46 replies to this topic

[Dive_Girl]

I'm gearing up to co-teach our first Rescue Dive class of the Spring and I always find re-reading great threads such as these so valuable from the perspective of what future Rescue/Stress & Rescue Divers are expecting or looking for, what divers who have gone through similar level programs have had to say, and valuable observations and commentary from other instructors.

Spring is always a great time to take a Rescue course as it tends to be the start of the more busy dive season. What a way to refresh your skills and familiarity with your dive gear if you've been topside for a while.

A perk I throw at my former Rescue Diver students, if that they can join and participate in any current Rescue Diver course for free. What a great way to keep your skills fresh and current. Taking the class one time may not be enough when a real situation occurs if you don't have some form of "muscle memory". Do instructors or shops in your area do something similar?

Are there any SD members out there contemplating a Rescue course this year? While I think it is one of the most important levels of diving to reach for both personal safety and the safety of your fellow div buddies, I am curious what other reasons may draw a diver into eventually taking such a course.

[waterphoto]

What got me to do rescue (leading to DM)...doing a beach dive with someone I love in very difficult conditions and having him end up in ER that night due to non-diving related health issues. I realized that had his attack happened in the water, I would have been unable to assist. I also realized that the chances were great that I would be diving with someone I love and that if something happened it would be with someone I love and I needed to know what to do to save them.

The class was the most physical challenge I have experienced. My instructor was smart enough to realize that I would likely be diving with 200 lb men, not 110 lb women and that I better be able to rescue them. I'm only 5'5 and 120 lbs, so it took many tried to rescue, but I did it. And, good thing, because I saved a woman's life on a night dive and if it weren't for this class, her teenage son would have watched her die.

Everyone that dives, should do the rescue course.

[Twinklez]

Everyone that dives, should do the rescue course.

For various reasons my rescue class has been delayed and delayed. I've read, and as some of you know I've did my freestyle swim this last weekend; but I've not had the opportunity simulate rescues. I can hardly wait. I want to do them over and over again until I get them absolutely right.

IMHO - This class, over all others, should be the next class anybody takes after OW. I was a little fortunate that NAUI allows an instructor to add material if he/she feels it will benefit the diver during their training. So in OW we learned minimal CPR, tired buddy tow, OOA drills, simulated an emergency swimming ascent, and simulated a deep water rescue.

If you have the opportunity to take the class - you should. If you don't have the opportunity - I recommend making the opportunity. Your life is worth it...let alone someone else's.

[intotheblue]

The class was the most physical challenge I have experienced. My instructor was smart enough to realize that I would likely be diving with 200 lb men, not 110 lb women and that I better be able to rescue them. I'm only 5'5 and 120 lbs, so it took many tried to rescue, but I did it. And, good thing, because I saved a woman's life on a night dive and if it weren't for this class, her teenage son would have watched her die.

Everyone that dives, should do the rescue course.

Good for you... and good for us 200 lb men... we get to save you 5'-5" 120# women!

Kudos on the rescue!

ITB...

[konascubagirl]

IMHO - This class, over all others, should be the next class anybody takes after OW. I was a little fortunate that NAUI allows an instructor to add material if he/she feels it will benefit the diver during their training. So in OW we learned minimal CPR, tired buddy tow, OOA drills, simulated an emergency swimming ascent, and simulated a deep water rescue.

During my OW training (PADI) I also learned the things T mentioned above. The deep water rescue, CPR, and tow are not standard part of OW training, but my instructor felt that these are basic skills and should be taught at the beginning of dive training. I guess what you learn probably is very dependant on whom you choose as an instructor. I am soooo glad I learned these things early, as I needed to use them on my very first diving vacation! After I get my Instructor card in June, I will absolutely be including basic first aid in my classes. It just makes sense.

