Near Drowning at Ginnie Springs

[jviehe]

I just posted this over on TDS but thought you guys might be interested too.

I was at Ginnie Springs today and was witness to a near drowning. About 4pm, I was standing on the deck at the Ginnie head spring, when there was a mass of bubbles erupting from near the cavern entrance. Someone in the area started yelling that they had an unconscious diver, and another person on the deck ran in to help pull the unconcisou diver out. It was a 24 year old female and she was not breathing at this time. Once on the deck, the man who pulled her out of the water turned her on her side and water came out of her mouth and nose. He then started CPR. He gace her 2 quick breaths and she started breathing. He turned her on her side again, and she let out some more water. At the same time, a nearby Ginnie employee radioed for help, and within 60 secs, someone from the shop was down with her with an 02 kit. Someone also called 911. A few minutes later she was making sounds and seemed to be breathing fine. The local volunteer figher fighter showed up within another few minutes, and an ambulance a few minutes later. A helicoper was also on the way. The diver was pretty upset but seemed to be OK. From what I overheard she had been down near the grate and started to choke. She switched regs but still couldnt breathe. She then bolted for the cavern exit. Her buddy or another diver tried to slow her ascent and give a reg, but she didnt take it, and also lost her weightbelt. She went straight to the ceiling and floated along it. One of the divers in the water pushed her towards the exit, and by this time she was unconcious but near the exit. She was quickly brought to the surface.

ID like to say that the diver involved in the rescue and the man who gave CPR did a textbook job of rescuing and first aid. The Ginnie staff was also amazingly quick to respond. They all deserve major kudos. I think this shows exactly why Ginnie is the best dive park around, and I think we all hope that the woman will be OK.

 

[crispos]

I just posted this over on TDS but thought you guys might be interested too.

I was at Ginnie Springs today and was witness to a near drowning. About 4pm, I was standing on the deck at the Ginnie head spring, when there was a mass of bubbles erupting from near the cavern entrance. Someone in the area started yelling that they had an unconscious diver, and another person on the deck ran in to help pull the unconcisou diver out. It was a 24 year old female and she was not breathing at this time. Once on the deck, the man who pulled her out of the water turned her on her side and water came out of her mouth and nose. He then started CPR. He gace her 2 quick breaths and she started breathing. He turned her on her side again, and she let out some more water. At the same time, a nearby Ginnie employee radioed for help, and within 60 secs, someone from the shop was down with her with an 02 kit. Someone also called 911. A few minutes later she was making sounds and seemed to be breathing fine. The local volunteer figher fighter showed up within another few minutes, and an ambulance a few minutes later. A helicoper was also on the way. The diver was pretty upset but seemed to be OK. From what I overheard she had been down near the grate and started to choke. She switched regs but still couldnt breathe. She then bolted for the cavern exit. Her buddy or another diver tried to slow her ascent and give a reg, but she didnt take it, and also lost her weightbelt. She went straight to the ceiling and floated along it. One of the divers in the water pushed her towards the exit, and by this time she was unconcious but near the exit. She was quickly brought to the surface.

ID like to say that the diver involved in the rescue and the man who gave CPR did a textbook job of rescuing and first aid. The Ginnie staff was also amazingly quick to respond. They all deserve major kudos. I think this shows exactly why Ginnie is the best dive park around, and I think we all hope that the woman will be OK.

I thought that was a damn good rescue while I was reading it, with quick request for EMS. Good to see what we learn actually works, and thanks for posting this.

Couple of questions, you said CPR was initiated, but no chest compressions were required right? So actually First Aid followed by Rescue Breathing was initiated. CPR would have meant there was no pulse and chest compressions were required.

You say the diver was pretty upset. I guess that was the buddy? Now that I am rereading it, I think you meant the victim. She was probably in shock, naturally.

Guess the last thing, other than hoping she is OK and not developing secondary drowning, is, what happened? Why couldn't she get gas from her regs, why did she have to spit, where was her buddy? Cavern dive I suppose was single file.

 

[jviehe]

I thought that was a damn good rescue while I was reading it, with quick request for EMS. Good to see what we learn actually works, and thanks for posting this.

Couple of questions, you said CPR was initiated, but no chest compressions were required right? So actually First Aid followed by Rescue Breathing was initiated. CPR would have meant there was no pulse and chest compressions were required.

You say the diver was pretty upset. I guess that was the buddy? Now that I am rereading it, I think you meant the victim. She was probably in shock, naturally.

Guess the last thing, other than hoping she is OK and not developing secondary drowning, is, what happened? Why couldn't she get gas from her regs, why did she have to spit, where was her buddy? Cavern dive I suppose was single file.

I meant CPR first, but no compressions were needed. She started breathing right away. Then they just did secondary care. She was not breathing for only a minute or two max. And yes, the victim was pretty upset. Ive never seen anyone almost drown.

This is ginnie springs, the cavern is a OW cavern, very safe usually. Its wide open too, so no dingle file neccesary. Check out www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com. I think she just choked on water, and then probably paniced and bolted for the exit. I dont know for sure though.

 

[scubafool]

Not to be insensitive, but what might cause a diver to choke underwater? Possibly a malfunctioning reg? I hope that the lady is alright, please post if you get any more details.

 

[Warren_L]

Not to be insensitive, but what might cause a diver to choke underwater? Possibly a malfunctioning reg? I hope that the lady is alright, please post if you get any more details.

Could be a number of things. She might have removed her reg for some reason and started breathing off it without clearing it first. That could do it among other things.

 

[coberry7]

Only the victim can tell us what happened. Glad she is OK.

 

[H2Andy]

i am thankful she is ok, and that her family and friends are not having to mourn her
tonight.

hats off to everyone who was involved in saving her life

 

[coberry7]

I've been in that cavern. Fun place! It's scary as hell for anyone not a fish or experienced enough diver. Let the victim tell us what happened before this thread goes into the 'I think this is what might have happened stage...'

I am thankful that she is OK. Especially since I take my mother diving there. To the grate. I want to know why this lady had a problem and near drowning experience. I am not interested in speculation, but why this event occurred.

Does anyone know why? Without speculation?

Colin Berry

 

[The Chairman]

I am thankful too that she is alright.

A few years ago after my regs had been serviced, I was at @ 60 ffw when all of a sudden I was breathing water. It took me completely by surprise, and even when I changed to my other reg it was very hard to recover my breathing pattern. I was DMing for a group of students at the time, so I felt I had to stay.

On the surface it became obvious that the diapragm had come loose within the housing allowing water to come in with the air. The diapragm was distorted like it was cleaned with the wrong fluid... it should have been replaced before they gave me those regs back.

It was several days before I felt fully at ease breathing. Inspiring water is a painful thing to do. When it happens all reason seems to leave you and getting air through the spasming airways takes a lot of concentration to overcome it. I have done it one other time when I experienced a shallow water blackout. Even awake on the surface, I found the firsts breaths incredibly hard as the spasms tried to keep out all foriegn matter. Just thinking about it makes me recall the feeling of my pharynx as it responded to the water that hit it.

 

[coberry7]

Yeah, ND, that would suck. No pun intended! Seriously, diaphragm failure? What reg were you diving? That is a scary situation, and no way to predict it.

Colin Berry