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The contrast between surface ice and ice diving operations

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By: Bo Tibbetts

In many parts of the country, fall weather has arrived and winter is right around the corner. Rescue professionals must gear up for both ice rescue and ice recovery operations. With respect to rescue or recovery, this is often determined by the victim’s ability to hang on until they can be safely and efficiently rescued; if not, it becomes necessary to organize a sub-surface rescue/recovery operation.

Surface Ice Rescue Operation

Let’s first decide what a surface ice rescue operation may include. A surface ice rescue operation would involve a viable victim that has fallen through weak, unstable ice and the victim is unable to self-rescue. Failure to be able to self-rescue may include extremely weak ice that continues to fracture and break with no stable platform for the victim to extricate themselves out of the frigid water. The victim may not have any self-rescue tools to get a grip on the slippery ice surface to pull themselves back up onto the ice shelf. Another reason for failure to self-rescue is lack of strength due in part to immersion in ice cold water. Their body strength is quickly depleted, leaving them helpless without the strength to pull themselves out to safety. To reach the goal of a successful surface ice rescue, the victim must be carefully extracted from the ice cold water and brought back to solid ground where EMS personnel can access the patient to administer medical care. The victim may be in some stage of hypothermia, have potential for frostbite of their extremities, or even be susceptible to cardiac arrhythmia’s which could lead to a heart attack. These operations involve a great amount of risk to both the rescuer and the victim.

Sub-surface Ice Dive Recovery Response

The sub-surface ice dive recovery response is triggered as the victim submerges under the water beneath the ice shelf. At this point, the victim is no longer able to get a grip on the ice shelf and sinks into the frigid water. This scenario requires the dive unit to devise an ice dive response. Departments try to execute a rescue within the “golden hour” to potentially effect a rescue instead of a recovery. An effective search must include both the ceiling and the bottom of the lake or pond. Several factors will determine how to get the diver and the tenders in the best position to locate the victim. All dive operations should utilize tender-directed diving. Tender-directed divers are ALWAYS attached directly to a tether line via the diver’s water operations harness which is worn beneath the BCD. We never want to attach a tender line directly to the BCD; the line must always be attached to an appropriate water operation dive harness. With the understanding that the ice shelf is extremely weak, the diver and backup divers must carefully position themselves. The backup diver is necessary to provide redundancy that will increase the safety factor and aid in an effective search. An effective tool for weight distribution and buoyancy is a sled, such as the rapid transport sled, which has been designed to evenly distribute the diver’s weight while on the fragile ice shelf and also provides a shuttle device for the operations.

Always work with a rescue in mind when you have a viable victim. Every aspect of the operation must work in concert in order for a rescue to take place. Remember that some of the time these operations result in a recovery effort, at which point time is no longer a factor and the speed of the operation should be slowed down unless it is within the “golden hour.” When responding to a surface ice rescue, the dive unit should also be dispatched in case a sub-surface rescue/recovery operation becomes necessary. One of the greatest advantages for the dive unit is the search area is defined because of the ice damage incurred with the victim’s submergence. This can greatly affect search time and may result in a rescue.

Always prepare for an ice rescue operation in advance for both the surface and sub-surface operation responses.


To find out more about International Training, visit www.tdisdi.com.

From its humble beginning in 1994 to today, the group of training agencies Scuba Diving International (SDI), Technical Diving International (TDI), and Emergency Response Diving International (ERDI) form one of the largest diving certification agencies in the World – International Training. With 24 Regional Offices servicing more than 100 countries, the company today far exceeds the original vision the founders had when they conceived the idea on a napkin, sitting at a kitchen table in the early 1990’s.

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Four opportunities to go pro in 2024 with Dive Friends Bonaire

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idc

Dive Friends teaches the Instructor Development Course (IDC) several times a year to students who are eager to share their passion for diving with the world.

Dive Friends is known for the personal approach throughout the course. Their in-house course director will lead the students through every essential step, mentoring them to achieve their fullest potential as a dive instructor.

Applications for the following IDC start dates are now open:

  • 12 April
  • 5 July,
  • 20 September
  • 29 November

Partnership with Casita Palma

If the student opts for the IDC-Deluxe or IDC-Supreme package, their accommodation will be arranged for them at Casita Palma. This small and quiet resort is within walking distance from Dive Friends Bonaire’s main dive shop location and has everything you need to relax after an intense day of IDC training. Breakfast is included, so the student will always be fuelled and ready for their day.

