Chapter 6- Rescue and Emergency Procedures Rescue and Emergency Procedures 185 If you are observing divers at the surface, watch for the following signs: • Treading high in the water with no air in the BC. • Abandonment of mask and mouthpiece. • Lack of response to signals or verbal communications. • Chin barely above water and gasping. • Continuous over-filling the BC. • Choking, coughing. • Diver face down with no signs of breathing. An interesting note is that divers in distress at the surface seldom call out for help or signal for assistance. Rescue Preparation You can’t simply jump into the water and go to the aid of a distressed diver when you recognize a dangerous situation. The better prepared you are to effect a rescue, the greater your chances of success. Rescue skills must be practiced if you expect them to succeed in a time of need. The following ways in which you can be prepared should be considered carefully: • Complete the NAUI Rescue Scuba Diver course. • Intercede only if the rescue is within your training and capability. Two victims are worse than one. • Don enough equipment to be able to rescue a diver. The minimum recommended equipment consists of mask, fins, and if a thick exposure suit is worn, a weight belt so you can descend if necessary. • Take some flotation with you that can be extended to the person in distress. A BC, life preserver, surface float, or even a cooler chest are good examples of items you can carry along (figure 6-5). • Instruct nearby divers, if trained and practiced, to don scuba gear and follow you on the rescue attempt. If the diver should sink and you are not able to reach him or her, the scuba divers behind you could reach the individual quickly. • Instruct nearby observers to point to the distressed diver’s location continually and to help guide you to him or her. • Instruct a nearby observer to standby to summon medical assistance if needed and to make ready the emergency equipment. • Monitor the condition of the rescuer, victim, and environment throughout the entire rescue. Entry and Approach Enter the water in a way that allows you to maintain visual contact with the victim. Swim with your head above water so you can keep the victim in sight. Using your arms to swim may make it easier to keep your head up. Swim quickly, but not as fast as you can, or you may experience a severe fatigue just as you need to assist the person in distress. Pace yourself and conserve energy for the actual rescue. As you approach the diver in distress, quickly assess the situation. Your first objective is to get the diver buoyant, floating on the surface. If you can get the victim to establish buoyancy, that is the best action. Use verbal commands. If the victim is panicky, cooperation is unlikely. The next best course of action is to extend flotation to the person in distress. If this cannot be done, position yourself behind the victim and establish his or her buoyancy. This can be done by inflating the diver’s BC or ditching his or her weight belt. As a last resort, make yourself buoyant and make contact with the victim. If it appears a diver is on the verge of exhaustion and is not buoyant, do not delay in your approach. If you FIGURE 6-5. SURFACE FLOATS ARE USEFUL TO REGROUP OR REST. are rescue trained, make contact as soon as possible and
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