Getting Ready for Rescue class

[Papa Steve]

My wife/buddy and I will be taking our Resuce class sometime this spring or early summer. We plan on interviewing our instructor to see exacly what he is/isn't going to cover in the course. Yes, I know there are published minimal requirements but in some of our other training we have found some topics to be covered in great depth and others just skimmed over. We have always told our instructor in advance of the class they knowledge/skills we wanted to be sure to walk away with. We wanted to get some feedback from the board. What would you consider the "must have's" in a Rescue Course . .in class, in pool, in OW?
Thanks for your feedback.

 

[micklock]

Great class you will enjoy it. I'm going to have my son take it and I might take it again. I took the class in 2000.

 

[DNK]

Make sure you practice and get right surfacing an unconscious diver, this is probably the one thing that if done right can improve the chances of an underwater rescue verses a recovery.
My instructor really drilled this into us, first using pretty standard scenarios until we got it right and then throwing a few curve balls.
For example:
Once made himself very overweighted, so that when you tried to move him he rolled off of the plateform. In another scenario he wrapped his weight belt around the up line. These scenarios required us to problem solve underwater.
These "additional" scenarios really added some realism to the class.

Also try and make sure that there are enough people in the class to the run a full rescue scenario, you will need at least 5, so that all roles can be simulated.

Hope you like Pizza you will be ordering alot of it

 

[scarefaceDM]

What you will take away is what you want to learn. I know it sounds alittle off beat but you will only get out of it what you put into it.

If you pay attention to the details. Observe everyone and everything around you. Avoid interupting the instructor when he/she is explaining something. Once they have done so and you are uncertain of it...ask away and repeat the skill set and make certain the instructor has made it clear. And the demonstration of the skill is also clear. Nothing worse than someone not paying attention during the demonstration.

Just remember..there is no perfect rescue. Adapt to the situation and use what and whom is around you to execute the rescue. Never be affraid to ask some one to help even a bystander...if you need it.( usually it is another diver or family member and even the instructor)

Also do not be affraid to tell someone nicley to get out of the way as you bring the victim in. I had to nudge OW students out of the way after I had mentioned clearly to clear a path during an in water rescue senario demonstration...if it were a real rescue I would have just moved them and appoligize later..

have fun, rescue course can be a blast and a real good learning experience.

PIZZA PIZZA,,,!!!!!!

 

[Garrobo]

Sometims before I go to sleep at night I think about different rescue scenarios like an out of air situation (mine or someone else nearby) or a diver having convulsions or a heart attack or just hanging there for some reason or the other and what I would try to do to help in this type of emergency. While I'm on a dive I do the same thing sometimes. I think that I'll take the course after I get my 100 dives in next month.

 

[deepblueme]

This should be the funnest class you take just be well rested and pack a lunch, if you take it from me you'll need it!!!

Get your text materials before hand and read and reread everything while taking note about ??'s you have and be thinking of different ways you might be handling any type of scenario that may happen.
Same thing about the water skills have a slate on hand to jot notes and ???s.

Make sure that you get very comfortable with the fact that help might be "just you" and that puny little o2 tank that some divers have on hand may not last more than a few min. and what happens if you lose that pocket mask how will you give MtM.
Are you ready to give CPR till you need it too?

One thing about being a responder that alot of rescue classes doesn't talk about is the long term, you might be the only person there to help (think buddy shore diving) most seem to be taught from the stand point that a 911 call is just a few min. away and you have unlimited o2 till the helicopter arives.
The Coast Guard might be busy too.

Final thought if you have a non breather you try your best but don't beat yourself up if they won't start breating again.The vic. was that way when you started helping, so do what you can.

 

[merxlin]

All good points so far. My best advice is to not rush! There is a sense of urgency, but it needs to be planned and executed, not rushed. If it take 5 minutes to strip the victims gear, so what? As long as you keep the rescue breaths going and you keep moving toward your exit you are fine. Approaching a passive-panic diver can be slow and methodical as well, giving you time to breath and think.

Oh, and if you're not in great shape and haven't done much cardio in a while, I would suggest starting now. The combination of skills and the inherant stress of the class can wear you out quickly.

 

[SlowRain]

Be sure the instructor shows you how to get an unconscious diver out of the water and into a boat. This should be done from a group recovery (several people available to assist) to being able to do it solo. This is something sometimes overlooked>