---- Original Message -----
From: "Lee Bell" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [SCUBA-SE] SCUBA-SE] O2 tanks for boats [was: Emergency
Procedures - where'd u learn ? do you practice it ?]


> I'll Look for it.  I've done a fair amount of research on this.  Here are

I went looking for it on-line, but the mag does not publish it on-line. I
can scan and send privately to you, or if you can find the mag locally, all
the better.

> http://www.abysmal.com/pages/articles/inwater_recompression.html

I've read that one.

> Your description of the program is interesting.  I don't remember seeing
> anything on a diving harness.  I like that idea.  On the other hand, it
> sounds like, in the plan you describe, the O2 is under water with the
diver.
> I doubt that would be my choice.  I'd be more likely to go with surface
> supplied where the bulky amount of of O2 required could be managed better.

That's a pretty long hose to go to 9 m. :)

Also don't forget the pressure difference, hence you'll need to surface
supply O2 at quite high pressure. From personal experience, that means
special hoses and fittings, which are not cheap, and have a reg setup at
depth (or you'll run into problems with over or under supply of gas.

> Something you didn't mention that is clear in all of the reading I did, is
> that the victim needs to be monitored.  Pure O2 at 9 meters is a CNS
> toxicity risk.  This means that you have to deal with thermal protection
and
> gas for at least two divers, presumably only one of whom is in O2.

I didn't add the full procedure, as it's quite long. Basically they have at
least two tenders doing in shifts with the O2 cylinders, with a non-diver
doing the overall management.

> That's not a choice I have to make.  This is my own boat we're talking
about
> and I live in a diver's state in a country that has Coast Guard air and
sea
> evacuation facilities available.  In other words, the choice is already
> made.  Here's my plan.  You and others are free to advise differently
> provided the advise comes with some supporting reasons for differences.
> Keep in mind that the norm for my boat is to have only two divers, one of
> whom is me.  I occasionally have 4 but never more that.  I am the only one
> aboard I can be sure has the ability to operate the boat safely (my wife
can
> drive it in an emergency) and the only one on board I can be sure has any
> first aid training or lifesaving training.  I'm a Boy Scout (Eagle Scout
in
> fact) and Red Cross first aid trained and a former Red Cross Water Safety
> Instructor.  On the other hand, my wife is a former Red Cross Senior
> Lifesaver (lifeguard qualified in some jurisdictions) one of my dive
buddies
> is a firefighter and former paramedic and another is a police officer,
PADI
> instructor and police dive team leader.  Most of the dives done from my
boat
> are what I refer to as "dead boat" dives.  By this, I mean that there is
no
> body aboard the boat while we are diving.  We don't do particularly deep,
> high current or planned deco dives from a dead boat.  There is one or more
> chambers in each or the 4 counties I normally dive in (roughly 30 miles
> apart).
>
> Scenario 1 - Victim missed a deco stop, is still conscious with no
symptoms.
> Solution:  Diving is done for the day.  The oxygen's there.  He/she
breathes
> it and is loosely monitored while I retreive the anchor and head for
shore.
> Once on shore, options are considered.
>
> Scenario 2 - Victim has DCS symptoms, is still conscious.  Solution:
Diving
> is done for the day.  the oxygen is there, he/she breathes it and is
> monitored continuously.  Coast Guard is called for assistance and
evacuation
> to the nearest hyperbaric facility.
>
> Scenario 3 - Victim is believed to be a DCS victim and is not conscious.
> Solution: Same as above except monitoring is more intense.  This is the
> situation that will cause me to use a quick disconnect on the O2 regulator
> to allow me to swap the demand second stage for a demand mask or a
constant
> flow mask.  In fact, the odds are high that, when I have one, I will leave
a
> demand mask attached to the system.  It's just as useful for a conscious
> diver and is one more obvious difference between my O2 tank and the the
> scuba tanks available for use on the boat.

Actually the best piece of kit would be a oro-nasal mask (with sealing
skirt) and a bag, so that you can bag them if necessary (ie not breathing).
Alternatively you can use the trigger mechanism on some of the older units
such as the OxyViva. Note that you will require training to use either
correctly (a common mistake is ventilating at a too rapid rate). DAN sells
part of it (ie mask with O2 inlet and non-return valve for oral inflation),
but there is quite a nice portable unit I've come across with bag, that
unfortunately has too small a cylinder.

Looking at the above, you have no need for in-water recompression, as a
chamber is close by, and the risk is less if the victim is just put on pure
O2 and taken to one.

> Keep in mind that all of this started not because the risk of accident
> increased but because the options for dealing with an accident did.
> Previously, I had the same choices for calling in assistance but no
ability
> to deliver O2 immediately.

Very sensible; I would certainly have O2 if I had a boat I dive from.

> confidence that I'm on the right track.  Each person picks his/her own
> risks.  This is one I freely and knowingly accept.

I think this issue is different for everyone, depending on prior skill and
where they live; I think in NSW they will or may be a Good Samaritan law in
place, as we are apparently the third most litigious place (as in state) in
the world (according to my indemnifier). I applaude you for accepting the
challenge (meant in a nice way, not a denigration; we facial and voice
inflection to reflect this).

Cheers,
Poe Lim
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