Winter2016AlertDiver

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Understand the available tools.

Reliance on dive

computers is now the norm for many divers. While

you do not have to be a decompression modeler to

dive safely, it is important to have a clear conceptual

understanding of how the decompression algorithms

that you will rely on work. It is

equally important to know what

they do not consider and that they

can be wrong. Ask questions, learn,

and develop plans for the “just in

case” events.

Evaluate information critically.

One of our human quirks is the

abundance of faith we put in what

appears on a screen or gauge, such

as a gas gauge or dive computer

screen. This can even spill over

to what we read on the Internet,

regardless of provenance. The

tendency for blind faith must be

kept in check. Maintain an open, critical mind to fully

assess information and use it appropriately.

Know your risk tolerance.

Risk is inherent to life; it

cannot be fully avoided if one is to live, but it can

be managed. Tolerance varies among individuals

and situations. Generally, tolerance increases as the

perceived benefit increases and decreases as the

severity of the potential injury increases. Knowing your

own comfort zones will help you plan and act to stay

within them.

Maintain a safety-oriented mental

state.

When rules are broken or

limits are violated with no obvious

repercussions, there can be a

gradual shift away from thinking of

them as important. This can lead

to “normalization of deviance,” in

which something once thought of as

unacceptable becomes acceptable.

The problem is that decompression

stress is a relatively invisible hazard.

We do not change color as we fill

with inert gas, and decompression

stress may not be perceived until

a critical stage is reached. We can

feel good right up to the point that we feel very bad.

Vigilance is required to maintain good practice.

Reinforce safety messaging.

Thinking or teaching “do

this or get hurt” can be counterproductive to safety-

oriented practice. As described above, the first time

STEPHEN FRINK