About TeamLGS

FAQs

Answers to commonly asked questions about public safety diving

EQUIPMENT & GEAR

What should a Public Safety Diver look for in a buoyancy compensator?

Agar main bullets copy nahi ho rahi hain, to ye simple copy-friendly format use karein:

• Jacket style: Avoid backmounted BCs as they will force you face down if you are carrying a body on the surface. Horsecollar BCs make it very difficult to properly transport a drowned victim.

• Plenty of lift: At least 35 lbs — you may be supporting the negative weight of an adult.

• NO integrated weight system: Weight belts should be removed before any other piece of gear.

• Quick-release shoulder straps: For one-handed BC removal.

• Extra large shoulder and chest buckles: For quick, one-handed opening in cold conditions.

• Heavy duty construction: Able to withstand continual contact with debris.

• Trim: No clips on the BC — tools on the harness, not the BCD.

• Multiple Pockets: For cutting tools, marker buoy, window punch, etc.

• Hard backpack: Soft packs were designed for travel, not diving. Hard packs keep the tank in place.

• Does not cover: Drysuit inflator valve, weightbelt release, or harness tether point.

• Bright color: Such as orange, for better surface visibility.

• Built-in quick release pony bottle pocket.

The Lifeguard Systems BCD meets all these requirements and more!

What type and size of line is best for ice and water operations?

3/8" (9mm) highly flexible, floating line with some stretch is best for ice/water rescue/recovery operations not requiring low or high angle rigging.

• Small diameter is too difficult to handle. Larger is too heavy and creates far more drag.

• Expensive rescue line is a waste of money and too heavy.

• Semi-static and static line means the person at the end of the rope takes all the abuse.

• Easiest to pack in bags — the most effective way to store up to 300' of line.

• Very easy to tie knots with.

• Line with 1500 lb. tensile strength will do the job well.

Can I use a rappelling harness for water/ice operations or diving?

No, not unless rappelling is part of the rescue operation. Rappelling harnesses have tether points low on the torso, putting the person in a vertical position. In water or ice, we need to be horizontal. Low tether points make extrication from an ice hole very difficult or impossible, can result in drowning, and are completely wrong for divers.

Do I want leg straps for my harness?

NO, we do not recommend them for most types of operation and do not use them for diving.

A properly fitted, half-body water harness will stay on the wearer in even extreme conditions. Leg straps can cause discomfort, decreased blood flow, and restriction of movement — all safety hazards. They also take longer to don and increase cost.

Should I wear an octopus as a Public Safety Diver?

NO! Octopuses are for shallow water, high visibility, buddy, sport diving. They are NOT a true alternate air source and do absolutely nothing for you if you use up your air — it's only a second mouthpiece for a buddy.

Public Safety Divers, deep divers, ice divers, and low/no visibility divers belong in quick-release pony bottles, which supply a true alternate gas source and can be passed off to an entangled diver. An octopus also becomes a safety hazard through entanglements, and in ice diving significantly increases the chance of freeflowing.

Why do I need a contingency strap?

The contingency strap allows contingency divers to descend to the primary diver without pulling on the primary diver's tether line — pulling could increase entanglement severity or drive a fish hook deeper. It also allows the contingency diver two hands free without losing the tether line. The strap has enough length for maneuverability but not enough to reach the primary diver's throat. A quick release buckle in the center allows disconnection to work behind the primary diver.

What if my pony bottle runs out of air with a full face mask in contaminated water?

Butch designed the RSV-1 second breath block for that very purpose. The pony intermediate pressure hose connects to the block with a quick-release connection such as a Scubapro™ Air II hose. If the pony runs dry, a contingency bottle with the same hose on its regulator can be connected in. This does take practice — do not expect to do it without repetitive, stress-loaded training.

Is there really a difference in air consumption with an AGA vs. a conventional regulator?

Yes. Divers using positive pressure AGA masks use 10 to 20 percent more air. Demand AGA users can use about 10 percent more air.

EQUIPMENT & GEAR

Hardwire vs. wireless FFM comm systems — which is better?

We recommend hardwire comms for teams who dive tethered. Wireless comms can be a real annoyance. OTS makes the best comm systems and even their wireless has more problems than their hardwire. Hardwire, if taken care of properly with an OTS system, will almost never fail. It takes seconds to set up.

Wireless uses a surface station, but tenders need to be very mobile — walking through thick brush, belaying down embankments, on a small boat, or lying on thin ice. How do you do all that with a surface station?

We don't want the speaker box used to allow anyone near the box to hear the diver. Communication is kept between diver and tender so the diver can say anything with confidence. We don't ever want two people talking to a diver at the same time.

Setting up wireless will take longer than hardwire. We prefer VOX — no need to push, just talk. Keep both hands free. We recommend a simple, dependable, mobile VOX system with a tender headset and MK 7.

What can I do if my AGA mask leaks?

Ensure the mask is donned correctly and must seal against skin or a latex hood — it will not seal properly against a neoprene hood.

Donning procedure: Start with all straps at full length. Chin in first. Pull straps BACK on chin straps, then temple, then lightly snug the top. This fits about 85% of people.

Surgical/Vinyl tubing fix: If the seal is insufficient, install surgical or vinyl tubing (21 1/2") with stiff nickel wire inserted as a memory feature. Available from any hardware store. — Courtesy of Tim Chapman, Ocean Technology Systems

Additional tips: Demand masks are available if positive pressure doesn't work. Try turning a neoprene hood inside out. Loosen all straps, pull bottom straps down to neck, set chin, hold face plate to seal, then snug middle straps, then bottom, and top strap last — don't pull top strap more than two inches.

SEARCH & RESCUE PROCEDURES

Is there a table with descent rates for different objects (rifles, pistols, etc.)?

