NOAA Diver dies off Dry Tortugas

[plsander]

It's my understanding that in USCG-speak, a "victim" is dead and a "patient" is still hanging in there (even if barely). If so, that's a very important distinction to make when communicating with the Coasties.

Great... :11:

In side discussion at a first aid class years back, it was suggested that we use the term "victim" when referring to the injured party because some EMTs get confused and think the first-aider is a medical professional when they call the victim a patient.

 

[mike_s]

The boat may not have had enough of a clear deck. To lower a Stokes basket onto onto the deck safely they need an area clear of masts, rigging and other obstructions. Otherwise the copter needs to drop a swimmer in the water and do a transfer to the basket in the water. That means that the victim must be in the water also.

I thought of that also, but didn't figure that to be a problem on the deck of a Patrol Vessel.... maybe on a sailboat...

A quick search found this picture of the vessel involved in the incident. (Patrol Vessel Peter Gladding) It's a 57-foot catamaran with a large aft deck.


Click above picture to display larger huge size pic of vessel


Looks to me plenty of room on the aft deck to lower a basket. (but that is just from me looking at the pic also....)

Any boat that has any type of rigging, in my opinion, should have a bolt-cutter to cut away rigging cables in the event of an emergency.... but again that's just my opinion.


However, in this case I'm betting that the it was the Coast Guard procedure not to respond to someone who was already dead just to helo transport a body. But if they are still doing CPR on the victum, I think that is reason enough to dispatch a helo, but again that's just my opinion....