"Rescue Diver" - Your experiences?

[DivemasterDennis]

I am often involved as an "actor" in the rescue class scenarios, and over the years my instructor buddy Kevin and I really gotten in to some of them. It is one of our "assigned tasks" on a staff with a whole bunch of instructors and DM's (we even have our own course director there) to create the rescue scenarios for our dive center's open water training weekends rescue classes. Our favorite is the "injured diver, uncooperative buddy, oh yeah we did have another guy with us but not sure where he is" scenario. I play the uncooperative buddy. Over the past ten years our refinement has come to make the scenario as realistic as possible, with me playing the uncooperative
(even interfering) buddy. Last summer our June weekend was excellent as usual, but some open water divers complained about the obnoxious divemaster working with the other classes. ( I also worked with the aow class.) We had made it pretty clear that this was a drill, but still some of the students forgot or were otherwise not up to speed on the fact that they were watching theater. But the point is to be realistic, and we were. I made an apology and explained it was acting, but maybe we should tweak the scenario to change it to the clueless and uncertain buddy instead of the uncooperative buddy. Probably not. Anyway, it makes a good story. I think the OP's instructors approach is like ours. Try to make each scenario as real as possible while maintaining safety for students and actors alike. My advice to Richwilx and all rescue students is "be alert and be prepared." We trigger scenarios at any time, without notice. I think classes that do that are more interesting, and the students learn more. Have a good time, and a safe time. Post what happens after your class is done.
DivemasterDennis
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[dbulmer]

I'll be at Stoney Cove - so there'll only be about 200 other divers watching me.

There's always the pub afterwards

 

[dwhthediver]

Like Lynne, I started reflecting on what in water emergencies I have dealt with while diving. I have dealt with a failed close second stage, a broken fin strap, an out of air emergency by a newer diver, a 400 yd tired diver tow(not practice) of a man who had me by 10" and 100 lbs. who got vertigo due to an undiagnosed inner ear infection that caused no problem till the safety stop. I have also been involved in dealing with 2 divers that had heart attacks, and a 16 year old boy scout with an undiagnosed aneurysm. Due to these real world issues, I make the rescue scenarios as real as possible while maintaining all participants safety. Rescue class in the pool always starts with a self rescue review and adding new skills. Classroom and pool deal with recognizing signs of onsetting panic and not fending off the panicked diver, but ways to deal with and control and calm down the panicked diver.

 

[flots am]

2 divers that had heart attacks,

What happened with the heart attack victims?

The survival rate on land is pretty dismal. I can only imagine what it is in the water.

flots.

 

[dwhthediver]

1 didn't make it, 1 was talking when the paramedics showed up. Ironically, I was teaching rescue the day of the 70 year old that made it, reinforced to my students about always being prepared.

 

[lowviz]

...//... but ways to deal with and control and calm down the panicked diver.

You are delusional.

I have had the pleasure of participating in one and only one real-life truly panicked (swimmer) rescue.

If you have anything even remotely approaching a "proven results" procedure for calming down a truly panicked diver in the water, sign me up...

---------- Post Merged at 02:39 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:29 AM ----------

[-]You are delusional.[/-] Edit: My apologies, that sounds a bit harsh on re-read...

I have had the pleasure of participating in one and only one real-life truly panicked (swimmer) rescue.

If you have anything even remotely approaching a "proven results" procedure for calming down a truly panicked diver in the water, sign me up...

Please research "panic". It can also be passive. I witnessed a new diver at Dutch Springs surface swimming out to the platform floats with one fin frozen out of the water and the other trailing behind. All motion had stopped. Obviously, this was the first time this diver was in water where he couldn't see the bottom and didn't trust his gear. Total systems shutdown.

The instructor was hollering his name to "break the trance". All of Dutch could hear the instructor. The student couldn't (and he was closer than anyone else). Panic can be a complete cessation of all higher thought. You can discuss logic with the brain-stem until the cows come home. Add to this "all rescues are ugly", and one comes closer to not being surprised by the real world.

My approach is to expect and believe in the very worst, constantly fight to control a rapidly deterioriating situation, get the victim to surface, shore, or boat and stabilize the victim. Seek additional help throughout.

There are no heroes in a real rescue. OMG, I just remembered: I was on a dive trip with a diver testing his new drysuit in the Atlantic. PM me for boat and captain. Somehow the wizard removed his rig near the tie-in, got too buoyant, ascended feet-first while furiously holding onto the upline. Best part: tore past an instructor and went for the instructor's in-use secondary. Instructor instinctively fended off the needy diver who made it to the surface on the anchorline in one breath. Missed the Catalina line, hanging on near the bow while pounding on side of boat, hollering for help. The guy was a DM.

All turned out well, rather messy, but who really cares?

 

[tplyons]

I haven't taken Rescue yet, but I've been urged by the instructors to "get into some trouble" a time or two to see how their students react.

 

[nimoh]

I haven't taken Rescue yet, but I've been urged by the instructors to "get into some trouble" a time or two to see how their students react.

not sure I understand this correctly. Your instructor is recommending that you get into trouble to test yourself before taking the class?

it seems to me that this is saying, practice handling difficult situations before learning how to handle those situations. A better approach might be to learn how to handle the situations (i.e. take the Rescue Course) and then apply what you have learned in practice situations.

 

[tplyons]

not sure I understand this correctly. Your instructor is recommending that you get into trouble to test yourself before taking the class?

No, I've been "injured" and "lost" to test his rescue diver students. The instructor taught my dive buddy and me our OW and AOW skills, and asked us if we'd be willing to help. I'm always willing to help a mentor.

 

[Rhodesaz]

I'm sorry boys and girls, but I'm going to go against the grain here.

While I agree that rescue diver maybe the next best course to take, I will NOT take it.
My old LDS owners and DI's tried talking me into to taking the course for several years. But each and everytime the topic came up the owners (DI's and now a Course director) would grin and laugh about how they will problably drown me during the course and enjoy it. So much was said about how the 300+ male owner would make me carry him, drag him and he would be the panicked driver, I've said NO THANKS!! This went on for several years. Every dive trip with them!!

Again, it maybe the best course out there, But I should not have to be drowned in order to learn something.


By the way, I've walked away from that LDS