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his BC is inflated, he might
end up in an uncontrolled
ascent, whereas if the
rescuer’s own BC is inflated
it can be vented. I wanted
to know if both ways are
OK in case I ever face this
problem.
—Kelly Lumpkin,
Atlanta, Ga.
DAN’s response:
Dear Kelly,
The description of events
included Al “falling like a
rag doll” and then striking
the bottom head first
at 82 feet. These details
indicate Al was negatively
buoyant. Without some
cursory inflation of his
BCD, he would have been
like lead weight all the way to the
surface and, if released, would have
sunk to the bottom again. The
initial inflation facilitated movement
toward neutral buoyancy for the
rescue pair, making for easier
control and protecting the rescuers
from the risk of rapid ascent due
to overinflating their own BCDs.
Overinflating an injured diver’s BCD
should certainly be avoided for the
very reasons you describe, but the
end goal is to get the diver to the
surface efficiently — and as safely
as possible for everyone involved. A
BCD without sufficient air in it will
not help achieve that goal.
Regarding the second part of
your inquiry, the fact that the ascent
rate was described as “an aggressive
speed” may be cause for concern.
However, keep in mind that an
unresponsive diver’s chances of
survival are much greater at the
surface than they would be on the
bottom. The rescuer’s attention to
keeping Al’s airway open probably
protected him, at least in part, from
the expanding gas in his lungs. The
rescuers would also need to be
conscious of their own breathing,
making sure to exhale sufficiently
to avoid problems for themselves
as a result of the fast ascent. Proper
rescue technique dictates a safe
ascent rate to protect the rescuers,
and this should not be discounted
in an emergency. Having additional
injured divers divides resources and
can compromise care for all once on
the surface.
AD
— Patty Seery, MHS, DMT;
Deputy Director, DAN Education
STEPHEN FRINK
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