Opinions please!

[Hoya97]

I have been thinking of an emergency scenario that I would appreciate other folks thoughts on. To my knowledge, this situation has never happened to anyone I know, but I would like to hear the collective wisdom of this group in the event (God Forbid!) it ever happens to me. Thanks in advance

Hadley Killough
Kissimmee, FL
NAUI 38418

The Setting:
A ‘Head Boat’ departs out of West Palm Beach with 20 divers on board. With these 20 are two dive guides (to divide the group in to 10 divers each); an Instructor and a Dive Master who are ‘mentoring’ eight newly certified divers (this will be their first Open Ocean (not Open Water) dive). The other divers hold various levels of certifications. One dive guide will accompany the Instructor, Dive Master and eight newly certified divers. The other guide will lead the experienced divers. The Captain and a Deck Hand will remain on the boat. The day will consist of drift dives over 60’-deep reefs. Sky is clear, moderate seas, visibility about 40’ with a south to north current running at about a knot. Distance from shore will be about two miles and distance from port is about 10 miles. In other words, this is an average weekend out of West Palm Beach.

The Emergency
The first group (Newly Certified divers, Guide, Instructor and Dive Master) enters the water and descends directly to the reef. About 10 minutes later, the second group enters the water for their dive over the same reef. Five minutes after that, a newly certified diver breaks the water, followed almost immediately by the Instructor. The diver is coughing up blood and is obviously in grave distress. The Instructor inflates the victims BC while signaling the boat. The Captain instantly maneuvers the boat into position and the Instructor and Deck Hand bring the victim onto the boat. The Instructor and Deck Hand begin emergency procedures for a lung expansion injury while the Captain maneuvers the boat to pick up the remaining divers from the first group who were wisely brought quickly, but safely to the surface by the Dive Master. The victims condition is grave despite established emergency procedures being administered.

Now the question – does the Captain take the victim immediately into shore, leaving the first group in the water and probably saving the life of the victim or does he loiter, awaiting for the first group (still unaware of the situation) to ascend at their leisure?

Arguments
1) He can loiter, exercising responsibility for those uninjured and unaware of the emergency. However, this could result in the death of the victim. Or,
2) He can put the Dive Master (volunteer) back into the water, gathering the second group together and explaining the situation while Captain radios for assistance in pick up while he races for port. This is not as easy as it may appear. The current on the surface usually runs faster than the current at depth. So if he puts the Dive Master back into the water, there is no guarantee that he could gather the other divers together.
3) Other options?

Again, I’m not asking for a critique for any actions I or anyone I know have taken. Also, the aforementioned ‘lung expansion injury’ is not an essential part of the scenario. It could be any life-threatening situation that happens quickly. The entire thrust of the scenario is the question and subsequent arguments.

Thank you again.

 

[sealkie]

leaving divers in the water unattended is not an option

call for a heli - evac to pick up the injured diver

OR call for another boat to close by to attend to the divers still down or take the victim to port - but he cannot leave the area until there is surface cover of some kind - what if another diver pops up injured ?

However - the boat should have an agreed emergency recall - such as banging the boat ladder with a weight to gets divers up

 

[wstein]

leaving divers in the water unattended is not an option

call for a heli - evac to pick up the injured diver

OR call for another boat to close by to attend to the divers still down or take the victim to port - but he cannot leave the area until there is surface cover of some kind - what if another diver pops up injured ?

However - the boat should have an agreed emergency recall - such as banging the boat ladder with a weight to gets divers up

I agree totally with you. The divers in the second group shouldn't be abandoned. The boat capt should call into the local emergency services to arrange for transport for the victim.

Paul

 

[The Kraken]

Agree with Sealkie, medevac the guy out. The helicopter can be there and back to the hospital probably before the boat can return to the dock.

 

[Rick Murchison]

A diver recall alert is an essential part of any boat diving plan - briefed and known by every diver.
The instant a diver in such distress is spotted, that recall should be initiated.
The boat should have a written emergency response plan to follow that includes diver recall, emergency responder notification and first aid.
This is the kind of thing where decisions and plans have been made in advance; when the event comes along just follow the plan - modify it on-the-fly if prudent.
Rick

 

[pasley]

What can I say, I agree the the above post, call the helicopter and activate the in water recall system (what ever that may be for this boat, banging on the later, underwater horn, etc).

Putting the DM in the water would do no good. The other divers would probably not see him over the tops of the waves. The odds of them coming up real close to him are small, and they would be looking for a large boat, not a small head 10 inches above the ocean surface. At a minimum, if they did take the dive boat, they would need to leave the dingy with the DM and a portable radio in it and call for any available boat to come make the pick up.

Last but not least, I must play the devils advocate (it is in my nature) and point out that since this was a drift dive this dive was not suitable for new divers in the first place. The listed dive profile IMHO called for divers with at least a few open water (12 or more?) under their belt. Give them a chance to work on their buoyancy skills and such before launching out on a fun drift dive.

 

[IndigoBlue]

I'm not a boat captain. But I believe the boat captain has the option to launch a large float for the other divers, and then to depart immediately with the injured diver. Normally the boat D/M would stay behind in the water to recover the other divers and gather them in, to the float.

What the captain does is up to the captain. I am sure he can do either one, stay and call for a dustoff or leave immediately with the victim.

If you were one of the divers left behind with the D/M and the float, this is one of those times when you will be glad you have your snorkel with you, or wish you had one. Because then it will be easier to breathe without having to keep your head higher out of the water, just like the book says.

So, to Hadley, I would say, you need to discuss your question with a few boat captains. And to the rest, I would say, do what the book says, and make sure you have a snorkel with you, at all times.

 

[Brian Gilpin]

leaving divers in the water unattended is not an option

call for a heli - evac to pick up the injured diver

OR call for another boat to close by to attend to the divers still down or take the victim to port - but he cannot leave the area until there is surface cover of some kind - what if another diver pops up injured ?

However - the boat should have an agreed emergency recall - such as banging the boat ladder with a weight to gets divers up

On one boat I dive with in Monterey they tell you that they may leave you for a grave enough injury. They do leave a large buoy and a dm in the water with you. Fortunately never had it happen but it seems reasonable if the emergency is grave enough.

 

[MikeFerrara]

What can I say, I agree the the above post, call the helicopter and activate the in water recall system (what ever that may be for this boat, banging on the later, underwater horn, etc).

Putting the DM in the water would do no good. The other divers would probably not see him over the tops of the waves. The odds of them coming up real close to him are small, and they would be looking for a large boat, not a small head 10 inches above the ocean surface. At a minimum, if they did take the dive boat, they would need to leave the dingy with the DM and a portable radio in it and call for any available boat to come make the pick up.

Last but not least, I must play the devils advocate (it is in my nature) and point out that since this was a drift dive this dive was not suitable for new divers in the first place. The listed dive profile IMHO called for divers with at least a few open water (12 or more?) under their belt. Give them a chance to work on their buoyancy skills and such before launching out on a fun drift dive.

That would put Coz out of business.

 

[RIDIVER501]

I belive this is unanimous.
A diver recall systems needs to be in place and no divers are left behind. Calling for a med evac helo is also the recommended proceedure.

This falls into the "It sucks to be you" category for the diver with the injury, but to quote spock.....the needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few or the one.