Team Safety Article – always a good reminder
Every operation has its own set of unique demands and safety precautions, none-the-less there are common precautions pertaining to all operations. When called out the team should notify all related organizations that the Dive Team is activated. This would be organizations such as the EMS, Police, Fire Department, and Coast Guard (as needed). When operating […]
Read MoreBasic Search and Recovery
The first rule of search and recovery is to determine where the object went down, and start there. This is because in most situations, the object of search, whether, person, gun, boat or motor will be found in a radius equal to the depth of the water from the point it sunk. So if the […]
Read MoreLost Team Member
Most dive operations use a predetermined plan for lost contact. As soon as a diver loses his buddy, he proceeds right to the surface. When both buddies do this they should meet at the surface about the same time. When a diver surfaces he must give the ”OK” to the Divemaster, or do nothing. Many […]
Read MoreScene Setup
When first arriving on location every member of the team must be able to quickly survey and analyze the situation, then make sound decisions based upon observations. These actions will be influenced by all preplanning and training done before hand. When sizing up the situation rescuers must know the facts about the scene, understand the […]
Read MoreGases & Gas Laws
Gases Knowledge of how gases behave, or their characteristics requires absolute comprehension by the rescue diver. Keep in mind that the most common gas is air. Compressed air (air under pressure) is utilized by divers to breathe underwater. Oxygen is almost never utilized at depth. There are diving systems that use pure oxygen called CLOSED […]
Read MoreIn Water Resuscitation
In water resuscitation is providing a victim air while he is being brought to shore, or a boat. It can only be rendered on the surface, by mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-snorkel. The question on in water resuscitation is if it really saves a victim our adds to his problem. Brain death starts to occur in about […]
Read MoreDangers of Marine Life
Dive teams operate in the water environment, and because of this they must understand and respect it. Man can never conquer the ocean, anyone believing he can has no business on a dive rescue team. Only by working with the sea, can one strive to be one with the sea. By comprehending its flow and […]
Read MoreBasics of a Dive Accident
The two most serious dive related accidents are Air Embolism (arterial gas embolism), and Decompression Sickness (venous gas embolism). Heart attack, CVA, drowning, trauma, etc. are not diving accidents, though they may be aggravated by the act of diving. Consider all pressure related accidents as directly related to diving, and all other situations as whatever […]
Read MoreRecompression
There are two basic classes of diving emergency requiring recompression, air embolism (arterial gas embolism) and the Bends (decompression sickness). Air embolism is the most dangerous diving accident, and is an extreme medical emergency requiring immediate recompression. When a diving accident takes place, and recompression is required, the victim should be transported to a chamber. […]
Read MoreDecompression Sickness (The Bends)
Due to the gas laws that effect the diver he cannot go to any depth whenever he pleases. Almost everyone has heard of ”THE BENDS” from old movies and T.V. shows. The picture of the hard hat diver coming up in pain, in a storm, to have a cigarette before going back down to re-compress […]
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