What to do in case of emergency?

[JohnQPS122]

Losing the weight belt, losing a fin, losing the mask, losing the bottle, losing the team, breaking something, discovering your buddy unconscious and floating next to you were ALL covered in the PADI Basic Open Water Scuba Class my wife took last year.

If you don't have one, you could get the book for that class from PADI, Amazon, Leisure Pro, etc., and read it.

Talk to your instructor about them if they weren't covered in your classes and checkout dives. Maybe you can get in a pool with him/her and another class and practice them.

Rescue diver is a great certification to work toward, but as an Open Water Diver, you should have basic knowledge of what to do in those situations. Except for finding an unconscious diver, I'd say I've seen every one of those things happen at least once in the 25 or so dives I've done with my wife (and others on a boat) on just two trips in the last year. I wouldn't call them uncommon at all.

 

[Walter]

AOW is needed for Rescue

No, it's not. I'll teach anyone as long as they have at least an OW certification.

 

[elan]

AOW is needed for Rescue, so it's a "necessary evil."

Not anymore, you can be an Advanture diver as of I believe few months ago.

It does not make the situation better though.

To OP. Other than taking courses, dive dive and dive one more time. But within your limits. Do not rush deep. Get a comfortable feel underwater, work on buoyancy. PADI courses will not make you being able to solve all those problems quickly, you will need practice. Muscles and mind have to be trained. Practice different skills every time.

 

[Walter]

Not anymore, you can be an Advanture diver as of I believe few months ago.

PADI is far from the only option.

 

[RetMTFE]

Check out the August issue of Dive Training magazine. Most LDSs give them away free. It has a very good article on dealing with worst case scenarios. Some examples are: OOA, loss of weight, stuck inflator, freeflow, entanglement, etc.

 

[AZFlyingDiver]

No, it's not. I'll teach anyone as long as they have at least an OW certification.

My bad (thanks for clarifying) - but even better, then. However way anyone can train in EFR/Rescue is good

 

[xjeslesx]

There are a million things that could go wrong down there. As much as you try you can not prevent all of them. This is just my opinion and I am not an instructor but... train for all accidents you think could happen. What would you do if you lost your weight belt, have a plan and practice this plan while diving. It may only take 1 or 2 minutes out of every dive go train for an emergency. Take your mask off, take a fin off, practice relieving cramps in your legs, buddy breath, tow your buddy, bring your buddy to the surface. These should all be common things that you train for so when the real thing happens you have a plan.

Beyond self training I highly recommend Rescue diver.


See ya out there!

 

[HJeffreyM]

Ok folks...just a wee bit of digging shows that the OP is a certified....wait for it....vacation diver!

I was about to say that my NAUI/PADI OW course covered a lot of emergency scenarios and procedures (OOA, emergency ascents, lost diver, doff-don all equipment, etc.), but the OP hasn't taken anyone's basic OW course.

So, my suggestion to the OP is that you get a just little serious about your dive education and take anyone's (PADI, NAUI, SSI...anyone!) basic OW course.

 

[Bonairetrip]

I think the OP is to be commended for recognizing that there is more to learn. Lots of solid suggestions made up above.

A post to answer all of this would be pages long but I thought I would provide a tip or two.

a) Preventing a problem is better than responding to one. Lots of ways here but I will throw out one: Regularly inspect your gear (incl. rental gear). Look for frayed straps. Cracked buckles. Straps or hoses that seem to be cracking. Make sure the reg mouthpiece is not ripped and it is held on by a zip tie. Make sure any weight pockets are well secured (velcro does wear out over time). Make sure any cam bands are threaded correctly, are wet when first mounting the tank/bottle, and are pretty darn tight.

b) Think about a situation. Learn what do to. Practice that if it is safe to do so. For example, you should be able to doff and don (and clear) a mask underwater. You should be able to turn your tank valve all the way on underwater. Formal classes and diving with experienced divers would be a help with (b).