IMPORTANT! Do you dive with a DAN Tag attached?

[Bubble Junky]

hm, DAN europe doesn't provide this or I just didn't get it! but they did send me DAN stickers, wow!

You have to order it and pay for it seperate. It's US$11.

The DAN Tag™ is a functional addition to every diver’s standard equipment; attached to your BC it will inform those who need to know that you are a DAN Member and it is an instant source of medical information in an emergency.

The DAN Tag™ is constructed of a high impact acrylic, clear, aeronautical material.

It does not float and holds up to pressure at any depth.

The front of the tag bears the diver’s name, DAN Member number and DAN 24-hour emergency hot line number.
The reverse side of the tag bears information that is critical to the proper handling of the diving emergency.

Not all divers have the Dan cards with them on a dive, the DAN Tag™ is with the diver anywhere and, in case of injury, it can save his/her life.

The DAN Tag™ identifies a diver’s equipment on charter boats and helps divemasters identify "who‘s who" underwater.

The DAN Tag™ has passed the most severe tests to hold up pressure, salt and sun.

It is available in different brilliant colours and in a clear version, to match your personal taste and diving equipment.

To be eligible to purchase a DAN Tag™ the diver must be a current DAN Member.

The DAN Tag™costs USD 11.00.

 

[Waterskier1]

I voted no because I don't have a DAN Tag, but I do have DAN insurance. I think it's a good value, and it covers much more than just Diving accidents. I have a friend who was air lifted off a mountain in So. America, and DAN even paid to fly his father to his bedside. This was a mountain climbing accident.

That said, it seems this discussion is implying that if you don't wear the tag, you don't have insurance. That is WRONG. You do not have to wear the tag! Do you wear your auto insurance tag when you drive, or your personal health insurance when you leave the house, just in case?

Additionally, some have implied that wearing of the tag also establishes legal identity. WRONG Again! :no It may help in determining identity, but there is nothing legal about it. What if someone was wearing anothers BC?

If you feel more comfortable wearing the tag, and are worried that you can't/won't be identified if you wash up on shore 3 weeks later, then wear it. I personally don't want to dive somewhere there are so many divers washing up on shore or being found abandoned at sea that they are confused and have a hard time identifying who is who. :11: I would hope that is a very rare occurrence, and identy would be immediately known.


Lastly, I would call DAN if I had a diving emergency, or rather, if I saw someone who did. I wouldn't care if they had a DAN tag or tattoo on, or not. Nor would I care if they were a DAN member. I would call, and attempt to get them the best possible care I could, and then I would let them sort out the financial implications with the care givers later. While I have never needed to use DAN, I would hope they wouldn't refuse to provide assistance in locating medical facilities, including a chamber if they deemed necessary, even if you couldn't provide the person's name and member number, much less if they were not wearing the DAN tag. I would think this would be the same as calling 911 and the responders requesting the name and insurance company and account number before they dispatched assistance. Maybe someone who has first hand dealing with DAN on this matter can correct me on this.

Lastly, I agree that insurance does NOT make you a better diver. Let's just hope it isn't like Auto Rental Insurance, where some sane people dive like crazy idiots, doing things they would never do to their own cars, or if they didn't have the all inclusive insurance. Some use it as a basis to see just how much destruction they can get away with!

 

[Bubble Junky]

Additionally, some have implied that wearing of the tag also establishes legal identity. WRONG Again! :no It may help in determining identity, but there is nothing legal about it. What if someone was wearing anothers BC?

If you feel more comfortable wearing the tag, and are worried that you can't/won't be identified if you wash up on shore 3 weeks later, then wear it!

I think the main pupose is to have information that may be relevent at hand - not only the divers name, DAN insurance number and the DAN emergency hotline number, but also blood type and allergy info.

 

[DandyDon]

I think the main pupose is to have information that may be relevent at hand - not only the divers name, DAN insurance number and the DAN emergency hotline number, but also blood type and allergy info.

Correcto BJunkie - even for the older ones like mine, where as the new ones can also aid in the attending physician obtaining confidential info you've stored on the data base when you order the tag. I really didn't go into reading closely enough, but I bet you can update that info, and maybe I could still store mine. I should look into that.

