PADI Rescue Diver class near miss (and lessons learned)

[RiverRat]

You have to wonder don't you?

I taught more than a few PADI rescue classes and I don't even remember a BB ascent being part of the class. I'm ok with rescue students being expected to do it but not when it isn't taught in prior classes, not to mention the way that buoyancy control and ascents are taught.

And then the "excersize" falls apart and divers can't hardly find and clear their own regs?

What ever. LOL

I don't recall doing BB in my PADI Rescue either. And like you said, not having even done it before, well it would not have been wise to incorporate it into that class. There was enough going on. I was introduced to it in my DM class. We had to BB while exchanging full kit on the bottom of the pool. I must admit that was stressful and rose up some anxiety for me. It's tough enough to swap out gear underwater, but add to it no mask and a buddy that is starting to "hog" the reg, the pressure to succeed (performance anxiety) etc. etc. you can see how that can go. But that's what the exercise was designed for. To push you underwater to see how comfortable, or uncomfortable, you are. And it really enforces that you have to solve problems underwater. And it was done in about as safe an environment you could train in while under direct supervision of the Instructor.

 

[wreckchick]

Here's the thing about this incident (and Rescue Diver training) I found it odd that in my class I actually performed a rescue, kind of, dealing with my buddy on a lost diver exercise, one of the people in my class was taking the class because she had been rescued on her last vacation and wanted to 'build confidence', the entire class lost me for a good 15 minutes and never knew I was missing, and we had a guy that had a total of about 15 post-ow dives.

Where is the pre-screening? Why are these rescue candidates being accepted into the class when it's clear that basic dive skills are lacking? Until people can perform a normal dive without there being an incident I don't think that they are ready to even begin to think about rescuing others.

R

 

[plot]

Here's the thing about this incident (and Rescue Diver training) I found it odd that in my class I actually performed a rescue, kind of, dealing with my buddy on a lost diver exercise, one of the people in my class was taking the class because she had been rescued on her last vacation and wanted to 'build confidence', the entire class lost me for a good 15 minutes and never knew I was missing, and we had a guy that had a total of about 15 post-ow dives.

Where is the pre-screening? Why are these rescue candidates being accepted into the class when it's clear that basic dive skills are lacking? Until people can perform a normal dive without there being an incident I don't think that they are ready to even begin to think about rescuing others.

R

My SSI book actually recommends taking Rescue Diver before AOW as the next step in training to find out your limits and gain confidence in the water... I don't think it's meant to be a course strictly for people who are already perfectly competant in the water and are looking to advance their skills enough to become ACTUAL rescue divers. I think it's meant to be more of a safety course so people can be pushed to their limits so they know what they can and cannot do, as well as to learn how to handle a bad situation should it arise, becuase when a bad situation arises under water, it's exponentially more important that you act appropriately.

Maybe we're talking about two completely different rescue diver classes though.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Maybe we're talking about two completely different rescue diver classes though.

You are indeed. One turns out divers prepared to actually conduct rescues of divers in distress. The other turns out Darwin candidates laboring under the delusion that they are prepared to respond to rescue situations.

I agree with Rachel. A rescue course should be taught to divers who are comfortable in the water and both competent with and confident of their basic skills. It's completion should imply that the diver is capable of performing rescues; not that they have familiarized themselves with basic concepts or achieved "the next step in training to find out your limits and gain confidence in the water".

The difference is that the former are part of the solution, whereas the latter are part of the problem. More than one rescuer has died attempting a rescue for which they were unprepared.

The difference is neither generally PADI nor SSI - but the experience and intention of the instructor teaching the course.

(That said, if SSI is truly suggesting that brand new OW divers take a rescue course directly after completing their OW certification dives...uh...this would be a new and interesting perspective. One wonders who came up with this novel and provocative idea...

New divers frequently require a few dives just to get themselves sorted out and their skills developed - particularly nowadays when they may have done only 4 dives during their OW certification, and in some cases all four happened within a weekend...)

