mike_s
Contributor
This was in the news today...
http://www.keloland.com/News/NewsDetail6371.cfm?Id=0,54357
Divers' Equipment Freezes
Divers knew last night they needed to retrieve a body from the icy waters, because Hofer had been submerged for at least two hours by the time they got there.
Unfortunately, even though they're trained for cold-water dives, there was no way divers could get to Hofer until today.
When last night's water rescue call came in, members of the Minnehaha County Dive team attempted to go into the pond.
Minnehaha County Dive Team Chief Diver, Bill Donovan, says, "This equipment will work fine in cold water environments, but it's that transition from the surface into the water that usually causes the problems."
The regulators carrying oxygen to the divers' masks froze.
Donovan says, "That's one of the things we battle any time you go out to do any type of an ice dive."
Donovan says, "Usually at that point the regulator starts free flowing.
Two divers were only able to get two feet deep before that happened, and they had to give up their attempts to get to Hofer. Jay Marshall was the first one in the water.
Marshall says, "We really wanted to get the gentleman out last night and alleviate the family, but unfortunately we were unable to do so.
Donovan says, "We didn't have any heating shelters set up on ice, and wind working equipment, the weather won last night and dive team lost.
Today the dive team was able to set up a heated tent over a new hole, 20 feet from the original place where Hofer's tractor went in. That made all the difference.
Marshall says, "I was told about the distance to where tractor was, I entered the water and proceeded to the tractor, when I observed the situation, I called for another diver to complete extraction.
Within minutes the two divers were able to pull Hofer's body out.
The divers suits and masks are designed, so it keeps them completely dry. That's important in this case because diesel fuel was in the water from the tractor.
http://www.keloland.com/News/NewsDetail6371.cfm?Id=0,54357
Divers' Equipment Freezes
Divers knew last night they needed to retrieve a body from the icy waters, because Hofer had been submerged for at least two hours by the time they got there.
Unfortunately, even though they're trained for cold-water dives, there was no way divers could get to Hofer until today.
When last night's water rescue call came in, members of the Minnehaha County Dive team attempted to go into the pond.
Minnehaha County Dive Team Chief Diver, Bill Donovan, says, "This equipment will work fine in cold water environments, but it's that transition from the surface into the water that usually causes the problems."
The regulators carrying oxygen to the divers' masks froze.
Donovan says, "That's one of the things we battle any time you go out to do any type of an ice dive."
Donovan says, "Usually at that point the regulator starts free flowing.
Two divers were only able to get two feet deep before that happened, and they had to give up their attempts to get to Hofer. Jay Marshall was the first one in the water.
Marshall says, "We really wanted to get the gentleman out last night and alleviate the family, but unfortunately we were unable to do so.
Donovan says, "We didn't have any heating shelters set up on ice, and wind working equipment, the weather won last night and dive team lost.
Today the dive team was able to set up a heated tent over a new hole, 20 feet from the original place where Hofer's tractor went in. That made all the difference.
Marshall says, "I was told about the distance to where tractor was, I entered the water and proceeded to the tractor, when I observed the situation, I called for another diver to complete extraction.
Within minutes the two divers were able to pull Hofer's body out.
The divers suits and masks are designed, so it keeps them completely dry. That's important in this case because diesel fuel was in the water from the tractor.
