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None of us can know until the moment we are tested whether we will respond in the way we would hope to when an incident occurs. Personally, I would hope that I have the courage to do everything I can to help someone else. That's a personal choice, and one I hope that my dive buddies share with me. I've helped in minor ways in a few situations, but I have never been in a position requiring me to put myself at risk. In basic first aid and CPR courses, ASSESSING the situation is the first step in the rescue. We are taught to avoid creating an additional victim in our rescue attempt. If I were to encounter an unconscious diver at depth, then there is no downed electrical wire for me to step on, but there is a decompression obligation with the dives we are discussing here. I still have time to act and to think, and to plan my response as I near the ceiling. If there is another diver there who can assist, then maybe I can minimize my risk. If not, then I can follow omitted decompression procedures, once the victim is in a position to be cared for. Every situation is different. I can think about scenarios and plan for them, and while this exercise is beneficial and aides in my ability to respond properly in a given situation, so many other things can happen instead or at the same time. I can't account for it all. What I can do are the basics to minimize risk and ensure proper care in case something happens. I can know the omitted decompression procedures required for the dive I am about to do. I can learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of impending problems and take steps to minimize the likelihood that they occur. I can have surface support people who are capable of recognizing and caring for a victim at the surface. I can have proper first aid equipment available. I can be properly trained in emergency procedures and remain current with that training. I can plan ahead of time to act if something happens. I can also select dive buddies who have the right skills and attitude for the dive, but the injured diver might not be someone who was diving with me. It could be an unknown diver from another boat, so a wise choice of buddies does not mean I won't be called on to act. In the critical moment would I act? I think so; I hope so. Would I choose to dive with a buddy who, from the clear-headed, carefully considered vantage point of surface speculation, consciously chooses not to act? Not if I had another choice. I can prepare myself as well as I can, but I could be the victim someday. I would prefer to dive with someone who is likely to help me. -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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