Orange Beach accident 11/11/06

[ruffwaterdiver]

Seadoggirl is responsible for the safe return of the diver on this trip. I am not an experienced diver, but am an avid boater and saltwater sportsman and have been for years. Had she not had the training and experience that she does, we could have had a much worse scenario. Because of her training, and the nautical capabilities of the captian, the accident victim is not only OK, but ok to dive again. Please review the mistakes that we made, and take note of them. We have made note and I know it will make better divers of all who were aboard, and all who read this post.

After diving with these people for several wonderful dives, I "had" decided that I needed no further training. Watching and particpating in yesterday's almost disasterous dive has convinced me to continue my training.

 

[Bill51]

Sorry to hear about the troubles, glad it turned out OK, and congratulations on completing your real graduation from rescue class.

A couple things that might help in the future. I’ve been in some screwed up situations on small boats so I always carry a relatively cheap handheld VHF with weather channels in a ditch bag for more reliable communications and weather awareness offshore. We were talking about this with DAN at DEMA the other day, and if you don’t have O2 on the boat but you have divers using Nitrox, it’s at least better than air for them in a case like this and have the distressed diver suck all the Nitrox tanks dry.

 

[seadoggirl]

I had another thought. Would it have helped to take him back down to 30 feet with a new tank. If when he surfaced we got in the water with him and a new tank and took him to 30 or 20 feet for 10 - 15 minutes for a deco stop. I haven't figured it out on the tables but I'm wondering (second guessing) if that could have helped.

When he got to the Chamber they took him to 60 feet for 1 hour, took 40 minutes to bring him up to 30 feet, then he stayed at 30 feet for another hour, then the accended at 1 ft per minute. His ear is still an issue tonight but he has been cleared to dive.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

No.

In-water recompression/decompression is controversial under the best of circumstances (DAN, 2005).
http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/faq/faq.asp?faqid=47

With weather moving in, you don't have time for it even if all other criteria were met, which they weren't**.

If you are in some absolutely remote location with zero options, where the situation is either die or attempt in-water recompression, the answer may be a qualified perhaps.

In all other cases, call for help, run for shore, and get medical attention as quickly as possible.

And as everyone has been saying, put the distressed diver on O2 as soon as they come out of the water and keep them on O2 until they are under medical supervision. This is why even if there IS a large T-bottle of O2 aboard the boat, it still makes sense to bring your own anyway. Not all CG helicopters have O2 on them. If you have a small bottle you can send it with the diver in the helicopter. If you don't have a small DAN bottle of O2, you can't.

O2 is the cheapest, easiest, and most effective "initial responder" remedy you can possibly apply. If you are going to routinely do the dives you've described, then there is no reason not to bring your own O2 with you on your charters.

FWIW. YMMV.



Edit: ** Citation regarding in-water techniques:
http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/AQUAcorps/Bent/inwater/Edmunds.htm

Note requirements include communications between surface and diver, preferably voice (e.g. full-face mask, also indicated due to potential for convulsions on O2 and vomiting), safety diver in the water with the distressed diver, surface tenders, and additional logistics which would only be on-hand if such a potentiality had been pre-planned due to an extremely remote expedition being contemplated. These items would not be present on most standard charters.

 

[Tigerman]

I had another thought. Would it have helped to take him back down to 30 feet with a new tank. If when he surfaced we got in the water with him and a new tank and took him to 30 or 20 feet for 10 - 15 minutes for a deco stop. I haven't figured it out on the tables but I'm wondering (second guessing) if that could have helped.

When he got to the Chamber they took him to 60 feet for 1 hour, took 40 minutes to bring him up to 30 feet, then he stayed at 30 feet for another hour, then the accended at 1 ft per minute. His ear is still an issue tonight but he has been cleared to dive.

According to the training I have gotten (which does not include rescue, YET (OWD, AOWD)) you should NEVER take a diver (or yourself) back down for underwater decompression as it can make the situation WORSE rather than better. If youre above your safety stop depth for more than a minute or two, you should start sucking o2 and hope youre ok and if youre not get proper medical training.

I think what you did in the situation that occured was what id hope other divers did if it was me that got bent. Also.. If I ever say "im ok, dont call help" when i clearly have been bent.. Slap me in the face to get my attention and if you cant.. send someone out of my reach and have them call. Im sure Ill be greatful afterwards and I hope the bent diver, whos life you might well have saved, is as well. If hes not, I dont think Id like to dive with him..

 

[seadoggirl]

THanks guys... as you can tell, I'm spending a great deal of energy second guessing myself. It's good. This is how I will learn.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

It's fine to obsess and analyze to discover what went wrong and what went right. Most divers don't learn much from the dives that go perfectly. You really only learn major lessons from the ones that don't.

But don't beat yourself up. I'm sure you made the best calls you could make give those exact circumstances.

You will be better equipped and wiser next time.

The guy lived. You have much to think about. Its all good.

Take it easy on yourself.

Doc

 

[Tollie]

I’d like to second what Doc and others have said here.

For me at this point the key is that you acted… you handled the situation and kept it together. The outcome could have been much worse and because of your actions the problems that the diver had were mitigated. The heart of the rescue course is anticipation of problems and if in a situation… action.

One other thought… there is an affective consequence for those who sevre as rescuers. What you are going thru is normal. It is most helpful to gather your support people around you and talk it thru.

My guess is that the reasion you and others (who should have really known better) did not anticipate a problem is because diving is a generally very safe sport. We just don’t really (in our gut) believe that we will ever have a very bad day in the water. It just takes one incident and your perspective changes. Things can go south and prevention is better than cure.

Eventually (this is my experience) you come to a balance about risk but it does take time.

Many thanks for sharing your story. It is a good and useful reminder to all of us… especially those who are dive professionals or who are well in there comfort zones that attention must be paid.

 

[FredT]

THanks guys... as you can tell, I'm spending a great deal of energy second guessing myself. It's good. This is how I will learn.

Second guessing is a good way to learn. Self recrimination isn't.

As to in water decompression, I've done it a few times when circumstances have required a more rapid ascent than normal, or no gas was available with me for deco but the requirement is to immediately drop to about half depth once gettng more gas. Seconds on the surface can make the difference between a hit and not. Then spend several times what your normal ascent would have been coming up. Generally it involves sucking every tank on the boat dry with freedivers bringing you more gas as you hang out at 10 ft. Once symptoms show it's much better to call for all available help.

With weather going south you didn't have that choice.

FT

 

[mike_s]

Who was the charter boat that took customers that far off shore w/o a working radio? ( this was a commercial charter right? not a private boat?)

A boat going that far off shore should have two radios in case one fails regardless of whether it's a charter or private boat.