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 in a port, notify the Coast Guard and let them make contact with the Port...
Winter Training, On the Go in the Cold
As the Temperatures drop, is your Dive Rescue / Recovery Team ready to respond to surface ice or Ice Dive Operations? At Team Lifeguard Systems we provide several extensive options for Winter training including but not limited to; SURFACE ICE RESCUE TECHNICIAN I & II CERTIFICATION COURSE as well as RAPID DEPLOYMENT ICE DIVING RESCUE / RECOVERY PROGRAM
Staying Connected to the Diver
We teach teams to put a figure 8 in the com line and attach it to our locking carabiner on our harness just like we would any tether line. We have been doing this for over 30 years and it works well. The com lines we have are used for hundreds of dives annually and we have no problems with them. Make sure to tuck the com wire (between the com line and the full face mask) into your harness so it’s not dangling. Attached is a...
Recovery Methods
Recovering objects from the bottom is divided into two divisions, light and heavy. Light objects are those that can be pick up by the recoverer himself. These objects present little hazard. The key to light recovery is that for the added weight. No matter how light the object recovered is the diver must maintain neutral buoyancy. When this is not done the diver must compensate by using muscle and this creates undue fatigue. When the...
Victim Retrieval
A pre-established protocol is essential for victim retrieval. When the team is looking for a body, there are many psychological effects on both the rescuer, and the victim’s family. If the team is in the rescue mode, meaning the victim has a chance of being viable. If the team is using a tender, a predetermined signal should be used to show the victim has been found. Once found the rescuer needs to get a firm grip on the victim...