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REQUIRED BASIC AND ACCESSORY GEAR
7/2/2009
by Capt. Darrick Lorenzen |
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All student divers should be absolutely required to carry a watch, whistle, slate and knife on all training dives. This is a safety issue and often the dive instructor takes the path of least resistance and doesn't require the student or recreational diver to carry these items which ensure that the dive will be safe and comfortable.
Captain’s Blog
Required safety equipment
by Captain Dale Bennett
This spring, at the beginning of the dive season, I signed on some new crew members to serve on my charter boat, Enterprise. As part of their orientation I had a crew meeting to go over procedures and do some initial training. One of my new crew members asked what safety equipment I required our guests to have when diving. My response was that I did not have any specific requirements but the question got me thinking about the subject.
I just reviewed the PADI standards to see what they required Open Water students to carry on training dives. The reason that I am using PADI standards here as an example is that PADI is the largest of the training agencies and their standards are a good indication of how most divers are being trained; most other agency standards are probably similar. PADI students are required to have an audible signaling device. (I suspect that most PADI students, if their instructors are following standards, are provided with a whistle attached to their BCD.) They are not required to have a visual signaling device, a cutting tool, a compass (except during the navigation exercise) or even a timing device. Except for the compass, they receive no practical instruction in the use of any of these devices.
In the years that I have been an instructor and a charter boat operator I have debriefed hundreds of divers after accidents, near accidents, stressful incidents and minor problems. One thing that I have learned is that a stressed or panicked diver will not perform an action that he or she has not physically practiced. I have never seen a diver blow a whistle when in trouble, even though most carry them. Many divers do not carry cutting tools even though they are recommended in all the text books. Maybe they associate knives with violent behavior. Perhaps, but I am personally aware of two incidents where divers that I knew almost died because they became entangled and did not have a cutting tool. Visual signaling devices, such as safety sausages, are required to be carried by staff but not students. If it is an important safety device, shouldn’t the students be taught how to use them? Lately, there has been much debate over whether or not dive tables should be taught in preference to dive computers. My question is, if you teach tables shouldn’t your students be wearing watches? How can you say you are teaching students to plan their dives with tables and then not require them to have a timing device?
I call on all instructors to start teaching their students to use the basic safety equipment that is in general use today. Only by making adding practical training exercises in their use to the entry level classes can we expect divers to be able to effectively use these life-saving devices in actual diving situations.
All students should have either a timing device and a depth gauge or a computer. During both pool and open water training exercises they should be required to keep track of their time and depth. All that is required is that the instructors query them with hand signals periodically while underwater.
A useful self-rescue exercise in the pool is to have students wave their arms and blow their whistles. Then have them blow up their safety sausages and wave them around while continuing to whistle. It also lets off a lot of steam and can be fun.
Instead of being afraid of cutting tools, and passing that fear on your students, why not have your students carry pairs of trauma shears and practice their use? You could have them do at least one entanglement exercise during pool training in which they have to cut a small line.
In order for safety equipment to be effective it must not only be carried but the diver must be trained and experienced in its use.
Never should anyone make a safety decision based on financial considerations.
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