Mask on top of head - Diver in distress?

[planman]

This question is simply out of interest from an international angle. In New Zealand a diver who surfaces and puts his/her mask on top of their head is considered "in distress". Is this the case in other parts of the world.

 

[Wildcard]

I usualy flail around and scream like a little girl when Im in distress, not calmly put my mask on my head to keep my nofog from washing off.
Sometimes it's hard to kill old outdated concepts, like octopus, how the heck can one call a regulator by its self an octopus, yet it's in the PADI OW book.

 

[Nailer99]

Sweet......this is my first time through one of these. I'll have to do a search and read through some of the other ones. And, yep, the mask on head thing is right there in my PADI OW text. Seems silly, 'cause there ARE other ways to spot a panicked diver, but I accepted it, and never do it.

 

[rongoodman]

Well, the Deputy Chief of our department is on his fire department dive team, and as far as he's concerned it is. We've been told if we do it during a drill or a surface rescue, he'll be putting another swimmer in the water to help.

 

[ScubaPaul]

It has always seemed odd to me that a panicked diver would take the time to put their mask on their forehead when in distress.. I can see how someone might whip it off and toss it, but place it neatly on their forehead?!

Disclaimer:

I didn't participate in the other related threads, and given the reply counts mentioned on this one, it seems way to long to take the time to do so...

 

[down4fun]

The proper technique for donning your mask is around your neck as shown here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=142481

 

[rjpv]

I was taught that not only is pushing your mask up on your forehead a sign of confusion or distress, but that it was likely to get someone's attention (thinking you are in trouble).

To be honest it seems like a bit of a stretch to decide a calmly floating diver with his mask up high is in need of rescue, but at the same time if my buddy had his mask on his forehead I'd probably swim over and check on things.

 

[friscuba]

Could be a troll, but I can't recall seeing a distressed diver at the surface not whip off their mask immediately.

People pooh-pooh the whole mask/distress thing, but you really can tell who's comfortable by watching how long the mask stays on... The majority of fairly experienced divers I get on my boat make it all the way on the boat before removing their masks, the majority of new divers have their mask off within seconds of surfacing, usually before they even begin to remove their fins.

 

[Wildcard]

Well, the Deputy Chief of our department is on his fire department dive team, and as far as he's concerned it is. We've been told if we do it during a drill or a surface rescue, he'll be putting another swimmer in the water to help.

God knows fire chief wanna be's are all for common sense and not following the rule book, no matter how silly they may be.....

 

[Packhorse]

When Im diving off my boat I will put my mask anywhere I please.

Cant say I have ever seen a distressed diver put thier mask on forehead.