KSG

[Dive_Girl]

I was a little fortunate that NAUI allows an instructor to add material if he/she feels it will benefit the diver during their training. So in OW we learned minimal CPR, tired buddy tow, OOA drills, simulated an emergency swimming ascent, and simulated a deep water rescue.

That's a good observation. I always remembered that about NAUI courses (I used to independently teach PADI courses through a NAUI shop). I was happy when PADI modified their OW program over a year ago to introduce OW students to Rescue skills from the Rescue Diver course.

[grock]

My advice is put some thought into your partner. I ended up pulling a girl on to the beach and she had to weigh 250 lbs. Three times. Atleast now I know that I can pull just about anybody out of the water.
Patrick

...and thats a good point. At least you know you can do that if you have too. When a diver is in trouble, you don't get to choose what they look like or how much they weight. As they say in the Army..."train as you fight..."

[finGrabber]

I"d have to agree that Rescue has been the most gratifying cert I've done...you learn alot about helping and being aware, but you also learn alot about yourself too

I learned, among other things, that I can egress a man who is 6'4" and weighs about 240 or so up stairs with my gear on

[Dive_Girl]

And I learned that training can also be fun and hilarious - like the time one of my poor students was depants after his swim trunks were caught on the edge of the pool while his buddy was pulling him out - my DM got mooned!

There was another time when one of our male students got overzealous during the rescue scenarios that he forgot to deploy his mouth mask and actually tried to put his mouth on my male assistant. My male assistant stopped him my abruptly yelling "DUDE - DON'T KISS ME!" The other student and I were laughing so hard, I couldn't talk!

[Twinklez]

Here it is - my experiences in a NAUI Rescue class consisting of 1 student...me! :-)

My class started about 3 months back when I attended the first aid / cpr class taught by my shop. To answer an earlier question - if the instructor at your shop is qualified to teach first aid then they can offer it; otherwise you must obtain it on your own. Additionally, if you already have it on your own and only need it renewed there is no need to take it from anyone else. It's just that it's a must-have.

Because I was the only student I used the books, dvd and audio cd for self-study. I did the workbook and reread some things like what in the world is a pneumo-thorax? What I found is that it's not as important to know each and every detail about the specific maladays as it is to know when and how to effect a rescue; and to know that regardless of the situation it is NEVER SAFE to effect a rescue. It is a calculated risk you chose whether or not to take based on your training, physical ability, confidence and skill, and any other details that make each and every situation unique. Weigh ALL of the information carefully!

A few weeks back...3 or 4...I did a 225 meter freestyle swim in the Comal River. I'm told that's not required for a NAUI Rescue diver, but is required of a NAUI Advanced Rescue diver. My shop teaches the Advanced curriculum and requires Advanced skills, but certifies for regular Rescue. Many other shops I have spoken with do this as well. It has to do with recertification requirements of an Advanced Rescue diver and potential liabilities for the certified diver as a result of Advanced certification.

The swim was one of the hardest things I've had to do physically in a lot of years. I had a crowd of divemasters and instructors on the shore, and several new divemasters in the water swimming (with fins) right along side me cheering and encouraging. At one point...about 30 meters from my finish I wanted so badly to grab hold of the wall and quit. I looked up and saw Steve Lockhardt staring down at me and growling "Don't you dare!" "I'm going!" Those were the only words I could manage from my mouth except to growl at the instructor on his back in front of me to "shut up" as he shouted "You can do it!" A the end of my distance sat another divemaster with a rope in his hand yelling "grab the rope." My mind was now saying "throw the freaking rope out here" but no words would come from my mouth. I reached the stairs and wanted to vomit. I wanted to...I wanted to get the sick feeling out of my stomach. I was being hugged and congratulated by many people as I sat in the water on the stairs. I was in my swimsuit alone...the water was 71 degrees which isn't all that warm, but I did not feel it. I was numb. I could not talk. I did not talk. The crowd went on with their training and I sat there on the stairs, and after 10 minutes...I cried. Last year I could not swim...May 7 will be my one-year anniversary for being certified. I just swam a 225 meter freestyle in 5 min and 29 seconds. I wiped my tears and smiled. Another woman I dive with came over and asked if I was ok... "yeah, I'm ok...just really tired." In 6 months, I'll do a 450 freestyle in the same river in less than 10 minutes for my divemaster cert.