Contact Dive Friends Bonaire’s Course Director Eddy for more information: coursedirector@divefriendsbonaire.com.

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Scubility: Achieving Success through Adaptability

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scubility

Introduction to Scubility

Being a scuba diving professional, I am always fascinated by the beauty of the underwater world, filled with colorful coral and a variety of marine species. Every dive site around the world has something unique to offer, attracting the diving community to immerse themselves time and time again. The feeling of being underwater is a unique experience, akin to being in space, where you can escape Earth’s gravity to enjoy the freedom of movement. However, water sports are often believed to be accessible only to those with good physical strength, leaving others to only dream of being there.

The Genesis of Scubility

Scubility was developed as a way to help people with disabilities experience the magic of scuba diving or snorkeling. A few years back we became involved in the SDI Scubility program as a way to use our diving experience and knowledge to bring disabled people beneath the ocean. To empower them with a feeling where they can forget their disability and limitations. The image of a Wheelchair Hero from the movie ‘AVATAR’, who could walk and run only in dreams, was the first seed of the idea for a local Scubility program.

scubility

Launching the Scubility Course

Since 2014, my friend has dedicated himself to helping disabled people. Knowing that I am an SDI/TDI Instructor Trainer, he called upon me to help bring them into the world of scuba diving. Captivated by this idea, I decided to offer a special diving course adapted for disabled people: the SDI Scubility Course. The sole purpose was to bring happiness and a feeling of belonging back to our precious disabled students, by giving them an immersive experience under the sea. Perhaps, the mother ocean has a way of treating us all equally, to rebuild confidence and give hope of being alive.

scubility

Adapting Diving for All Abilities

Initially, most Scubility divers in our programs were wheelchair users. The main challenge was to design a unique technique suitable for each Scubility diver, based on their limitations. To do so, we set up a protocol keeping in mind all the scenarios that could arise during diving, starting from boarding the boat, to diving, and the communication signals during the dive. Training was also provided to volunteer participants, mostly instructors and assistant divers.

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The Scubility Program in Action

In the last four events, we have enrolled many Scubility divers in the program. We also have a team of trained instructors and assistants; without them, this wouldn’t be possible. The main objective was to make safe and comfortable diving experiences for Scubility students. In fact, in the last Scubility program, which concluded in March 2023, we included a blind diver along with six other Scubility divers. We also had 8 instructors and more than 10 assistant participants to make this possible.

scubility

The main challenge for blind divers is to set up a communication signal. So, I designed a unique ‘touch signal’ for blind students where they just need to touch an arm to convey a message. For example, when an instructor touches your arm twice, it means he is asking, “Are you okay?”. In case of any emergency during the dive, the blind diver just needs to squeeze the arm of the instructor to get his attention to solve the problem. For each Scubility diver, there were at least two personnel, an instructor, and an assistant, assigned.

Impact and Emotions of Scubility

The most satisfying experience of this program was to see Scubility divers happy, with emotional, teary eyes. I could imagine that probably for the first time, or perhaps the only time, some of them could walk, stand, and move again underwater without a wheelchair, feeling alive again. Seeing a courageous Scubility diver overcoming all challenges and obstacles to make it possible definitely inspires me to organize more events like this.

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“Scuba Diving for All” Event

The biggest local Scubility program, named “Scuba Diving for All,” was organized in Khao Lak, Phang-nga Province, south of Thailand, from October 30 to November 5, 2018. We invited international Scubility participant divers for this event. Leading up to this program, we put in lots of effort, preparing hotels and resorts in a friendly design, making sure of choosing good dive sites, and above all, to bring a smile to our precious Scubility students.

scubility

I hope that this endeavor will serve as an inspiration for people worldwide to achieve what may seem impossible, while also raising awareness about the importance of charity and kindness in our society. I look forward to welcoming you soon to our joyful underwater realm.

As an SDI TDI & Scubility IT, Dan Phutthakhun Prungkananon, owner of All Star Diving Academy located in Thailand, has a deep-rooted passion for ensuring safety and fun in the water. Keep up with Dan and the All Star Diving Academy via Instagram  or Facebook and by checking out their Dive Center Facebook.

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