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On Fri, 9 Dec 1994 bob.talbot@ae*.or*.uk* wrote: > Any thoughts > > You asked ... you get :-) > > Talking from the background of the UK's emergency service network, IWR > gives three main concerns.. > > 1: In reality, if planned for that hard it will be used .... trouble > is the result will often be a delay in calling the emergency services > and the subsequent attention of those properly trained, experienced > and equipped for recompression therapy. In the "Reality" I've encountered, if IWR is planned for that hard, the persons involved will not be so naive as to view the IWR as a substitute to proper treatment. If emergency transport is available but not summoned, then IWR is being performed improperly. That's why we need to educate people about proper IWR protocol. That aside, I'd be willing to assert that, at least for technical divers (and if I haven't made it clear, those are the sorts of divers I refer to when discussing IWR as an option) the dangers associated with the delay in calling emergency services are miniscule compared with the dangers of delaying recompression. But, that's just personal opinon. > 2: Consider just what the attendant is taking on. O2 seizures aside, > down below or more likely on the re-ascent there is a chance of > symptoms progressively worsening. Communication between > attendant-casualty and between attendant-surface is inevitably > (ignoring coms) restricted making it all the harder to monitor. Agreed. These are hazards associated with IWR that must be very carefully considered when making the decision to attempt IWR. IWR should not be a knee-jerk response. As we pointed out in our review article, the decision to perform IWR should be made quickly, but not in haste. > 3: Are you qualified to administer O2 to a casualty under water? ... > litigation and all that? :-) Me? Nope. Don't care. Throw all the lawyers you want at me, if a person's ability to walk hangs in the balance, I really couldn't care less about litigation. Also, do you mean really "qualified", or do you mean "certified". Those words are not synonymous. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who's ever used oxygen as a decompression gas (and most tech. divers probably have) is qualified. If there's a situation where oxygen is available, but nobody around is qualified to use it, then that must factor in to the decision to perform IWR. > Yes, there are places where chambers are not readily available .... > your first line of defence in that situation is just to keep well away > from the edge .... if you can ;-) Agreed. Nevertheless, accidents do happen, and people should be cognizant of their options. Thanks for the input... Aloha, Rich deepreef@bi*.bi*.ha*.or*
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