Solo PSD Rescue Dives

[Boater Dan]

Everyone involved in Public Safety Diving and has received any level of training, knows that you always have back-up divers on all calls. Each of us have statements in our SOP's / SOG's that no dive is to commence until adequate staffing is in place.

Now, to the PSD's on the forum:

How many have done solo dives without back-up in a rescue mode?
What consequences were faced, if any?
Would you do it again?
Were they any issues you faced that you felt put you at risk during the dive?

Just curious as I have and would most likely do it again, unless conditions were horribly wrong.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[Gary D.]

Everyone involved in Public Safety Diving and has received any level of training, knows that you always have back-up divers on all calls. Each of us have statements in our SOP's / SOG's that no dive is to commence until adequate staffing is in place.

Now, to the PSD's on the forum:

How many have done solo dives without back-up in a rescue mode?
What consequences were faced, if any?
Would you do it again?
Were they any issues you faced that you felt put you at risk during the dive?

Just curious as I have and would most likely do it again, unless conditions were horribly wrong.

Thanks,

Dan

When the second diver gets on scene we hit the water.

You do not want to face the music if you pull "A DIVE" off without that second diver on scene. We have done plenty of surface rescues w/o back-up.

Gary D.

 

[gfisher4792]

I'm nowhere near being a PSD level diver, however, I work in the environmental/construction field, and have plenty of training for confined space entry (underground tanks, vaults, etc.) and the like. I can see a couple of similarities between rescue diving and confined space emergencies. In a "rescue" situation, we're always taught never enter an area with a victim without outside backup and monitoring. You can never tell what's really going on near the victim (in confined space, it could be electrical, toxic gas, etc.), and no one needs 2 victims.

 

[6Gill]

Everyone involved in Public Safety Diving and has received any level of training, knows that you always have back-up divers on all calls. Each of us have statements in our SOP's / SOG's that no dive is to commence until adequate staffing is in place.

Now, to the PSD's on the forum:

How many have done solo dives without back-up in a rescue mode?
What consequences were faced, if any?
Would you do it again?
Were they any issues you faced that you felt put you at risk during the dive?

Just curious as I have and would most likely do it again, unless conditions were horribly wrong.

Thanks,

Dan

I have done it in the past. It was in a different era of diving 50's & 60's. It was done for many reasons Consequences? Other then dying as a result of entrapment, etc. none. Risk's? Diving around a huge log boom, fast rivers, poor visability/silt with lots of junk like barb wire, etc.

Would I do such things again? NO WAY!!! :icon10:

 

[Greg D.]

In an emergency situation it is tough to wait for another diver to show up, but you have to way the consequinces. Everyone in PSD work wants to save a life if possible, but is that person you're saving worth the cost of your life, or the suffering of you family and loved ones? The SOP's are there for our protection, not to mention anyone breaking the rules like that wouldnt be diving with us anymore..

 

[Kayla]

In an emergency situation it is tough to wait for another diver to show up, but you have to way the consequinces.


Exactly. If there is an absolute certainty that if a diver goes in solo without back-up, and can save someone, chances are, there going to do so without a second thought. Why wait for the victim to die, when he could have been saved.

However, if there is a pretty good chance that nothing is going to helo the victim, we wait.

Haven't faced this personally, but we have discussed this more then once!

Kayla

 

[Greg D.]

[QUOTE=Kayla
Exactly. If there is an absolute certainty that if a diver goes in solo without back-up, and can save someone, chances are, there going to do so without a second thought. Why wait for the victim to die, when he could have been saved.

Why wait?
Because I'm sure that all of the second victims out there were absolutly certain that they could save someone by not waiting for the proper support and died trying.

 

[Kayla]

I guess that didn't come out the way that I had planned.... obviously, if there is a danger of any kind, were not going to be stupid enough to just jump in into the water.

I think that I need to be more careful how I word things.... because they are taken how I didn't mean them at all! I apologize for that!

 

[cornfed]

When the second diver gets on scene we hit the water.

Gary, how does OSHA play into this? I know OSHA has some pretty strict guidelines for confined space rescue and collapse rescue. Do they have any say in PSD work?

 

[Greg D.]

I think I misinterpeted your post Kayla, and I appologize for that. I think that in alot of situations that a diver could probably perform a rescue on his own and be OK, but in an emergency situation when the adrenaline is pumping and we are in a big rush to help, people make more mistakes in judgement in what is safe to do. Two heads are better than one so to speak. I would err on the side of safety and have the whole team come home, I can't imagine haveing to pull one of our own out because he didnt wait for support.