Take Your Tech Diving Skills to the Public Safety Sector

Technical training may be a perfect baseline for any public safety diver. Technical training can teach a diver to perform tasks while close to the bottom but maintaining neutral buoyancy, and move excess items around on the body in a fashion that helps streamline equipment and reduce the effect on diver trim.

 

Black Water Search and Recovery Dive Training

Of all the diving performed by professional and commercial divers, black water diving has to be the most challenging on a purely psychological basis.

3 Ways PSD Teams Can Use Technology to Minimize Risk of an Out-of-Air Emergency

by Steve Smock:
Just like your family car utilizes technology that was born on the racetrack for top race car teams; available for Public Safety Dive Teams (PSD) is technology that was developed for the aerospace industry, military, scientific community and commercial diving. Depending on the mission, PSD teams routinely adopt dive techniques from all types of diving disciplines. So it only seems reasonable to adopt some of the equipment these professional divers use.

Here are three ways of many, to use technology that has its roots in other maritime industries, to increase the safety and effectiveness of your dive team when it comes to managing diver air consumption. This technology is available, appropriate and cost effective for most public safety dive teams.

1. Keep them on the surface:

sonar

Seems simple enough, kind of hard to have an out-of-air emergency if you never get in the water in the first place. So, if the operation does not warrant the immediate deployment of a diver, why not consider using SONAR? Sonar has been around since the beginning of WWI to assist in the detection of submarines. Today not only navies, but also scientists, engineers and archaeologists use sonar technology to assist them in their operations. They rely on sonar technology to provide protection, increased productivity, effectiveness and cost efficiency. These professionals would not be able to, or even consider doing a mission, research project, or construction job without this invaluable tool. Neither should the professional PSD teams.

PSD teams can achieve the same benefits as their professional counterparts by using this same technology. Using sonar to limit dive search times, consistently find targets, visually monitor divers, and provide an additional security measure equals a safer, more productive and effective dive team. With this comes the added benefit of being cost efficient, which we know is something that can repay itself in the form of additional equipment, personnel and training.

sonar

Sonar should be looked at as a piece of gear that assists the diver, not takes the place of. One of the many advantages of sonar is it doesn’t require air to work. In fact most sonar won’t work well for very long in an air environment. Without worrying about air consumption you can run sonar for hours, record, verify search coverage and document multiple targets with recordings and GPS for later reference. Technology of sonar systems has advanced to where within a couple of training sessions, the average first responder who doesn’t make it a career working in this field, can deploy and achieve a workable image of the bottom. Most manufacturers have built products and software with the average PSD team in mind. As with the race car analogy, they have taken the technology and met the requirements that it be “drivable” for the average PSD team; meaning, it is simple enough to remember the basics, quickly deployable, portable and most importantly, works. Using sonar demonstrates to the public and management a degree of sophistication and professionalism while most importantly decreasing or even eliminating the chance of an out-of-air emergency.

2. Give them unlimited air:

Okay, so now the sonar has done its job, you have possible or verified targets and it’s time to splash divers. So why not give them unlimited air? The best thing about using surface supply air is: as long as you have full scuba tanks on the surface, your diver will have air at depth. Surface supply systems for PSD teams have been around since the early 70’s. They are portable, require a minimum amount of training (ERDI has a Interspero SSA course) and are extremely reliable. The equipment is proven and professional, it is the same gear being used in the demanding commercial dive profession. In addition, surface supply systems give you a strength rated tending line, camera, reliable two-way voice communications, redundant air systems and a harness to pull a diver out in case of an emergency.

technology

In traditional SCUBA the diver really has two jobs, monitor his equipment to ensure it continues to deliver air and perform the task he was sent in to do. Depending on the skill and experience of the diver, the job of diving his equipment can sometimes overtake the focus of what his primary job is. With surface supply, the diver is free to focus on his primary task. He has a complete support team on the surface that is helping him dive. They are monitoring his air consumption, air supply, emergency air supply and depth. The support team can tell by listening to the diver’s respiratory rate if he/she is working too hard, has anxiety, is panicking or some other medical condition. The diver can hear and speak clearly to support personnel, receive further instructions, be advised to support another diver, and provide a live video feed. Further, the helmet, combined with a dry suit, is the best protection against contaminated water and head trauma.