Last Thursday night they brought me back to the pool. It was the last day of an OW class getting ready to certify this weekend. Basic skills, tired buddy tow, and rescue a 360# diver from the bottom of the pool (wearing a 14-year old BC that barely floats). The others were coached and guided - I was tested. I should know these things - I did. We also played in what I call the pool of sharks. The instructor and DM's send us to the deep end of the pool to practice bouyancy and swim around us randomly issuing commands for skills and OOA drills. I did 2 or 3 OOA's and a dozen reg recoveries and mask remove/replace. I was surprised there was no task loading of more than one command at a time. I was relieved as well, but felt that if there was I would be ok with that.

Rescue Weekend in Open Water - April 29 - Saturday

I'll start by saying my thighs are killing me. My calves aren't so bad...but my thighs...need some definate attention! My day started at 8:30 am and ended at 8:35 pm! My instructor for the day, Dean Pennington, was also teaching an AOW class today so all of my dives were done in conjunction with AOW.

Dive 1 was confirmation of basic skills - OOA drills, mask clears, reg remove/replace and recovery, bouyancy; then played with a lift bag and a 25# anchor going up and coming down. When all was done instructor dismissed everyone from the platform except me then sprawled out on the platform in drowned diver position. This is not a little guy...and he was in doubles with a pony. Grab his shoulder straps and upright him, start finning and find his inflator, put a little air in so as not to go too fast but give a bit of help...keep finning...hit the surface and he's rolled back over in the water...sorry I come first...air in my bc, then roll him over quickly and air his bc fully...check pulse, yell for help...reg out, mask off...start counting and breathing and keep finning. Because he was in doubles, drysuit, bp/w with a hog, we didn't go for the remove gear part of the skill; but I towed him quite a ways. I had demonostrated my ability to strip a diver down well before shore along with my doffing my own gear a couple of nights back in the pool. Well done he said! (Not good enough for Steve, my other instructor...didn't say why...but not good enough. Later I found out it was because I hadn't swam out...we did it from the platform so I didn't have my required distance to the victim initially.)

Dive 2 was a surface swim to the marker bouy for the plane. It was a wreck survey and navigation dive combined with a simulated deep dive. We were to surface swim to the plane, descend and gather information, then head back to the shore line using the asmuth we shot before descent and use natural navigation to get back to our entry dock...then at a heading of 130 for 10 minutes we should have hit the silo which is a little over 60 ft deep most days...stay there 1 minute...ascent half depth and hover 1 minute...ascend to 15 ft and hover 3 min...then surface. I won't go into to too much detail except to say that the instructions were way too complex for this group of divers... my buddy and I did get our "deep" dive and did the required stops, another buddy pair followed us but one had clearing problems and had to abort before hitting a depth deep enough to simulate a half/depth stop and a 15ft stop.

Dive 3 was a surface swim to the boat...long surface swim...gather some information, then the AOW students head off in one direction with the DM and the instructor and I head off in another. He wanted me to navigate back to our platform where we did skills and from there...continue on toward our entry dock. Well, when I get to following a compass I stretch out and start finning with consistent deep strokes. We were moving along at a decent clip...he's hanging with me...we pass the first platform, on to the second...and he motions me forward at the same heading..ok...about 5 minutes later he motions for me to let him lead. So he slides on past me and I see he's got a string attached to him trailing off to the distance. He gives the dumb look, and I show him where it's clipped to his BC. We follow the string back to the real that he planted in the hydrilla and start winding it back up. When all is situated we cruise along the shore line. He starts fumbling around with his reals again which are behind his pony...then when he can't find what he wants there he reaches up to his shoulder and unsnaps his pony letting it hang upside down from the bottom snap. Duh!!! This one didn't work because I caught him in the act. I pointed, he shrugged we hooked it back up and and we surfaced....oh no...not done.

