[GarethB]

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Hi All

Having now decided that I am completely addicted to diving, it seems prudent to start understanding a little more about being a reponsible diver.

My main area of conern is that I am not familiar with the appropriate action to take in a suspected DCI case, within UK Water, both inland and at sea.

I have done a great deal of reading up, as I hope any responsible diver would, but would like the benefit of your experience in asking what is the appropriate action in a case like this. I'm not talking about first aid, that is what training is for, I'm talking about who do you call, 999? nearest chamber?, what information should you have at hand etc.

Ideally, I'd like to make out a "crib sheet" so that anyone, even with no experience, should be able to report in with the appropriate information to the appropriate people.

So, then, assuming all diving is in the uk,

who ya gonna call, and what you gonna tell them...

Gareth

 

[Dr Stevil]

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Dial 999 ask for Coastguard, even if you're inland as they are the ones who are used to handling DCI and will alert the RAF. I'd also suggest you sign up for the O2 and diver rescue courses appropriate to whichever agency you are with.
Steve

 

[Finless]

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Quote[/b] (Steve W @ Sep. 11 2003,13:59)]Dial 999 ask for Coastguard, even if you're inland as they are the ones who are used to handling DCI and will alert the RAF. I'd also suggest you sign up for the O2 and diver rescue courses appropriate to whichever agency you are with.
Steve

Seconded.  

 

[Darren27]

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Have a look at the DDRC website,

DDRC web page

They have a very good downloadable A4 poster/flowchart which very simply give info on what to look for and what then to do.  I always have a copy on the dive marshall board when diving so anyone can easily find it.

The other thing to do is to program a few numbers into your mobile phone.

01752 209999 DDRC emergency helpline
07831 151523 Royal Navy 24 hr emergency diving doctor

01224 681818 Aberdeen Infirmary hyperbaric unit (use in Scotland only)
these numbers will put you intouch with someone who can help, often useful if symtoms appear sometime later and they can give good advice.  But if in a real emergency use 999 and the coastguard.  I have been told even to ask for the coast guard if diving inland eg stoney as they are used to dealing with diving emergencies and will call out any other services that are needed.

The other good thing to do is to take an O2 course, interesting and could save a life one day.

Darren

 

[Darren27]

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Sorry the DDRC website is

www.ddrc.org

The emergency flowchart is here

DDRC Emergency Flowchart

Darren

 

[Chris Hall]

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Quote[/b] (Darren27 @ Sep. 11 2003,14:22)]The other good thing to do is to take an O2 course, interesting and could save a life one day.

<font color='#728FCE'>Never a more true comment made. Did the course and then use O2 for real in a rescue of a hypoxic diver in N.Ireland

Time & money spent on rescue training is definately not wasted.

Have printed the flow chart and going to laminate it, will also get copies of it to Diving & Training Officers of my club, Hudds BSAC18.

 

[Mark Chase]

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Am I out of date?

I thaught the recovery position for a concious DCI diver was flat on his / her back on the floor feet slightley elevated?

Looking at that flow chart that is a standard or unconcious position isnt it.

Mark Chase

 

[Tim Ingmire]

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Quote[/b] (Mark Chase @ Sep. 11 2003,17:33)]Am I out of date?

I thaught the recovery position for a concious DCI diver was flat on his / her back on the floor feet slightley elevated?

Looking at that flow chart that is a standard or unconcious position isnt it.

Mark Chase

Hi Mark,

I think the legs elevated is for divers in shock.  I made this same mistake during my Dive Leader exam.  You should not elevate the legs in the case of DCI.

Tim

 

[Darren27]

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If a diver was conscious then flat on the back on O2 would be my prefered option.  However if the diver was unconscious then aswell as dealing with a bend you have to treat the other symtoms aswell.  The recovery position gives the best support to a casualties airway and is easy to monitor their vital signs.

Either way avoid elevating any part of the body unless there is a pressing reason to do so, eg open wounds and serious loss of blood.

 

[Paul Oliver]

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Timing

Or Burst Lung - remember the 2 conditions are treated the same and there is no real need to try and differentiate between them.

Raising the legs will increase the heart pump priming and is primerily for treating shock except where DCI is present.

When i did the O2 course i remember noteing that the legs were raised in all treatment except DCI and BL. Looking through my instructor notes it is not mentioned much at all now.

Regards

Paul

 

[Mdemon]

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The idea of raising the legs is to increase the circulating blood volume - the lack of which is what causes shock.  Blood isn't pumped back through the veins as you might think - the action of the nearby muscles does that - so it just sits there.  The more blood available, the more O2 can be circulated to the bits that need it etc etc.

So, if someone is in shock, lay em down and raise their legs, and you reduce the shock - I think around two pints extra for your average bod is free'd up - it's a long time and my memory's getting fuzzy at this point.

You're right about raising the limb to stop bleeding from a wound though.

Having not done the course on DCI, can someone tell me why you shouldn't raise the legs in that case?  I'd love to know...

 

[Paul Oliver]

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M

On site DCI treatment is aimed at minimising the spread of any bubbles. We do this by keeping the cas laid flat and as motionless as possible.

Regards

Paul

 

[budgy]

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This isn't a question I could answer fully in a paragraph or a page .
Briefly: Most of the time I'd say we never plan or prepare sufficiently to prevent accidents or how to respond to them.  Whatever I say about surface support is a bit hypocritical as I'm often diving solo.    
When I read an accident/incident report, I try to puzzle out the what why and how things reallly went wrong. I look at the who and wonder how experienced the divers were and how dive fit.  Was it an equipment failure.  I look at the expedition organisation, the site selection, weather and tidal conditions.  I try to determine the extent of surface support and how they responded. Among the points I always look for are: Was there a kitted up, stand by diver to respond to a call for help. Was there a dive marshal recording a dive log, dive plan and an estimated max dive time. Did they have a first aid kit and O2 kit. Were they flying a dive flag. Did they have a spare cylinder of air to mount a search. What first aid did they perform.  How long did it take for them to provide emergency assistance.

 

[Mdemon]

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Cheers Paul