Have you ever considered the risk??

[jepuskar]

"Just how safe do you think it is for the buddy to approach and attempt a rescue of the panicked OOA diver?"

I don't think it's safe at all.

 

[JodiBB]

Please note that in the scenario both divers are OW certified.

Thank you...I missed that....

 

[msg]

Any rescue can be dangerous. My thought would be, could I live with the fact that I did nothing? Bad things happen when good people do nothing.
I realize that the scenario could end up as a two person recovery, however, I feel that you should try to help their dive buddy. Overconfidence should never take the place of training.

 

[KMD]

Once they are in "full blown panic" all reasoning has stopped. In your scenario, its unlikely that being 20 feet away you will get to them. They will already be on their way to the surface most likely extremely fast.

Speaking harsh truths here, they will either get to the surface conscious or not. If they don't get to the surface conscious then you bring them to the surface.

If they are conscious at the surface they will either be injured or not. Either way, if they are still in full blown panic mode, you wait until they tire themselves out before approaching.

As has been drilled into every first aid and rescue class every taught, don't make two victims.

 

[jaybombs25]

It being safe would depend on many factors between these two divers which are too numerous to go into. However, if it were me diving with an OW diver at 80 who went OOA and was panicking I wouldn't hesitate to help, however depending on what they are doing I would take different approaches. If they were just going crazy flailing about i would rush over and hand over my own primary reg calming the diver down and showing them my SPG. However, if the diver was bolting for the surface I would attempt to reach them before they went up too far grab their BC, Dump mine and theirs if possbile and hand over my primary. If I cannot get to them in time i wouldn't put myself in further danger to bolt up behind them. I would make a controlled but relatively quick assent and assess the situation on the surface. Since the visibility is good you probably will have visual on the diver all the way up. However, with an OW diver not having gone through much "emergency" training I am sure the outcome would be much different. However, in the moment it is much different to say exactly how you would react. Panic is the major problem, no matter the situation it is prudent to take a second or two and think and rationalize the situation, even OOA.

 

[Thalassamania]

What are we getting at here? It seems clear to me that two of most of todays O/W divers have no business at 80 feet and were they to find themselves there they might well run a significant change of running OOA, but in any case neither of them is trained to be of the least real use to the other.

So what's the real question? To me it is, "should divers at this inadequate level of training and accomplishment be certified and cut loose?"

 

[JodiBB]

Once they are in "full blown panic" all reasoning has stopped. In your scenario, its unlikely that being 20 feet away you will get to them. They will already be on their way to the surface most likely extremely fast.

I totally agree with this.

Upon gearing up on a boat dive, we watched a diver from a nearby boat go into total panic, with flailing, blood-curdling screams, etc. She was even trying to jump up on a huge, round, slimy buoy, but kept sliding off, which increased her panic even more.

My buddy jumped right in to try to save her and I screamed at him to keep her at a distance. As I was gearing up to go in after him, her DM managed to get her to the back of the boat, where they could pull her in.

My buddy could've been a casualty had he gotten in arms reach. She could've pulled him down upon using him as a life preserver.

 

[jpcpat]

I'm very clear with all my students, whatever the level, that you never create a second victim. The reality is that very few OW divers are going to be able to actually help a panicked buddy.

The smart thing to do is go calmly to the surface and be ready to assist your buddy once it is not so dangerous. The need to do something to help can seem irresistable, but overcoming that urge may be the price you need to pay to give your buddy the best chance possible.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

First, OW certified diver have no business at 80 feet. The fact that one could run out of air shows that they would be way beyond the scope of their training. It's been awhile since I helped out an OW class, but they used to teach buddy breathing. I know they've stopped teaching that, but don't they still teach air-sharing drills? I think the other diver should attempt to offer his reg to the OOA diver, but if he/she panics they should let them go. Until they are rescue trained they will be unsafe at any depth. Also, there's a good chance the other diver would be nearly OOA at 80 feet as well. Neither should be in a situation like that.

 

[Thalassamania]

... Neither should be in a situation like that.

Or ... should divers be trained to the point that they could reasonably handle a situation like that?