"Ok...I see that you can move along pretty fast so we're gonna surface swim to that bouy over there and descend on that platform - as quickly as we can." (This is where he incorporated the required swim out distance for a rescue.) My thighs were killing me...ok...keep cranking. I pull my mask off and slide it up on my arm when I surface swim so I don't have to breath through my mouth quite so much. I don't know what's coming...just what we're doing. We hit the bouy and he says...you've got a diver drowning come save him. He's gone...straight down he goes. I pull my mask on, reg in and flip over head first following...he's quick and has already managed to wrap the bouy line around his doubles in ways I didn't think one could tie knots. That was the easy part and he was untangled quickly...but had let out as much air as he could from his bc and dry suit...and it was time to pull him to the surface...again!

Up we go...we hit the surface and I see Steve (Instructor Trainer - shop owner) in his lawn chair on the dock watching my rescue. Call for help, air in my BC, inflate his bc fully, roll him over, check pulse, reg out, mask off, count and breath, start finning...slow down counting...breath, keep finning, getting closer to the dock, count, breath, finning, start pulling my gear off...they didn't make me pull him up the stairs...then drilled me on what to do with his gear, what else I do besides call for help, what do I do when I get him out of the water, documentation, managing the scene etc. Steve told me later that I answered all of the questions the way he wanted me to answer them and gave me a few pointers like let someone else do CPR since' I'll be tired from the tow and since I effected the rescue I'd know more about documentation or would serve better doing scene management (barking orders). Great dive!

Dive 4...night dive! We surface swim to a distant platform...more work on my thighs....then descended and began searching for the alligator that's hidden in the rocks. First time I've ever found him so that was cool...and we did it at night even! Then we start heading back to the dock underwater...Dean decides that his doubles are getting low so he puts it in turbo mode...the guy was cranking along really fast...I found myself floating up because my breathing was getting heavy...we all floated up some...relax and fin...just fin...did I say my thighs are sore? :-) We searched for that alligator about 15 minutes but made it back to our dock in 5 minutes...we moved!

It was a long day - started at 8:30 am and ended at 8:35 pm (not including packing up and the drive home.) That's how I like to dive...I like to feel it when I'm done...to be totally whipped after the last dive of the day. :-)

Tomorrow I dive at 8:30am and it's almost 11:30, so off to bed with me!

[Twinklez]

Sunday, April 30 - Last Day of Rescue at Tyler State Park.

Dive 1 - Meet the instructor at the platform when we're all geared up. No problem. Another surface swim, but a short one. Descent on the bouy line. I have four men to keep together...I can handle that! :-) This platform is much closer to the bottom so much easier to silt up the area and silt up they did! No problem...just hover or kneel at the platform. We played with lift bags and reels this time. I've only done that once before. Two different types of reels. The first was a piece of cake...loosen the screw, thumb on line, use my octo to fill and let her go. "Do over!" "What?" "Oh...not enough air...bag hit and went flat." Second attempt was great! What? Next reel...this one is different. Hey, I'll be cool and fill it from the air leaving my reg like my instructor did...smooth move. The bag got stuck on my reg...no worries...not full so I'm ok...let's try that again ... it fills and it's not stuck, but in my fumbling I managed to loop the line around something on the reel and it won't let out...I tug at the dump line and it's not dumping...the bag is pulling me to the surface and I don't even realize it. We're sitting at 15ft on the platform, so no worries but a fantastic lesson learned - let go of the damned bag...better to lose it than to lose your life. Ok...do over...all is well. Not done...Dean decides to deflat both bags at once and rolls around a few times in the process...uh oh...diver tangled in his line...it's wrapped everywhere, his tanks, legs, arms, ..... and he's not stopping what he's doing...throw up the hand..."wait!"... I untangle...smile...and he winds up his line. Surface interval done floating in the water with some discussion of reels and lift bags.

