About TeamLGS

OUR STANDARDS

Minimum equipment & safety guidelines for standard operating procedures

OVERVIEW

For explanations on all of these standards and much more, please refer to Public Safety Diving by Walt Hendrick and Andrea Zaferes.

Lifeguard Systems Sample recommended minimum equipment and safety guidelines for standard operating procedures: limited visibility ops. Copyrighted 1975, 2015 Lifeguard Systems, Inc.

INSTRUCTORS & EQUIPMENT

A minimum operation consists of a trained team of:

Diving Programs

One

Primary Tender

Also serves as Incident Commander

Back-Up Diver

Fully dressed

Back-Up Tender

Also serves as Profiler

90%-Ready Diver

One

MINIMUM EQUIPMENT

Full exposure drysuit with attached dry hood, booties, and gloves for contaminated or cold water
BCD with power inflator and a minimum of 30 lbs of lift
Three cutting tools (with at least two shears or wire cutters) in the golden triangle area, nothing on the legs
Regulator with analog gauges (depth, pressure, time), or if high visibility then digital gauges are acceptable
Pony bottle with quick release harness/holder
Downstream pony regulator with exhaust-tee removed, secured in the golden triangle chest area with a quick-release connection and a protective mud mouthpiece cover
Downstream, balanced primary regulator, with environmental protection recommended for cold water
Fins
Minimum 3000 psi rated 80 cuft tank with a minimum of 2800 psi
Weight belt — if worn with a standard buckle, release must be right-handed and free webbing beyond buckle must be 10–12 inches; belt must not be obstructed from quick-release by BCD or other equipment. Integrated weights (IW) strongly not recommended. If IW used, place half the weight on a weight belt.
Positive-pressure full face mask or full head dress as needed for contaminated water, with a standard mask in the BCD pocket
Full face mask block with a quick-release connection to the pony bottle is recommended for contaminated or cold water
Chest diving harness for tethered diving
Distance-marked tether line (3/8" floating line) for tethered diving
Locking carabiners
Tenders wear appropriate personal flotation devices, protection equipment, and gloves

OPERATIONAL LIMITS

Maximum Diving Depth

50 feet with a possible additional ten-foot extension as dictated by the Officer in Charge

Maximum Diving Time

20 minutes with a possible five-minute extension as dictated by the Officer in Charge

Minimum Return Air

1000 psi in an 80-cuft cylinder

Maximum Tether Distance

125 feet

Maximum Current

Shore based operation: 0.5 knots. Divers not trained and certified as moving water divers: 1.5 knots.

DOCUMENTATION & LOGGING

The following minimum information should be logged for every subsurface operation in each diver's logbook:

Total PSI used

Total time diving & total in-water time

Blood pressure before and after dive

Depth, current, other conditions

Surface air consumption rate

Respirations per minute (recorded every 5 minutes)

Weight, suit, cylinder used

Tender name, signature

OPERATIONAL PROTOCOLS

Right to Refuse: Any diver has the right to say "no" to any operation for any reason at any time.

Rescue Time: Anything up to 70 minutes from the time of the call.

Risk/Benefit Analysis: Must be done prior to making plan of action.

Profiler: Documents on the profile map every movement of the diver and log book information.

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Annual Dive Minimum

10 openwater dives annually, preferably in local conditions during drills or training

Tending Requirement

Serve as both primary and back-up tender: minimum 6 times each annually

Task-Specific Certification

Certification for the job at hand (underwater vehicle extrication, ice diving, drysuit, moving water, evidence handling, etc.)

Biennial Training

Must attend a training program at least once every two years, in addition to drills

Drill Requirements

Minimum of 6 drills or training sessions annually, with 12 sessions preferred

Post-Operation: Divers and tenders are responsible for making sure the scene is safe to leave, and all equipment is cleaned, checked, and properly stored.