 

[jpcpat]

One turns out divers prepared to actually conduct rescues of divers in distress. The other turns out Darwin candidates laboring under the delusion that they are prepared to respond to rescue situations.

Doc,

That's a bit harsh. The most basic rule of rescue is to never create a second victim. IMO, understanding that rule is probably the most important part. When I assist in rescue classes, I set up conditions where the best thing to do is call for help and stay away. People need to understand their limitations

 

[Petedives]

It amazes me just how long this thread can continue, but I like it.

Even the parts that are critical of me, or insinuating I don't have a
handle on my OW skills yet. Pretty soon I'm off to do DM training,
which will be a whole new set of fun experiences. I think I'm going
to do it in 80F water though .

The rescue class taught me how to rescue a diver in distress. It also
taught me that I shouldn't toss my 210lb friend over my shoulder like
a rag doll, because I won't make it to the dry section of the beach.

In my opinion, it also taught me about how attitude is a life or death
issue. I'll always think my skills can use improvement, but knowing
exactly where they are at, and knowing that I can sucessfully rescue
somebody above or below the surface.

I actually keep my head *really* well underwater. I think a lot more
than I react emotionally, until after the situation is over. When I get
'freaked' underwater, it's momentary, and then my analytical mind
kicks in, and I resolve whatever's in front of me.

Lastly, I just read a book by a guy named Bernie Chowdhury called
"The Last Dive". Absolutely riveting book about guys who were
pioneering divers in the late 80's and early 90's, many of which who
are now dead. Guys who had far more training, experience, and
discipline than I do, and still died.

I don't know if I'll ever aspire to dive deep coldwater wreck like the
Andrea Doria, or german u-boats, but the fact that has been driven
home is the fact that the world record setting sport divers from not
that long ago are all semi-crippled from the bends, or dead.

What the hell do I know about diving compared to these guys?

Peter

 

[wreckchick]

Even the parts that are critical of me, or insinuating I don't have a
handle on my OW skills yet. Pretty soon I'm off to do DM training,
which will be a whole new set of fun experiences.

Pete, I was very critical of you earlier in this thread and I'm hesitant to hammer you again but I need you to really understand something before you go on to DM or whatever... I didn't insinuate anything about your OW skills, you told me and everyone else reading this thread that losing your reg caused a panic situation for you. That is clear evidence that you DON'T have a handle on your OW skills. Being in 80F water won't solve basic issues like that.

R

 

[NIK CANCUN]

reading all the above responses to this thread alarms me!!!!!!!!!!! yes all the comments about self presurvation are great and oh so true but I feel the need to question what these so called proffesionals are up to! what instructor in there right mind would practise these drills at this depth without assessing there customers abillities first or having the abilitie to stop whats going on at the blink of an eye! I am not perfect! but I would like to know where the instructor/dive master were during all this!

 

[plot]

You are indeed. One turns out divers prepared to actually conduct rescues of divers in distress. The other turns out Darwin candidates laboring under the delusion that they are prepared to respond to rescue situations.

Not saying you're wrong... just dug out my SSI logbook and found this under the Continuing Education Section in the front:

"Diver Stress & Rescue is the next course recommended after Open Water Diver, because it helps you gain confidence and become a better buddy."

Two different schools of thoughts I guess.


edit: Actually, it's right on their website http://www.ssiusa.com/stressrescue.htm

The focus seems to be on dealing with stress before it turns into a rescue effort.

 

[ianr33]

I have never done buddy breathing, and I ought to -- but I really think the long hose/bungied backup configuration avoids almost all the circumstances where that would be necessary. If you AND your buddy have that configuration, you're just not going to have to run into the situation you encountered.

About the only time you might choose to Buddy Breathe for real is to share deco gas in the event of a deco tank failure. (Lots of other options as well,this is just one of them)

I did Buddy Breathing in either OW or AOW (cant remember which) . Suspect that that dates me a little! Practised it recently breathing off a stage and was surprised how easy it was. I suspect though that with a panicking new diver rather than a relaxed,tech trained buddy it could rapidly turn into a cluster.