enough incidents ( among the hundreds of divers we train each summer) to keep our skills well honed.
DivemasterDennis