Mouth to snorkel

[Novice_diver]

I've been reading the thread about CPR and whether we are doing it right and someone mentioned mouth-to-snorkel as a method. I've been trying to imagine how this could or should be done, but i haven't got a clue.
Could somebody explain this to me.
In my opinion this is a method that sounds smart but will never work for real.

 

[Diver0001]

You would hold the snorkel in the victim's mouth with the snorkel passing through your two middle fingers while you use your thumb and forefinger to pinch his nose. You blow into the open end of it.

This will clearly only work if the snorkel is not self clearing or if it has any kind of exhaust valve or something covering the open end of it to stop water from flowing in.

R..

 

[Wildcard]

Not to mention that you can't tell if you have an open airway. Most likely you will only end up blowing air into the stomach. I think that was one of those ideas that someone who has never done it came up with.

 

[HammerNoMore]

Nor is a snorkle an effective barrier.

 

[pete340]

Not to mention that you can't tell if you have an open airway. Most likely you will only end up blowing air into the stomach.

And you can't remove gear while you're doing it; you're too far away.

I think that was one of those ideas that someone who has never done it came up with.

Which is why it's third choice, behind mouth-to-pocket-mask and mouth-to-mouth. So forget it. Pick one of the first two.

 

[ScubaFreak]

I teach it because it's part of a rescue course, but I agree that it's not very practical.
However I have done and taught mouth to snorkel on a CPR mannequin and it does work effectively.

SF

 

[Novice_diver]

I teach it because it's part of a rescue course, but I agree that it's not very practical.
However I have done and taught mouth to snorkel on a CPR mannequin and it does work effectively.

SF

Thank you all for your replies. I had serious doubts about this but now i haven't. This will not work. Maybe on an mannequin, but with a mannequin there is no tongue which will obstruct the airway. Before you can get air into the lungs you have to be sure there is no obstruction, for instance by tilting the head, if you use a snokel this can't be done.

 

[pete340]

Thank you all for your replies. I had serious doubts about this but now i haven't. This will not work. Maybe on an mannequin, but with a mannequin there is no tongue which will obstruct the airway. Before you can get air into the lungs you have to be sure there is no obstruction, for instance by tilting the head, if you use a snokel this can't be done.

Not to support mouth-to-snorkel, but you can and do tilt the head when you do it. Little finger under the chin (provides the tilt), ring finger on the lower lip, middle finger on the upper lip, index finger and thumb pinch the nose. Awkward, unless you're a piano player.

 

[Mako Mark]

I teach it, I think it is very effective once the equipment has been removed, the swimming position is way more streamlined than mouth to PM and it is ideal for surf exits or very rough conditions.

Novice diver, most mannequins have a mechanism to simulate the opening and blocking of the airway, you are right it is not a tongue, but it blocks the same way if not positioned correctly.

 

[randyjoy]

Thank you all for your replies. I had serious doubts about this but now i haven't. This will not work. Maybe on an mannequin, but with a mannequin there is no tongue which will obstruct the airway. Before you can get air into the lungs you have to be sure there is no obstruction, for instance by tilting the head, if you use a snokel this can't be done.

What prevents me from tilting the head?

This will work fine if you tilt the head, maintain an adequate seal, and have a snorkel that is just a plain snorkel (no valves, etc). I was a paramedic instructor for over 20 years and a snorkel reminds me of some of the weird airway devices we had back in the 70's. (The Half-S tube, for instance).