Drop rates are used with current and depth to calculate the most likely location of a search object. A human body drops at about 2 feet per second in fresh water and 1 to 1.5 feet per second in salt water. We do not have a table for other items — we suggest doing a re-enactment with a similar object when a call comes in.

How do you decide sweep width in arc, dock walk, or other search patterns?

The distance between sweeps depends on search object size, bottom composition, and visibility.

For an adult body with 10 foot visibility and a skilled diver: sweeps can be 10 feet wide. For a handgun: halve the sweep width. If the diver kicks up silt, use: half visibility for a body, quarter visibility for a weapon.

The tender gives directional signals and the diver moves to the sweep distance and returns the signal. The tender then knows the sweep width.

Why limit zero-visibility search dives to 20-25 minutes?

Several critical factors:

• Attention span: After 15-20 minutes, search quality decreases. Divers need constant "mind's eye focus" to visualize everything they touch.

• Recovery turnaround: A diver who did 40 minutes can't safely go back in an hour. With 20-25 min limits, 3 divers and 2 tenders can complete 9 search dives in under 5 hours.

• Nitrogen absorption: At 50-60 ft with 20-25 minute maxes, decompression sickness isn't a major concern.

• Air management: Adrenaline can double air consumption. In a 1.5 knot current, a diver breathing 20 psi/min SAC can hit 100 psi/min.

• Tender vigilance: Tenders can only maintain safe, effective focus for 20-25 minutes.

• Contingency divers: A 45-minute primary dive wipes out two contingency divers waiting their turn.

For ice conditions, we use 15-20 minute max dive times.

What is the average goal for arc sweep length and angle?

Use 1/4 of a circle as your arc for a decent size search area. Don't short cut based on witness accounts. Calculate sweep length using the chart in Public Safety Diving. Add up each sweep and verify the diver's search rate against the search object size — if too fast, the area may need re-searching.

Can a team safely run a dive operation with four people?

Our standard requires three divers and two tenders (primary diver, backup diver, 90%-ready diver, primary-tender, backup-tender). The 90%-ready diver became mandatory because backup divers were sometimes unable to reach a primary diver in under two minutes.

With a 4-person crew (like the Paratroopers in Alaska), the backup tender must be fully dressed as a backup diver and consistently deploy in under 60 seconds. This requires frequent, intense training and higher physical fitness.

MEDICAL & TRAINING

What is the Valsalva Maneuver?

The Valsalva maneuver is holding the nose and mouth closed and gently blowing to force air into the eustachian tubes to equalize middle ear pressure. Gentle is the key word — too forceful can result in round window rupture causing serious vertigo.

• Never perform during ascent — risk of lung barotrauma.

• Equalize every two feet of descent, especially in the first 15-20 feet.

• Equalize before discomfort is felt — waiting can cause a "locking effect."

• Tenders should verify divers can equalize on land before dressing.

Risk factors for eustachian tube blockage: improper/infrequent equalizations, congestion, alcohol, premenstrual mucus buildup, not descending feet first, smoking, dairy, citrus juice.

What if the water is deeper than 60 feet?

The LGS standard for low visibility searches is 50 feet with a possible 10 foot extension for Phase 2 trained teams. Water 60-100 feet requires funding for training and equipment — not just for the team but for local EMS and hospital emergency departments to handle DCI injuries.

Searches deeper than 100 feet require surface supply diving to meet internationally accepted standards. Depths below 50 feet compound every aspect: air consumption, nitrogen absorption, line patterns, search times, and contingency procedures. A small problem at 20 feet quickly becomes large at 80 feet.

What are the NFPA levels of duty — Awareness, Operations, Technician?

Awareness (~4 hours): How not to do further harm. Anyone responding to a scene should have this minimum. Covers: securing scene, identifying hazards, interviewing witnesses, calling for resources.

Operations: All duties that do not involve direct contact with the hazardous atmosphere (water). In ice incidents: chief tenders, line handlers. In diving: tenders.

Technician: Highest level — direct exposure to the hazardous atmosphere. In ice: rescuers on the ice. In diving: divers. Ice diving tenders are in a gray zone (unsupportive ice means they need same PPE as technicians).

Incident command should have at minimum Awareness level, with a technician level advisor consulted for planning.

Procedural differences: urban vs. small rural teams?

Many factors: Personnel — FDNY easily meets minimum 5; rural game wardens may only have 2. Water contamination — urban areas often have more variety/quantity but rural factory farms can be severely hazardous. Budgets — urban may have more money but also more personnel; a rural team of 6 can switch to drysuits for under $8,000 while 50 urban divers makes it overwhelming. Call volume — urban gets more on-the-job training but more calls means more risk without safe procedures. Travel distances — rural teams cover larger districts, decreasing rescue mode chances and increasing time to hospital.

RECOVERY & ON-SCENE

Should I descend into a pulpy weed bottom to find solid ground while searching?

That depends on what you're searching for. The average child weighs 4-6 lbs underwater; an adult 9-18 lbs. If you're negatively buoyant by 2 lbs, exhale to see how far you sink — every pint of air is about a pound of buoyancy. A full exhalation (6+ pints) makes you 8 lbs negative. For evidence, use a similar object and perform a re-enactment to determine where the search object is most likely to be.

Should I start CPR on a rescued victim while being pulled to shore?

CPR is not known to be effective in the water so it is not recommended. In-water rescue breathing can cause more harm than good — pocket masks in water don't guarantee protection or sufficient ventilations, and it's not a realistic technique in most hands.

Since divers should not be more than 125 feet from their tenders, transport time is minimal. Attempts to ventilate during transport are very likely to force water into the victim's lungs and stomach.