1. Rescue Management Part 1

2. Outline An effective rescue relies upon
Personal rescue skills of participants
Management of all available resources
Personal skills addressed in Ocean / Sports / Dive Leader training
This lesson starts to address incident management:
Prior to the event - aspects affecting incident prevention
Of the actual event - management at the time
Rescue Manager’s role

3. Prevention is better than cure!
Minor
incidents
Normal
activity
Emergency
Fear
Serious
Panic
Fatal
Death
The Incident Pit

4. Key factors in incident prevention
It is easier to prevent incidents than it is to have to resolve them
Sound training
Regular practise
A progressive build up of experience
An effective buddy system
Regularly maintained equipment
Properly organised diving
Constant monitoring of diving conditions

5. Anticipation Before the dive: During the dive:
Diver nervousness and reluctance
Excuses
Stress indications
Repeated questions
Slow kitting up or constant fiddling with equipment
During the dive:
Continually monitor depth, time, air supply and buddy
Be alert to changing conditions
Resolve small problems before they have a chance to grow
Terminate the dive early if necessary
The surface cover should:
Monitor changes in sea and surface conditions
Recall the divers if necessary

6. When it all goes Wrong…
Rescues consist of a number of related activities
Unless correctly managed activities will be
At best – inefficient
At worst – counterproductive
Will first consider what activities are needed
Then consider their management

7. Safety
Urgency of the situation pre-disposes towards unnecessary risk taking
Safety of rescuers is paramount!
Could create further casualties
Detrimental to initial casualty
Places more demands on resources available

8. Recovery Controlled buoyant lift AS ascent
Practise, practise, practise….

9. Security Make casualty positively buoyant at the surface
Face as clear of the water as possible
Fully inflate BC
Dry suits
May not retain air at surface
May put pressure on casualty's neck

10. Assistance to casualty? Casualty to assistance?
Summon assistance
Assistance to casualty? or
Casualty to assistance?

11. Removal from the water Multiple activitiesRB
Remove equipment
Lift from water
Protect from further injuries
Requires space!
Share activities between rescuers
Co-ordination needed!

12. On Site Diving First Aid
Priorities:
Danger – Response – Airway – Breathing – Circulation
Major bleeding
Major diving conditions
Other conditions
Shock
Tender Loving Care!
Unconscious casualties can often hear!

13. Casualty records Personal details Incident history Signs and symptoms
Changes in casualty’s condition and timings
First aid given

14. Emergency Services on Land
Police/Ambulance/Coastguard
Telephone: 999 or 112
British Hyperbaric Association / Royal Navy Diver Help Line
England, Wales & N. Ireland:
Scotland:
Give full details
Nature of incident
Location
Personnel involved
Report back to Rescue Manager essential

15. Emergency Services at Sea
Contact Coastguard on VHF Channel 16
Life in imminent danger
Mayday, Mayday, Mayday…..
Assistance required urgently
Pan, Pan, Pan…….
Give full details
Vessel’s name/call sign
Position and intentions
Nature of emergency
Assistance required
Report back to Rescue Manager essential

16. Managing activities
An effective rescue requires someone to take overall charge: a Rescue Manager!
Role of the Rescue Manager:
Not to try to do it all!!!!
Assess – Plan – Act
Delegation
Strategic control of activities
Monitoring of progress

17. Delegation Break activities into related groupings Direct assistance
RB, lifting from the water
Support
Preparing oxygen equipment, flares
Communications
Radio/telephone calls
Dive Management
Monitoring other divers
Allocate activities according to skills possessed

18. Summary Prevention is better than cure
Many activities are involved in a rescue
Maximum effectiveness requires:
Effective use of rescue skills of all involved
All efforts are properly coordinated
Rescue Manager’s role:
Identification of all requirements
Delegation of tasks to appropriately skilled rescuers
Overall coordination of rescue
Continuously monitor progress