Equipment If you can't drop your weights and you are sinking

[yle]

I will start by saying I'm aware of the fact that you should always have a quick release mechanism to drop your weights in case of an emergency.

I saw this video of a terrible accident that happened. The girl was in a drysuit and she kept descending rapidly. One of her instructors tried to save her but was unsuccessful. I have some questions.

1. No quick release on the weight pockets? I thought all BCDs had a quick release. If a BCD didn't have a quick release, to put on the weights wouldn't that mean you would have to unzip the pockets, then drop the weights inside? If so, why couldn't the instructor unzip the pockets and just pull the weights out?
2. If you can't get rid of your weights for whatever reason, couldn't you just unbuckle your BCD, take it off, turn it around then unbuckle the tank strap, pull the cylinder out, disconnect the low-pressure inflator hose, drop the BCD then swim to the surface and still breathe from your regulator?

The YT videos about this incident are generally made by people that have very minimal knowledge of scuba diving, and they have very little incentive to get the facts correct or complete. The main objective of YT creators is to get people to watch their videos, and in that pursuit they often sacrifice the integrity of the facts.

I have been following this case since it happened, I have watched all the YT videos about it. Nearly all of them are trash. If you want to know what really happened, and why it happened, take the time to do proper research.

 

[yle]

Use the your left hand to control the victim's BCD (not your own) and establish the desired rate of ascent.

Just curious... how do you do this if the victim is OOA? I've always assumed the little button thing won't work if there's no air in the tank.

I've also assumed that rescue techniques should give the rescuer options -- and rescuers should be trained to identify and choose the best option -- because victims rarely cooperate with strict protocols.

But I'm always interested in learning more.

 

[Edward3c]

Just curious... how do you do this if the victim is OOA? I've always assumed the little button thing won't work if there's no air in the tank.

I've also assumed that rescue techniques should give the rescuer options -- and rescuers should be trained to identify and choose the best option -- because victims rarely cooperate with strict protocols.

But I'm always interested in learning more.

Casualties are not necessarily OOA, but could be incapacitated by a medical condition or a sting.

 

[johndiver999]

you can blow air manually into the victim's BC. Once the ascent is initiated, then expansion takes over and if you vent carefully, no need to press buttons.

 

[Nick_Radov]

Just curious... how do you do this if the victim is OOA? I've always assumed the little button thing won't work if there's no air in the tank.

If the victim is out of gas then you might have to pull their inflator mechanism loose from the harness bungee and orally inflate their wing. People did manage to dive before the invention of power inflators.

I've also assumed that rescue techniques should give the rescuer options -- and rescuers should be trained to identify and choose the best option -- because victims rarely cooperate with strict protocols.

Well if the victim is unconscious then they're usually pretty cooperative. This protocol isn't intended for use on a victim who is still conscious (or actively seizing). A competent instructor will cover all of this stuff in any training course that covers advanced rescue skills.

 

[Edward3c]

Well if the victim is unconscious then they're usually pretty cooperative. This protocol isn't intended for use on a victim who is still conscious (or actively seizing). A competent instructor will cover all of this stuff in any training course that covers advanced rescue skills.

Not all, BSAC teach the Controlled Buoyant Lift in Ocean Diver, the elementary entry course.

 

[Wibble]

you can blow air manually into the victim's BC. Once the ascent is initiated, then expansion takes over and if you vent carefully, no need to press buttons.

Not always an option.

Also you're in a high stress situation and you need umpteen arms and hands to hold the casualty and handle other kit. Taking out your own regulator to puff a lungful into their BCD inflator is about as horrible as it comes, especially if you're holding the casualty from behind.

Rule one of rescues: the rescuer must not become a casualty.

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

To be honest whatever you are mostly describing are increasingly far fetched body recovery scenarios, not a rescue.

That’s how I learned the GUE rescue scenarios in Cave 1 & 2 - it’s good buoyancy practice and we call it rescue to not trigger people but realistically - if the casualty is out of gas deep in the cave, tie the unconscious (dead) diver to the line and move on.

Same with CCR deep wrecks - if you and your teammates have 1 hour of CCR deco and need to handle someone unconscious from any significant depth, you are very likely to create another casualty. At some point the casualty will pop to the surface (which gives them a slim but non-zero chance of survival), you are not controlling the ascent and keeping regs / PPO2 while trying to hit your own schedule - you will just drown the person. I think the exception would be a deco station with lots of people around, because you could attach the casualty and yourself.

I think the actual survivable scenarios are helping a casualty on the surface - ditch stages and anything heavy. That would be the case with IPO, hypoxia, cardiac events that happened reasonably shallow.

And as much as I think BSAC’s CBL is funny, it’s absolutely brilliant to bring up a panicked newbie - plant them kneeling on the bottom, get hold of them and kick up to the surface while dumping gas from the BC.

 

[johndiver999]

Not always an option.

Also you're in a high stress situation and you need umpteen arms and hands to hold the casualty and handle other kit. Taking out your own regulator to puff a lungful into their BCD inflator is about as horrible as it comes, especially if you're holding the casualty from behind.

Rule one of rescues: the rescuer must not become a casualty.

That is ridiculous. You think having to remove a second stage and blow into an inflator is as bad as it can get??? lf that situation arose for me, it would be of zero concern to me.

 

[Edward3c]

That is ridiculous. You think having to remove a second stage and blow into an inflator is as bad as it can get??? lf that situation arose for me, it would be of zero concern to me.

Try that in 6'C water, 2m visibility and at least a 1/2 knot current.

I'm thinking of the Hispania in the Sound of Mull, your starting from 30m down (Advanced Divers are assessed on a 20m CBL.)