Insights from Rescue for BP/W users

[countryboy]

on a side note...

My wife just switched to BP/W and loves it... she is (as I am) a recreational diver..

The jacket BC will go off to Ebay...

 

[Cudabait]

When I showed up with my first single hose reg all my dive friends said I was gonna die!! No horse collars yet, either. My how things change, usually for the better.

Regards,

I wish I had some copies of dive magazines from the days when the jacket BC was introduced.

The horsecollar fans were probably saying pretty much the same things.

 

[Bruciebabe]

The PADI rescue course is designed for the recreational diver wearing a BCD.
GUE/WKPP/DIR/Hogarth is designed for Florida cave divers.

 

[El Orans]

I'm taking the PADI Rescue course because GUE doesn't offer a Rescue course, and I thought the course material was important to know. So far, I think the class is a very good one, and was well worth my time.

Don't let any one tell you otherwise.

 

[vbcoachchris]

The PADI rescue course is designed for the recreational diver wearing a BCD.
GUE/WKPP/DIR/Hogarth is designed for Florida cave divers.

Check the standards for the class "instructor". I have taken the PADI rescue and am now a NAUI instrutor. I have seen both sets of standars and in no way shape or for is a BP/W out of line for these courses.

 

[TSandM]

My thoughts... why not unbuckle both??

I think that's the answer. If you are diving dry, with the weight belt under the harness, you either have to undo both or spend some time getting the weight belt freed up. Releasing the harness causes the BC to ride up, but it will only go so far as long as the diver's arms don't go up as well.

Part of what's interesting and kind of fun about the class is having an opportunity to play with these scenarios under controlled circumstances in the pool, and work out the best strategies so that, if you are (God forbid) ever called upon to do these things for real, you're not doing them for the very first time.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I'm taking the PADI Rescue course because GUE doesn't offer a Rescue course, and I thought the course material was important to know. So far, I think the class is a very good one, and was well worth my time.

But of course, you do know a NAUI instructor who not only teaches Rescue class in a BP/W rig ... but also knows enough about them to teach his students how to rescue someone who uses one.

To answer the rant from page 1 ... in our area, a large percentage of divers ... recreational and otherwise ... dive in this setup. That's a reality some instructors in our area prefer to acknowledge and deal with.

In my Rescue class, we demonstrate cutting a victim out of a BP/harness. We also demonstrate the differences in technique between bringing a victim to the surface in both singles and doubles rigs ... again, simply because a lot of people around here dive doubles.

If you ever are in a situation to have to rescue someone, are you really gonna give a rat's patoot what their configuration is, or which agency they trained with? Not me ... I'd prefer to have the tools (and teach them to my students) to deal with the situation.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Hoosier]

TsandM.

The rescue class is "must have" class as a diver. Actually, I don't know why each agency puts this class after AOW. You can take it right after OW from NAUI though.

You brought out an excellent question though. I don't think you can cover all senarios with the class materials. There are so many factors can change the rescue environment in real world. Like other mentioned, some may not know about BP/W, Air 2, DS, or weight integration BC. Even, the ordinary BC can be difficult to be doff, such as SP Classic Plus that doesn't have any quick release buckles (Been there Done that during the rescue class). So, it is your luck when you are rescued. For example, how can we expect any rescue trained diver, o2 rescue bottle or first aid kit at the accident site?

My thoughts... why not unbuckle both?? Keep the diver floating on the BC . The weight belt will pull through the buckle pretty much by it's self.. although you probably don't want them falling in the pool during practice.

Thoughts?

Technically, BP can be more advantage to drag an unconscious diver at the surface. It is always important to secure the victim's air way. But, there is no guarantee that it will be the streamline at the surface due to the tank, maybe, the BP with a double tank is more easy though...

 

[Cacia]

wow, TSands,
You make the most thoughtful intelligent well meaning posts and then....well I read Ghostdiver and..GASP. I was waiting for you to take this course (I did the EFR Instructor one and Rescue) and I was curious about your general responses coming from an ER perspective, running codes, etc.

 

[WaterDawg]

I did my rescue class w/ a back plate and helped out w/ other classes in which the students and instructors wore one as well.

Thats why you take the class, so you can learn how to do it. Same thing w/ funky Air2's or weight releases.

What I found to be the best/quickest way to do it in class (cause you dont want to cut your harness 5 times) is to undo the buckle , raise the divers arms over their head (yeah I know they are horizontal, you know what I mean) and simpoly slip it off.

Dont feed the trolls guys no one is that stupid.