If the purchase of a helmet is not possible or you need additional capabilities, a surface supply set up can be used with a full face mask for just about all the same advantages including air consumption. PSD teams may also want to consider the use of a buoyancy compensator with this system. This is a debate among some in the industry but many teams have used it with great success.

Regardless of how you piece together the components of the surface supply system, with training and minimal maintenance this dive mode will offer your team one of the safest ways to conduct a public safety dive operation. There are PSD teams which have an understanding that surface supply will be used as the primary dive mode unless it is impractical or infeasible to use.

3. Give them the most efficient breathing rig:

Sometimes you have to get in and do it the old school way and just dive it. But why not dive it with new school technology. Rebreather technology has been improving since Henry Fleuss first invented a commercially acceptable rebreather in 1878. Since then manufacturers have continually developed safer rigs and training agencies have and are continually improving training programs and standards. The public safety diver can take advantage of what technical divers have known for years. With this technology the diver can have hours versus minutes of air availability. With the use of mixed gas, divers can go deeper, stay for longer periods of time and have shorter surface intervals over open circuit diving. Numerous articles are written about the pros and cons of rebreathers and types of rebreathers. You will have to decide which one, if any, is right for your team. However, one way of minimizing the cons is to look at the simplest rig to operate; a mechanical, semi-closed system. There are rigs in this category that offer up to a 10 to 1 ratio of air consumption vs. open circuit. Two of these rigs can take the place of up to 15 tanks. An example of this is: during a recent dive we had four divers and two semi-closed rigs. The first two divers did a 130-foot dive for about 30 minutes. After surfacing, the other two divers donned the rigs and dove the same profile. After surfacing, there was enough air for a third dive at the same depth and time, all using the same tank. For operating in small boats, that is quite a bit of welcomed room.

rigs

Our Team is fortunate enough to possess systems in each of these categories. I have purposely left out the names of the manufacturers. Our opinion is that we have purchased the best systems on the market, but it can be a bit like picking Chevy or Ford, Cowboys or Redskins. Anyone who has been to a dive trade show or flipped through a dive catalog knows each manufacturer believes they have a better mousetrap, and indeed they should believe that, they are selling divers equipment they depend on to keep them alive in a harsh environment. Fortunately for you and your team, you would have to look long and hard to find a piece of gear that is inherently flawed and poses a liability.

The best thing is to research the product by talking with other agencies that have the equipment, visit with the manufacturer or at least a rep, “test drive” the gear and evaluate the product with your team’s budget, mission requirements and existing equipment integration in mind. Once you decide and purchase a system, stick with that system. Train on it, know all the pros and cons, develop a relationship with the manufacturer or retailer for continued support and build your capabilities around the equipment. Mixing and matching dive components usually just creates confusion and leads to nothing more than a customized flawed system. Most critically, one that you’re responsible for and your dive team is depending on.

There are many ways and several steps in developing the safest dive plan possible for public safety divers. Asking these three questions is a good starting point:

  1. Is there an alternative to putting divers in the water?
  2. If I do put divers in, how can I give them the most amount of air?
  3. How can I maximize their air consumption?

There are of course many other ways to answer these questions than I have suggested, and other forms of technology and dive modes. Since the vast majority of dive fatalities are a result of running out of air, public safety dive teams should be aware of the benefits of technology other industries can provide to reduce this risk. Your family is much safer today driving down the road because of advances in technology, so why shouldn’t you and your team be safer because of it also?


Steve Smock
Public Safety Dive Team Supervisor

Preview of DEMA 2016 Seminars

Basic Skills Tech Divers Tend to Get Lazy With

One thing we must ponder is, what is the culture within the “Tech Diving Community” when it comes to currency and proficiency of basic tech diving skill sets?

In Defense of Diapers

A rebuttal to the last couple of TDI Newsletter articles on the discussion and use of P-valves for Dry Suits.

Keep Your Cool: What to Do in a Dive Emergency

by Josh Norris:
dive emergency
There is no way to tell what your reaction will be during an emergency until you actually go through it. For all of you out there who believe that knowing CPR and going through a three day rescue course has you prepared to face some of the horrible things that could go wrong in scuba diving, you are incorrect. Let us be honest for a moment. The rules of CPR seem to change more often than some of us change our shirts. Many people believe that giving rescue breathes in the water while dragging someone out is simply a waste of time, and there will be someone there to tell you all about the things you did wrong even if you pull someone to safety. Despite the many opinions out there, there is no way to predict when something will go bad. The only thing we can do as divers is try to be as prepared as possible for when they do. Believe it or not, under the water is not a natural place for human beings to play around. So how do you keep your cool and stay calm during an emergency situation?

