EMERGENCY DIVE PLANNING FOR ALL LOCATIONS
*EAP: Diving Emergencies, Non-Diving Emergencies, Missing Divers
*Cardio vascular problem
*Role of each Diver in case of accident.
*AVAILABLE EMS, Law Enforcement, Coast Guard, Navy, Air Ambulance
How are these activated
*URGENT CARE CLINIC: emergency room, hyperbaric chamber, physicians in dive medicine (Hodgsen)
Local Hazards: surf surge, entanglement-entrapment, marine species, environmental factors (weather)
Culture of unsafe divers, hazard marine life (bites, spiny, jellyfish)
FIRST AID KIT: what is in it. (MAINTAINED), appropriate for area and appropriate for group.
Plan on policy for O2 Administration. How much O2. How many divers
Emergency plan and procedure for every worst case scenario.
Other supplies AED, Medication, communication, tag-line, how often to test equipment.
DAN’s ROLE : Basic triage, consultation, referral, medical evacuation, (DAN travel assist), coverage,
Limited to diagnosis / local transportation.
LIMITS &Medical Concerns : Diver Training, EAP all familiar, Inform, Post-it and SEE IT,
Practice every 6 months (or more) – Drills that are consistent
WHAT IS A DIVING EMERGENCY : OWD + DEMP + OS NAD
OWD + Diver Emergency Management Provider + On-sight Neurological Assessment for Divers
Effective Practice (better that engage emotion – real world feel) – fake blood, bruising, vomit, act-real.
Debriefing is crucial – improve adequate PPE (Personal Protection Equipment)
EAP Emergency Action Plan
Three worst case scenarios:
Missing Diver – Non Responsive Diver – Injured diver
MISSING DIVER- recognize that a diver is truly missing (how) signs and symptoms
1) Lost dive buddy rule
2) Doesn’t resolve: Look for expelled air bubbles reaching the surface
3). Doesn’t resolve: next steps depend on how many people / divers are able to assist.
Dive Leader role with one person, two people, three people etc…
Last seen point: close to shore or out beyond 100 feet strategy depends on where.
Roles: Dive Leader is overseer, Searching diver (should be deliver leader),
back up support diver and or surface support (Dive Leader determines the responsibility of support)
Tools / equipment: kayak, walky-talky, 6 foot pole with ring clip (for search patterns), full tank
Kayaker and search diver go out together or meet at last seen point.
Kayaker brings out the pole with rope and drops at last seen point.
Diver proceeds down line to bottom of lake and secures pole (shoves pole down) into the lake bottom.
Pole sticks up and out about three feet. At top of pole is mechanism to connect a line to perform circular
Search patterns (depending upon visibility) the diver can adjust rope out between 4 ft. To 8 foot every rotation.
How do they know when to do this? Bottom composition, or slowly let out line 6 inches every kick.
Continue until the rope has been let out the entire length (100 foot?)
Steps upon diver found–
Responsive Diver- get to surface safely and soon to assess circumstance and address
NON RESPONSIVE DIVER.
ditch weight and inflate BCD and follow diver up (not going too fast as to be unsafe)
At surface -support (kayaker) to recognize and announce the condition of recovered diver. Call 911 if non responsive. attach diver to kayak and tow in. Have backboard ready to exit diver, check ABC’s, immediately perform CPR if necessary.
Steps if diver NOT found – dive buddy, pull up the pole and move to a revised location – start over.
Decision on when to contact additional support (dive team)
AFTER TWO COMPLETE ATTEMPTS TO FIND MISSING DIVER, Contact Sheriffs Dept Don Hamilton at _______________.
INJURED DIVER:
Depending on the severity of injury a decision will need to be made to call 911.
Type of typical injury: choking / coughing, bleeding, broken bone, heart attack / cardiac arrest (signs-symptoms).
Regarding ANY incident – immediately Contact Owner: Andrew Moblo at 231 519-6606,
231 834-5649, (wife Jean 231 519-4759)
Complete and fill out Accident Management document.
Statements to be purely factual, no opinions or elaboration (keep it simple).
Secure all of victims gear and do not disassemble (leave it just as is)
Debrief with all involved