Pocket Mask. Do you carry one?

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ifukuda

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Divers, especially those with Rescue Diver cert. and above, do you dive with a pocket mask in your BC pocket? Should I carry one too?
 
That thread is discussing whether or not to carry a backup dive mask, which is a very different thing from carrying a pulmonary resuscitation mask.

Yes, I carry a pocket mask in my BCD pocket, as well as an MDI Microshield on the ring with my car keys.



You should carry one too if:
  • You want to be able to effectively rescue breathe on the surface if you have to.
  • You aren't confident in your ability to get a good mouth-to-mouth seal while towing an unconscious victim through variable surface conditions.
  • You don't want other peoples' vomit in your mouth. (Unconsicous victims tend to do that when rescuers inadvertantly inflate their stomachs, and the valve in the mask keeps it on their side.)
    [/list=a]
 
I had the same question during rescue class. The only time that I have see a pocket mask, not to be confused with a spare mask in a pocket, was during rescue training. It makes you wonder why they teach it. While it would probably be a good idea to carry one, there’s only so much room in my pocket. I think the surface marker and reel are more important so they are in my pocket. Based on my informal survey, very few people own a pocket mask and I have yet to find anyone that carries one on a dive.

Mike

P.S.

For anyone that doesn’t know what a pocket mask; from the DAN website, a pocket mask is “Used in conjunction with rescue breathing and constant-flow oxygen, the Pocket Mask helps you provide additional oxygen to the non-breathing injured diver.”
 
IMHO, although we used them in training I do not carry one...it seemed to get in the way when I was doing rescue breathing and like MikeS said, I only have so much room in my pocket..
 
I carry one in my dry suit pocket. Its on a length of sisal that runs through the clip on the mask bag so it is more difficult to lose. I also have one in my glove box, my first aid kit and my wife's truck.

Unless I knew the patient well, I would have serious concerns about administering first aid in the absence of barriers. Rather than spend six months worrying about what I just contracted, or declining to administer first aid, I prefer the mask.

I'm considering moving it to my harness, but it seems to me that that would decrease streamlining and increase the chance of losing it.
 
We carry a pocket mask in our first aid kit when diving. I agree that this might put it further away than is practical but at least we have one on the scene. I think if I needed to start rescue breathing in the water then I probably wouldn't wait for someone to give me a pocket mask. I would probably throw caution to the wind at that point. I can say this because most of the people I dive with are family or like family.

I do think carrying one in a BC pocket would be a good idea for DM's and Instructors.

:bunny: KC_Scubabunny :bunny:
 
I own one because it was given to me for my rescue class, but so far it is the only part of my 1st aid kit and it hardly ever leaves its home on the shelf.
 
I keep my pocket mask in my dive bag. I don't think it would be very effective in the water while trying to swim with a victim.

Ralph
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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