Rescue of an Unconscious Diver Underwater

[The Chairman]

I don't personally think launching your buddy to the surface like a polaris missile should ever be on the table.

I'm 98% in agreement with this statement.

 

[Birddog1911]

I'm 98% in agreement with this statement.

Took my Rescue Diver last month. One of the students, to be honest, had zero business taking it. I couldn't believe how out of control a diver, who claims to have 300 dives, could be so bad at diving. Could not manage his own buoyancy, let alone the "victim". During the unconscious diver under water, he pulled him off of the 25 ft platform, and promptly sank down to 44. I grabbed the "victim's" BCD to slow it down, and pumped my BCD to stop them. Once he had a semblance of control, he over-inflated the victim's BCD, and they started on an orbital trajectory. Still holding on, I grabbed the line and dug my hand in to try and slow them down as much as possible. Thankfully, no one got hurt.

The next day, I had the joy of being the bad diver's "victim". My dive buddy kept his hand on my lower dump valve, and I kept my right hand on the upper.

That's my first diver that I've encountered, that I said I'd never dive with again.

 

[LiteHedded]

Open Circuit Dives, 60m for 60min BT with minimum 120min deco TTS on Oite Destroyer. Just myself and a dive guide with a dive skiff driver only as surface support.

Harshest toughest impromptu decision for any diver to make and commit. Agreed that in-water support divers rendezvous at first deco stops would somewhat ameliorate this worst case dilemma scenario.

a 60 minute bottom time at 200' in the ocean isn't something I would entertain. if i had work that needed to be done for 60 minutes i would probably break it into two dives or have in water support for events like this. try to avoid toxing in the first place with good solid team procedures. secondary to that, make smart dive plans. for ME, 200' for 60 minutes on a sight seeing dive in the ocean isn't a smart dive plan

 

[EricTheDood]

if you have a gas load that you feel is so significant (I can't imagine Kev is doing these kind of dives in the ocean) that you're going to send a toxing diver to the surface by himself, you need to have support divers in the water IMO.

There are other options, full face mask, gag strap, etc. Or be conservative with the PO2 and deal with the extra deco time to minimize chances of toxing.

 

[Storker]

That's my first diver that I've encountered, that I said I'd never dive with again.

I have several names on that list.

 

[Kevrumbo]

a 60 minute bottom time at 200' in the ocean isn't something I would entertain. if i had work that needed to be done for 60 minutes i would probably break it into two dives or have in water support for events like this. try to avoid toxing in the first place with good solid team procedures. secondary to that, make smart dive plans. for ME, 200' for 60 minutes on a sight seeing dive in the ocean isn't a smart dive plan

It's a common CCR profile on the Oite Destroyer, although on Open Circuit, three Alu 11L stage/deco cylinders are needed -one for bottom mix and two for Eanx50 & O2 along with an Alu D11L backmount twinset, and a good Sac Rate of at most 15l/min to get near a BT of 60min.

With no current, 28deg C warm tropical waters (still used a wetsuit heater though), a two-and-a-half hour OC deco profile in blue water next to a mooring upline is an easy relaxed float & hang, looking at the Batfish & Gray Reef Sharks circling you.

But the specter of a toxing dive buddy is always at the back of your mind when you have at least an hour of Eanx50 deco time to do over a depth range 21m to 9m deep. . .

 

[PfcAJ]

It's a common CCR profile on the Oite Destroyer, although on Open Circuit, three Alu 11L stage/deco cylinders are needed -one for bottom mix and two for Eanx50 & O2 along with an Alu D11L backmount twinset, and a good Sac Rate of at most 15l/min to get near a BT of 60min.

With no current, 28deg C warm tropical waters (still used a wetsuit heater though), a two-and-a-half hour OC deco profile in blue water next to a mooring upline is an easy relaxed float & hang, looking at the Batfish & Gray Reef Sharks circling you.

But the specter of a toxing dive buddy is always at the back of your mind when you have at least an hour of Eanx50 deco time to do over a depth range 21m to 9m deep. . .

"Common" and "good idea" are not synonymous.

 

[Kevrumbo]

"Common" and "good idea" are not synonymous.

Well, if you don't have support divers:

. . .We cited one published case of a diver who was sent buoyant, unconscious and alone to the surface from 70m and who survived. We also cited an unpublished case of a rescuer who allegedly successfully managed a breathing diver's airway for a short period to complete decompression. . .

Hope is not a plan either. But that's all there is. . .

 

[PfcAJ]

Well, if you don't have support divers:

Hope is not a plan either. But that's all there is. . .

If you don't have support and aren't willing to surface with a diver in need your dive plan needs revision. Simple as that.

 

[Kevrumbo]

If you don't have support and aren't willing to surface with a diver in need your dive plan needs revision. Simple as that.

It can be done as an all day event with two or three teams of three with staggered entries to provide mutual support. Save a final Reserve Dive Guide to rendezvous with the last team to come up. . .