Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
Hi Guys, I am putting this message out on a number of different lists in the hope that it may catch on. I believe it is important enough to consider. All trained cave divers and in all probability virtually all trained technical divers have been exposed to the rules of diving safety based on accident analysis. These rules formed the basis for the first formalized training for cave diving. And this training has both opened a new world for many of us and also undoubtedly saved countless lives in the caves. Yes, sometimes we fail to take the lessons seriously enough and yes, sometimes we pay the ultimate price. In the past year, there seems to have been an inordinate number of technical diver's deaths. The causes are varied but there appears to be a common thread among many of them. They were diving solo. And from what I understand, many of them might well have been avoided by the presence of a buddy. We all understand that some people will never obey the rules no matter what the risk. But excepting these fool hearty souls, the rest of us respond to what we have been taught both in class and by the example set by more experienced divers. And what we are shown near the beginning of our training has perhaps the greatest impact. I doubt if there is a single trained cave diver anywhere who cannot recognize the phrase "Thank Goodness All Divers Live," the first letters representing the five safety rules resulting from accident analysis. We all learned this near the beginning of our cave training and it was constantly reinforced during the classes. Well, I am suggesting that just maybe we now have enough data to add a sixth word in the phrase to emphasize the need to eliminate solo technical diving. And I suggest the word be "Scuba" So the phrase would now read "Thank Goodness All Scuba Divers Live." And the letters "T, G, A, S, D & L" would of course stand for Training, Guideline, Air, Solo, Depth and Lights. I hope that with this simple change, we may be able to affect the approach taken to cave diving by the new generation of divers who have not yet been trained. So that in their classes, solo diving will be discussed at the same time and in the same light as not using a line or not taking at least three lights. After all, Sheck and others recognized that training should be inclusive of the lessons learned from accident analysis. So why don't we simply include the most recent lesson learned. To my knowledge, no technical training agency supports solo technical diving. SDI supports solo diving in the recreational area but I believe TDI does not support it in the technical area. So I am not introducing any new material into any training course. I am merely suggesting a technique which may be used to emphasize this one recognized rule for technical diving. Might it be possible that even though we disagree on so many things, we might come together to agree on this one simple change to the rules derived from accident analysis? They have been such a steadfast road marker in cave diving for so long. Couldn't we consider adopting this one additional rule into the group? I know that I will be teaching this modified phrase in all of my cavern and cave classes in the future, and I feel it might really be beneficial if we all could agree on this simple change. Maybe I'm being a bit naive, but even though I obviously can't speak for any of the technical training organizations, I can't see a reason why any of them should object to this change. And with it, just maybe we will be able to save some diver in the future because of our increased emphasis on the unacceptability of solo technical diving. "Thank Goodness All Scuba Divers Live." Take care and dive safe, Scott Some weeks it's just not worth the effort to gnaw through the restraints and scramble up out of the pit. -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]