Out of Air Emergencies

[jamiep3]

Just some thoughts I've been having, thought I'd throw them out to the group for discussion.

First I would like to say that I've never seen anyone have a true out of air emergency. I've seen divers realize that they are running low and share air for the accent with a buddy, but never someone who has breathed their tank dry.

The accepted wisdom is that the true out of air diver will grab the regulator from the mouth of the first person he sees. Speaking as one who learned to dive in the days of "Buddy Breathing" I can understand this reaction.

What I'm wondering is, is there any current research to see how divers who have been trained strictly for the use of an Octopus react when they are out of air? I'm wondering if divers who have never been instucted in buddy breathing will still grab for the primary reg, or if they have been trained to look for the octopus.

Anybody have any information along these lines?

 

[novadiver]

this should be good.

 

[jamiep3]

Not really trying to start a fire.

 

[Gary D.]

A panicked person is not going to think rationally and will most likely going to go for the first air source they see.

If they are just low on air and wanting to conserve what they have that will be another story.

There is no excuse for someone, on a normal uneventful dive, to just up and suck all the useable air out of a tank. It’s like running out of gas because of inattention on the driver’s part. Just a simple act of paying attention solves this problem.

Gary D.

 

[cortez]

unless perhaps they are VERY experienced.

I've actually been on the donor end of two OOA emergencies. Neither of which were with my buddy. The first happened in Cozumel (37ft), the second in Jamaica (29ft) a little less than 17 months apart. Both in group dives. Both the exact same scenario.

We get off the boat, start a descent all of a sudden my regulator is ripped from my mouth by a bug eyed diver who is supposed to be buddied with someone else. The result... the tank was turned on and system pressurized, then turned off. Without a proper buddy check, the systems were donned and the divers entered the water. Uncontrolled descents by both OOA divers lead to buddy seperation and me being the closest diver.

The one in Cozumel was the worst. Before actually getting the primary from my mouth she took my mask and a decent handful of hair (she didn't really get it out but it still hurt like hell). After getting my regulator, she proceeded to TRY to swim me to the surface... in some ways I feel sorry that I slow her down how I did, but I know it was the correct thing to do. I actually slowed her enough to stabilize the situation at about 20 feet, calm her down and perform a slow ascent with a minute safety stop - just to be safe.

With the experience in Jamaica I saw the guy coming. I reached down, grabbed my octo and held it out to him... he swam to the octopus, pushed it out of the way and grabbed my reg.

Both divers were relatively inexperienced (<50 dives) and both had been recently trained, neither had ever buddy breathed. Still they saw the breathing regulator and that was their first choice. Its really a f@#ked up situation when the OOA diver is breathing from your primary and you are breathing from your octo.... if there ever was a real world, open water argument for a bungied backup this has got to be it.

With the Coz situation, if I had been diving a 7foot primary, she would have been out of reach before I could grab her to gain control of the situation. Don't get me wrong, I only dive 7 footers today, but still it something to think about when dealing with a longer primary and inexperienced divers.

 

[Rookie_J]

hello, my name is Jerry, i sucked my tank dry once.


during my 2nd open water dive, i was so intrigued by my surroundings that i was paying more attention to the pretty lil fishes on the reef than i was to anything else. tried to take a breath and realized something was wrong. we were at the mooring rope.

i calmly swam up to the instructor, signaled my OOA and took his octo.

i learned a valuable lesson that day..


hard to say what a panicked diver, swimming for his/her life might do..

 

[MikeFerrara]

I've actually seen a couple of divers reject air sourses and bolt for the surface. I'd rather they take my primary.

 

[jonnythan]

I've only had one OOA. The diver, on doubles with Poseidons, took my primary and dragged me to the surface. I'm not sure exactly how he had been trained.. but I imagine he would have done the same thing in either case.

I would have been much happier with my backup under my chin instead of on my waist that day

 

[novadiver]

I've only had one OOA. The diver, on doubles with Poseidons, took my primary and dragged me to the surface. I'm not sure exactly how he had been trained.. but I imagine he would have done the same thing in either case.

I would have been much happier with my backup under my chin instead of on my waist that day

was this a pool dive ?

 

[dpbishop]

I haven't had an OOA diver in the last 20 years, largely because I make a point of checking the air of anybody I dive with as soon as I am down to 1500 psi. I allways carry a spare-air for two reasons.

1. In a OOA situation, you can give it to the oter diver and separate from them ( after wresting your second stage away from them).

2. You don't have to depend on someone else if you screw up. It's a small price to pay for your life.