Dive 2 - Lots and lots of navigation...from our resting spot near the shore shoot an asmuth to the bouy marker at the platform and navigate there. Wait on the platform for the instructor. Buddy pair one...past the platform...buddy pair two...looks like their dead on. My reading is 240...my instructor reads 230...he says follow 230...we end up in the brush pile next to the platform. No prob, we see the platform and we're fine. Up we go... Now navigate to the swim platform across the lake...one buddy take navigation on the way there and the other navigate the recipricol back to the platform. I'm still 10 degrees different from everyone else...instructor does the hug from behind and checks out my compass...yep...10 degrees off. Hmmm... well, 300 and here we go....over the brush pile...there is this huge...I mean huge... bass looking me straight in the face...like he wants a kiss. He's not moving...hope he's not hungry. Do I look like food? I'm not your sweetheart and though you're pretty I've got work to do so I'm moving on big fishy! We continue forward...we come up about 10 yards to the left of the swim platform and swim on over to it looking for trash and other things in the water, then we turn and head back. It's Dean's turn to nav...we overshoot the platform and do a search pattern...a square that gets smaller and smaller until we find the platform in cloud of silt. Two divers are waiting there for us. Two more divers show up. All accounted for! Dean excuses his AOW students and pulls in his reels and lift bags...he motions for me to take up the bouy marker and line and we make our exit.

Debrief...self critique, buddy critique (I need to slow down), and log our dives. Dean says I am now officially a Rescue diver. I'll believe it when I hear it from Steve!

My advice to anyone taking this class...put your heart in it. Don't just get through it...learn it, do it and be very good at it.

Counting to 5 and breathing while remembering to prepare the diver to exit the water is difficult...if you learn the physical process of doffing another diver's gear while towing, and prepping your own gear to be doffed at the same time until it becomes second nature, then you go into an automatic mode and can think about giving respiration at the right intervals without having to concentrate so hard on the other stuff that you have to do at the same time.

Be alert, be aware and don't be afraid to stop someone and point something out that looks like something small...a clip unclipped, something hanging or dragging, that may become a problem during the dive. The best rescue is the rescue that never has to happen.

[solodiver in nj]

Hey Twinklez...Congratulations!!!!

Great post, I can't believe all of the requirements for Naui. I was reading that thinking, "mine was nothing like that", I wonder if it was because we had 6 students as opposed to just an individual. Then again, the instructor(s) always makes it, maybe you just had better instructors, anyway, Congrats!!

[Twinklez]

Hey Twinklez...Congratulations!!!!

Great post, I can't believe all of the requirements for Naui. I was reading that thinking, "mine was nothing like that", I wonder if it was because we had 6 students as opposed to just an individual. Then again, the instructor(s) always makes it, maybe you just had better instructors, anyway, Congrats!!

Thank you!

My instructors are awesome! I'm very pleased with how the training went. I stressed to both Dean and Steve that I did not want to be passed on through; I want to learn the material and skills and I want to be good at them. Anything less would be a diservice to me and any other divers I dive with in the future.

Another difference is that Dean, the instructor in the water with me, is the same instructor from my OW class who spent hours on end me helping me get past mask clears. I couldn't swim underwater without holding my nose. Now I can yank my mask off and breath from my reg just fine. I think Dean felt a little bit of pride seeing me get this far with his guidance.

Now I start working on the 450 meter free style.

Edited by Twinklez, 01 May 2006 - 11:24 PM.

[hnladue]

Good job Girl!!! Rescue was one of the harder classes I've taken, but well worth it!! I was the only girl in the class, the other 4 were big boys!! But we all did great and got all the skills done. Congrats again and keep up the good work!! Just think about the bikini thighs you'll have when it's done!