Man the Hell Up!!

There are certain moments in life where you realize the universe is giving you an opportunity to prove yourself. Seeing a loved one, or regular dive buddy, trying to hold onto life while you desperately attempt to help them could be just the opportunity for you to step up and knock it out of the park. While this is obviously not an ideal scenario, the world is simply not an ideal place. After all, no one made you get in the water to begin with. The adrenaline rush and sense of adventure is what drove many of us into diving in the first place. Without that basic need to push further and further, there would be no use in wreck diving or all of cave country. We could all be satisfied by seeing the pretty reefs at 40 feet. However, no one actually watches a NASCAR race to see people drive in circles. The wrecks make it worth it right? Just like no one wants to watch a soccer match for nine hours just to see people faking knee injuries every twenty seconds. The point is that because we push further into caves/wrecks and because we dive deeper and deeper, the chance for some really bad stuff to happen increases exponentially. Finding the inner beast to do what needs to be done may just mean the difference to someone. Dragging someone out of the water half dead may be better than pulling them out a few days later and trying to collect from your dive insurance.

Do Not Hesitate!

Once you make the decision to intervene with someone to help, you better not stop until that individual is safe, killing you, or dead. There is no room for a half measure when it comes to emergencies. Wrapping your head around this notion is necessary in staying calm in the midst of something chaotic. Once you make the conscious decision that you will not stop, everything else becomes easy. Either you will succeed or you will die trying right? Either way, no one has time for you to second guess yourself. If you were wrong and misinterpreted the actions of your dive buddy as a sign of distress, then fight it out on the surface or at the bar. Maybe they should not have been acting erratically while diving to begin with. When it comes to dive professionals, there is a big line in the sand it seems. When should a pro get involved with someone? What if that person is not my student? What if the other Instructor ends up hating me? Who cares? If someone is in trouble, or you think they are in trouble, then you should probably go ahead and help out. If someone sees me stroking out in the water, please send me to the surface and help me get out of the water. I promise that I will not hate you for ruining my dive. All of that said, DO NOT be the guy who has to stick their nose into everyone else’s business at every turn. There is still a learning curve in diving and some take a bit more time to learn than others.

What is the Worst that Could Happen?

So you may have found yourself in an emergency situation, and your mind is racing with all of the information you could possibly remember. Take a moment and think about this though; what is the absolute worst case scenario for you? I always tell my students, in a very matter of fact way, that “Josh is gonna be alright.” In essence, I will go through hell trying to save you but if it comes down to it; I will walk away and be just fine. Any time there is a diving incident, there are so many people who want to point to the Instructor or dive operation and scream that it is their fault. Whatever happened to bad things just happening sometimes? No one expects for a high pressure hose to explode under water 200 feet down or 7,000 feet into a cave, but it happens sometimes. Good luck trying to sue the Chinese guy who made it. Sometimes bad things just happen. Ironically, bad things seem to happen to the nicest of people. So when you are handed the chance to help out, think about how bad it could possibly be. Try to do the right thing and everything will be alright.

So basically, there is no magic answer to staying calm during an emergency. I would say that all you need to do is pop a couple of Xanax before your dive and you will be calm no matter what. However, there are so many things wrong with that. As long as you understand that the longer you stay in diving, the more likely you are to run into a bad situation; you will become more and more prepared. That does not mean that you should bust out the red cape and start a new superhero scuba trend. All it means is that no matter what, you should have a basic understanding of what is right and what is wrong. As long as you stay on the “what is right” side of things, a bad situation will work out one way or another.


– Josh Norris
Owner/Instructor – Air Hogs Scuba, Garner, NC

These Boots Were Made for Diving: Warm and Cold Water Boots

These Boots Were Made for Diving: Warm and Cold Water Boots

by Dr. Thomas Powell:
warm and cold water boots
Divers of all types often worry about thermal protection and water temperature. No one wants to be cold when they hit the water. This fact is especially true if a diver is planning a long dive. Temperature is definitely something that can cause a diver to complain. The surface weather may be too hot or too cold. The water temperature may drastically change as a diver crosses thermoclines. Despite these issues, divers will still brave the elements and hit the water.

