Valve/manifold procedures "in the real world"

[AndyNZ]

I've tried the search function, but not really found what I was looking for... apologies if this is 'old news'.

On the GUE website, it says "GUE recognizes that drills are, at least partially, disconnected from real diving scenarios".... what then is the best sequence for identifying and resolving an unknown manifold/regulator issue?

For the sake of the argument, can we assume that something unthinkable has happened and you've become seperated from your team and you have to resolve the issue yourself.

I've had this conversation with a number of GUE divers, my Fundies instructor and divers and instructors from other agencies. I'm intrigued by the variety in the responses and am just curious to hear different opinions on this. Thanks.

 

[cfenton]

I guess it is an arbitrary decision as to where to start looking for the problem. I would start with the right post as that is the reg that I am both actively breathing and using for inflation so it is probably the most likely to fail.

 

[johnkendall]

For the sake of the argument, can we assume that something unthinkable has happened and you've become seperated from your team and you have to resolve the issue yourself.

Tell you what, why don't we assume that we've also been attacked by a shark and now have no fingers either

You are right, that is an unthinkable scenario. How has it happened?

J

 

[AndyNZ]

You are right, that is an unthinkable scenario. How has it happened?

I could probably engineer a reasonably artificial scenario - I fully accept the point of view that a team member can be better situated to resolve a situation than you, the only reason I've asked is because I'd like (personally) to compare "like with like" responses.

Guilty as charged, m'lud, in asking for a "DIR answer to a non-DIR problem"... but I hope people will indulge me!

 

[orange_diver]

i think it's certainly plausible, tho very uncommon. i've read at least one account on SB by an experienced DIR diver who was separated from his team during deco. can happen during ocean dives with crappy viz and a scooter.

so...lets say this happens and you have some kind of failure going on behind your head, what is the "real world" protocol? The valve drills exist solely to familiarize the diver with shut-downs, not a rote process that is applied to all failures.

i would begin by trying to determine which side the bubbles were coming from by listening and feeling with my hands. shutdown whatever seemed appropriate to that side. if i was unable to determine quickly i would shut down right post as that is most common, purge primary and then isolate if bubbles still coming.

if it seemed like WW3 was going on behind my head and it seemed like it was coming from the middle i would isolate first. especially if in the VERY unlikely event i found myself alone.

 

[johnkendall]

I could probably engineer a reasonably artificial scenario - I fully accept the point of view that a team member can be better situated to resolve a situation than you, the only reason I've asked is because I'd like (personally) to compare "like with like" responses.

Guilty as charged, m'ud, in asking for a "DIR answer to a non-DIR problem"... but I hope people will indulge me!

Ok, here it is:

Step 1: Stabilise position
step 2: signal team
step 3: ascertain which side the problem is*
step 4: close that side valve and breath/purge reg
step 5: Listen for bubbles, if no bubbles goto step 7
step 6: close Isolator
step 7: signal team to look/fix

There is then a sequence for the team member to follow

* - This involves listening, feeling or looking for obvious clues (such as a freeflowing 2nd stage)

Notice step 2 and 7 involve the team.

HTH

John

 

[orange_diver]

I've had this conversation with a number of GUE divers, my Fundies instructor and divers and instructors from other agencies. I'm intrigued by the variety in the responses and am just curious to hear different opinions on this. Thanks.

were there any differences in the answer you got from your Fundies instructor and other GUE divers? if so what were they?

is this covered in Fundies? i came up DIR but not thru the GUE route. if so what did Fundies teach you to do?

 

[cfenton]

Tell you what, why don't we assume that we've also been attacked by a shark and now have no fingers either

You are right, that is an unthinkable scenario. How has it happened?

J

There was a DIR tech trained diver on this board just a couple of days ago that said he had been separated from team on deco dives at least twice. So, I agree that well it shouldn't happen, apparently it does.

And to play devils advocate; what about a collapse in a wreck.

 

[orange_diver]

beat ya to it

 

[AndyNZ]

were there any differences in the answer you got from your Fundies instructor and other GUE divers? if so what were they?

Part of my problem is that I can't quite remember the whole discussion with my Fundies instructor. It was a change of mindset for me to move away from what had been taught before (always isolate first)... the whole "look, listen and feel" concept was new for me.

I've since had conversations with GUE divers who seem to believe that doing the valve drill guarentees finding the problem - this is something I remain somewhat sceptical about, hence my curiousity.

is this covered in Fundies? i came up DIR but not thru the GUE route. if so what did Fundies teach you to do?

I can't really comment, we certainly had the discussion but there was no practical simulated failures, which I beleive are introduced on Tech 1 (I could be wrong). My Fundies was probably atypical - we got pushed more in some areas and I don't actually know what the "standarised" syllabus is.