Rescue divers in training
Sometimes as divers, we forget that we experience the ocean in a way that most people have not. Scuba is more than a hobby, it’s an opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle and embrace the beauty of the water and the wellness it can bring to body and mind. And in doing so, we must also remember that water is a powerful force, so as divers it is essential that we are trained in rescue, be it self rescue, deep rescue or diver rescue.
Currently, three members of the club are progressing their way through the rescue diver course. This course incorporates both theory and practical exams in diver rescue, deep rescue, self-rescue, in water resuscitation, rescue management and first aid. The course consists of lectures, pool work and open water work to a depth of 20 metres.
Lectures took place in Blackwater Sub Aqua clubhouse last month; these covered the topics of stress and the diver, rescue prevention, self-rescue and rescue skills, deep rescue methods - lifts and diver rescue management. CPR and oxygen administration was also practised, as all our club divers are trained as diver first responders.
Our next step was pool training, where we used the superb facilities of Fermoy Leisure Centre to practice surface rescue, underwater rescue (methods of lift), methods of towing and ditching weight belts, all done under the instruction of our own club instructors.
Once pool work was completed, it was time to move to open water training. For our first training session we travelled to Portroe Diving Centre located in North Tipperary. Portroe Quarry is a disused slate quarry which is now being used as a commercial dive centre. As the quarry is full of fresh water, it has a tendency to be very cold. Depths range from 6 metres to approximately 38 metres, meaning it makes a fabulous place for our training programmes.
Shot line in 20 metres of water are used to practice these techniques. As part of dive one, instructor and candidates make a free ascent from 20 metres to 15 metres at an ascent rate of 10 metres per minute, after which they return to 20 metres depth. The second self rescue technique to be carried out was to ascend from 20m to 6m, without the use of fins and only using their own buoyancy device, again done at the correct ascent rate and finish doing a safety stop of 3 minutes between 3-6 metres.
Having completed these self-rescue lifts, the surface interval time of two hours was used to practice various methods for the ‘recovery’ of a casualty from the water, practice shore management skills along with oxygen administration and basic first aid skills.
On dive two, candidates learned assisted rescue techniques, where a simulation of an unconscious diver was rehearsed and a rear lift was required. On both dives, club member Susan Vaughan provided safety cover along with club instructors on the day; Jeff Carroll, Mike Reidy and Dick Vaughan. The really important function that our cover divers provide on the day was to position themselves on the shot line at 6 metres depth and oversee proceedings, and ensure safety at all times. Having completed the lift, candidates towed “the victim” to the pier while conducting simulated emergency breaths, all part of the rescue course requirements.
Each club member participating must log a series of lifts on shot lines under the supervision of club instructors before their official examination.
Thank you to the instructors and cover divers who put aside their Sunday and volunteered their time to complete training with the candidates. It was very much appreciated by Dom, Eoin and Louise.