One thing divers rarely complain about is having feet that feel too warm. The truth of the matter is that no one likes cold toes, but warm and cozy toes in the water can make for a pleasant dive. Every day in dive shops around the country, divers often buy the standard boots that the shop has on display. What many people do not realize is that there are more boot types out there than you can really count.

First

First, you have standard neoprene boots. Just like wetsuits, they come in different thicknesses based on what a diver prefers. Just like a wetsuit, the thicker the material the more thermal protection a diver will get from the boots. A secondary thickness factor that many divers do not think about is fin sizing. I do not mean the size of your typical recreational fins for warm water, but instead, the size of the fins a diver would wear with his or her dry suit. In many cases, wearing a thicker boot for wet diving will help fill the space in a pair of larger fins worn with a dry suit. Remember that dry suits often call for a diver to wear a shoe size larger than normal. This space allows for added insulation layering if needed. I have discovered that if I wear 6mm wet boots with the larger fins I use with my dry suit, I only need one pair of fins for both types of diving (dry or wet).

Second

Second, dive boots may come in low-top or high-type design. Remember that the objective of any item used for thermal protection is to trap water against the skin creating a pocket of water at body temperature. High-top boots often provide more thermal protection since the boot is constructed to sit higher on a diver’s ankle. Simultaneously, if a pair of high-top boots is too tight, calf cramping may ensue. Any boot that is too tight can cause foot cramping. High-top boots may also have zippers or fasteners to allow the diver to put on the boot with greater ease. Low-top boots are better designed for warm water and minimal thermal protection needs. Low-top boots are designed for comfort, foot stability, and to provide support while wearing open-heeled fins.

Soft or thin

Soft or thin soles are found on many typical inexpensive booties used for scuba. These soles are glued or stitched to the neoprene foot pocket. This type of sole provides basic foot protection, but more than anything provides traction beneath a diver’s foot. Most low-top booties and some high-top booties are designed with thinner soles.

Hard or thick

Hard or thick soles are one boot factor that a diver should consider if you have to trek any considerable distance to the water, or will spend any time on uneven ground. For instance, if a diver is carrying cylinders through the wilderness to a dive site, and is forced to make multiple trips, foot protection is critical. Similarly, if an entry point is located on a rocky beach, like many entry points in Bonaire, hard soles can prevent stone bruises. Essentially, hard soles are more like the ones you find on a typical shoe. They provide a higher level of protection and support, but also cause boots to be more rigid.

Over-boot

Another type of boot that many divers use is an over-boot. Not all dry suits come with mounted boots. Many individuals purchase dry suits with soft feet so that an over-boot can be worn over the soft foot pocket. Over-boots may be made of many different materials. Some lace up like tennis shoes and some have different forms of straps. The goal is to choose what is most comfortable and suits your needs.

There are many different types of boots a diver may choose to wear. Different boots are designed to provide different values and even to be worn in different environments. When you purchase boots for diving, you should look at where you will be diving, and what needs may be prevalent. Then look for a boot design that meets those needs.


– Dr. Thomas Powell
Owner/Instructor Trainer – Air Hogs Scuba, Garner, NC

World’s Largest Underwater Clean Up


SDI/TDI/ERDI is proud of our very own Ahmed Gabr for achieving another new Guinness World Record, the World’s Largest Underwater Clean-up which was recorded in Egypt on June 5, 2015. Ahmed organized the world’s largest underwater clean-up at the marina of the Hilton Plaza Hotel in Hurghada, Egypt. The official Guinness World Record is recorded as “The Most Participants in an Underwater Clean-up (Single Venue)” with 614 people, beating out the previous record of 300 people.

Ahmed was was originally planning to set the record with 400 participants, but many more divers came out to support him and the cause of giving back to our oceans in celebration of the World Environment Day. The event was greatly supported by the Egyptian government; the Minister of Tourism, Khaled Rami, as well as the governor of ‪‎Red Sea,‬ Mr. Ahmed Abdullah, who both participated in the event.

Ahmed Gabr is an SDI/TDI Instructor Trainer, and former Egyptian Army officer. He is also the only ERDI Instructor and certified US Combat Diver in the Middle East. He also holds two other world records for Deepest Scuba Dive (male) and Deepest Sea Dive.

For the purposes of this record, an underwater clean-up is defined as a continuous operation in which divers wearing breathing apparatus search an underwater area for man-made waste products with the aim of removing them from the natural environment.