Full Face Masks Adapted to Facilitate Cave Rescue....

[DiveHeart]

We are proud to call our friends at Oceanreef "Partners in the Advance of Adaptive Scuba". Techniques that Diveheart has been using for years to keep Adaptive divers with full face masks safe, were employed in the cave rescue. Well done my friends.

SANDIEGOUNIONTRIBUNE.COM

Diving masks from San Marcos company helped rescue of Thai boys from cave
Full-face diving masks from Ocean Reef in San Marcos were used in dramatic rescue of 12 Thai boys and soccer coach from partially flooded cave.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

This article makes me proud to be an Ocean Reef FFM diver.

Hats Off Ocean Reef!!!

 

[kelemvor]

My wife and I dive ocean reef FFM's. They're great, but I have to admit I'm surprised that's what was chosen. I expected one of the more "industrial" brands like kirby morgan.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

My wife and I dive ocean reef FFM's. They're great, but I have to admit I'm surprised that's what was chosen. I expected one of the more "industrial" brands like kirby morgan.

Honestly, yeah, I would've expected the Kirby/Hollis or even an OTS since those seem to be pretty standard for normal rec/scientific diving. For public safety diving, definitely the KM. Maybe Ocean Reef was just able to respond faster.

 

[kelemvor]

This might be the key. It's buried in the article.

The full-face masks Ocean Reef are small enough to fit children and not easily available from other suppliers, he said.

Ocean reef does have small masks available. It sounds like other brands must not.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

This might be the key. It's buried in the article.

Ocean reef does have small masks available. It sounds like other brands must not.

And their S/M is DEFINITELY small. I tried one while waiting for mine to come in at my LDS. Nope. Couldn't dive it.

I think, too, the Ocean Reef might be a little easier to use for someone who's never made a dive. Maybe a little less intimidating and a little more comfortable, too. I did read that they were fitting all the kids, but it didn't click until just a moment ago when I was thinking about why they didn't use a more public safety style FFM. Makes more sense.

 

[DiveHeart]

Great conversation. Diveheart has used a variety of FFM and we like to use the Ocean Reef with the quick disconnect for our Adaptive Divers. in an out of air emergency with a FFM i can take my six foot hose and connect it to the Adaptive divers FFM and get them safely to the surface. The long hose and quick disconnect are also handy while performing exits from the water back onto the boat with the Adaptive diver. We disconnect the Adaptive divers hose, connect the six foot hose, and bring the Adaptive diver without gear up to the dive platform. The team can then transfer them out of the water while the Adaptive diver is still on air from my tank. The team on the boat can then open the surface breathing port and disconnect my long hose and then transfer them back to their wheelchair with the FFM still on. the FFM never leaves the Adaptive Divers face. We've found it to be very safe for the Adaptive diver.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

I agree completely Jim. I have the QD fitting and a swivel (as seen in the pic below) on my Ocean Reef and also have a QD fitting on a secondary 2nd stage regulator just in case something goes wrong and I have to switch to a conventional mask and reg, which I actually did during the last dive of my rescue course because my FFM had excessive moisture inside it and I couldn't see very well. I've become extremely proficient at doffing and donning my FFM underwater. But the QD hoses and fittings definitely make a huge difference, too. I don't run a 6 ft hose myself, but I do run a 4 ft so I can route it under my arm so it doesn't get easily snagged on anything during my dives. It's worked out well for me so far.

 

[kelemvor]

I don't have the QD on mine. I've got a damaged spinal cord which resulted in reduced feeling in my fingers. That translates into lost dexterity. I sometimes struggle with pressurized disconnects (such as the ocean reef QD on demo masks) and didn't want to risk having it. I do have a swivel on mine though.

Jim, Obviously you've got a config and procedure that's working well. It's my understanding that you can also connect an additional second stage to another regulator attached in place of the surface air valve. Just another option if you weren't already aware.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

I don't have the QD on mine. I've got a damaged spinal cord which resulted in reduced feeling in my fingers. That translates into lost dexterity. I sometimes struggle with pressurized disconnects (such as the ocean reef QD on demo masks) and didn't want to risk having it. I do have a swivel on mine though.

Jim, Obviously you've got a config and procedure that's working well. It's my understanding that you can also connect an additional second stage to another regulator attached in place of the surface air valve. Just another option if you weren't already aware.

I was going to mention that myself. Not a bad idea in case the 2nd stage on the FFM fails for some reason. Just another reason I always carry a backup mask. I don't always carry a backup 2nd stage (aside from my octo), but doing so means I wouldn't necessarily need to thumb my dive should something happen with my FFM. I switch to a regular mask and my octo, disconnect the FFM from my primary and stow it on my BC, connected the backup 2nd stage via QD fitting, then switch to it as my primary and stow my octo back on its keeper in case of an OOA incident with a buddy, etc.