Waterskier, it could help - in the unlikely event that you are injured and unable to tell anyone where in your dive bag to find your DAN card, or if you are picked up by another boat, or in case of a list of other what-ifs, who you are and who you probly have insurance with. In some cases, this could make the difference in prompt treatment and a significant, painful delay.

As I suggested kinda recently in this long & rambling thread, it might be just as good stick your DAN card in your BC - except it might go unnoticed, or if attached - might get torn off.

Oh well, as least you know about them now, whether you decide to get one or not.

 

[archman]

I have a great functional use for DAN tags... use 'em on boat buddy boards.

Gone will be the days when the crew refers to you as "hey you", "whats-his-face" or "diver # (insert number)". Now they can call you by name, and remark upon your snazzy colour choice of DAN tag.

 

[Waterskier1]

Don't you think that my name, and city/state/country would be enough if a DAN card were not found? Also, do you think that DAN would accept simply a thrid-party tag as the only proof for whom they will be paying for treatment? Without a picture, fingerprint, retina scan, or some form of positive ID, I suspect that the Tag is of little proof. I do agree that it would supply the phone number to contact, but every one I dive with has that, and so does every dive boat I've been on. Yes, I have checked, and they have the DAN emergency O2 Kit, and the phone number is plastered all over it. Not that the DAN emergecny kit is the only acceptabe one, just that every boat I've dived with has had it. And at least one has required that I have insurance - I'm not sure if DAN was the only acceptable dive insurance or not, but they requested my DAN Member number.

Again, my point is that the TAG in and of itself isn't the end all of Dive Insurance. And if you choose not to carry the DAN Tag, doesn't mean your gonna die, or even be without insurance. I think the question should have been more to the point of do you carry dive insurance, DAN or otherwise, versus trying to sell a thrid-party Tag.

As far as med conditions go, you said that you put them in on the DAN Site, so, presumably, if someone can find the DAN phone number, and knows your name and address, if not your DAN member number, all the info would be available. Granted, if you have special medical conditions/alergies, you should have something to identify that, but not only just attached to your BC when diving, but probably around your wrist always. In my case, all that is on my CAC Card also found right next to my DAN card.

 

[justmike]

Does anyone have any statistics (surveys) on how many non-divers (non-EMS) would recognize the tag as an emergency tag? If a diver is found, by a non-diver, and is unconscious/incoherent, what is the chance that they will check the tag; let alone think to call the number? Would this be something prompted by the 911 operator to identify said victim?

$20 seems like a lot for a piece of plastic, used to write some information in. Though, it should last for years, and could come in handy. Are there cheaper alternatives, aside from dogtags?

Also, does anyone know if you can easily get the DAN number via 411?

 

[AbyssalPlains]

I really like the idea - but IMHO these tags are way overpriced at 20 bucks. I don't see the benefit - I don't have any pre-existing conditions or medication allergies or any other info other than my address that I could list on the tag. I cannot really see myself getting into a situation where somebody would find me by myself, unconscious so I would not be able to relate my personal info, such as address or emergency contact. If I ever be in such a situation, more than likely I wouldn't be alive anyway. I'd rather spend 20 bucks on a couple tank fills

 

[DandyDon]

Does anyone have any statistics (surveys) on how many non-divers (non-EMS) would recognize the tag as an emergency tag? If a diver is found, by a non-diver, and is unconscious/incoherent, what is the chance that they will check the tag; let alone think to call the number? Would this be something prompted by the 911 operator to identify said victim?

Nope, but in a diving location - I would think they'd pay attention to it. Not the actual on-hands responders maybe, be they First Responders or EMS, but the assisting. I figure it's gotta increase the chances.

$20 seems like a lot for a piece of plastic, used to write some information in. Though, it should last for years, and could come in handy. Are there cheaper alternatives, aside from dogtags?

Find a good way to attach your DAN card...?

Also, does anyone know if you can easily get the DAN number via 411?

Uh, dial 1411 and ask for Divers Alert Network maybe and see...?

I keep the numbers on my dog tag, on my BC, in my wallet, in my cell, and I am not shy about calling for advice. Have a few times, once on myself.

I am delightfully surprised at how many are answering yes here as I feared it'd be 10%, and glad some of y'all are thinking about this and other ways. We may help someone down the line...!

 

[AbyssalPlains]

We may help someone down the line...!

DandyDon, I like your attitude.