Page 66 - AlertDiver_Summer2011_web

Have a Backup Plan

You’ve modified your dive practices and added layers of safety, but you want additional preparation and security because you know things can still go wrong. In addition to personal health, the prepared diver should consider the financial impact of emergent care and evacuation. Dive accident insurance provides financial safety and helps with the high cost of evacuation, transportation and medical care. As with any insurance, know what your policy covers before you leave. Don’t rely on folklore, your dive shop or your instructor. Read the policy, and understand the true nature of your coverage and what exclusions exist. Before buying dive accident or trip insurance, consider where you will be traveling and what a worst-case scenario might look like. These policies are relatively inexpensive when compared to the trip’s cost and the cost of evacuation and medical treatment. If you have questions about what your dive accident or trip insurance policy covers, call and ask. Another area of pretrip preparation that warrants attention is your medical needs. Be sure to bring enough medication with you when you travel to last the entire trip plus a few days after you return home. If the list of medications you take is long or complex, consider carrying a written list in the event of unexpected need. If you have a complicated health history, discuss your trip with your doctor, and take a detailed health history with you in case

emergent medical intervention is required. Travel health risks vary from region to region; up-to-date information may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website (www.cdc.gov ) or the Worldcue ® Planner Travel Intelligence ® Resource available to DAN Members at www.DAN.org/worldcue .

Health status requirements can vary greatly among different resorts, charter operators and dive shops. We recommend calling well ahead of time to see what they require, whether they have forms you can fill out and what sort of documentation they will use to ensure you meet their standards for medical fitness to dive. By addressing these issues early and proactively, you will encounter fewer roadblocks and unexpected restrictions.

An aspect of emergency preparedness often forgotten is filing a trip plan with family or friends. Trip plans should include contact numbers, medical history, medication lists, allergies and flight plans. Such information can prove vital in the event of poor international telephone connections or spotty satellite phone coverage.

Emergency Action Plan

You’ve completed your pretrip planning and will make adjustments to your dive practices; now what?

Traveling to remote destinations can be wonderful, but remember that if it took a plane, a train, a boat and a donkey

64 | SUMMER 2011

Clockwise from upper left: Regular exercise is important for staying in diving shape. Predive briefings ensure divers are on the same page with regard to depths, turnaround times and hand signals to be used. Talk to your doctor about any medications you take before you use them while diving. Good hydration is important for general health and may be associated with a reduced risk of DCS.