Introduction to Scuba Dive First Aid

Scuba Dive First Aid has been a steadily growing field of first aid from the very beginning of recreational diving. One of the unwanted truths of diving is that things can go wrong very fast, almost without any warning. This is also why quick and professional responses to potential emergencies are of critical importance to initiate treatment during the immediate emergency. A scuba dive first aid course will teach you how to assess conditions, respond to most diving-related emergencies, and then provide your patient with first aid and CPR if needed.

First aid training usually deals with assisting someone suffering from illness or injury during those early minutes. The most capable and best-prepared people usually have to give first aid. Here are just some examples of when scuba divers might help someone by being a diver with first aid knowledge:

1) During a dive,

2) During the ascent in case of an emergency stop,

3) During the ascent in case of swimming skills, gear-related problems, and environmental-related problems,

4) During surface intervals in the water,

5) Cutting off entanglement,

6) Finding and assisting a lost diver,

7) Treating decompression sickness or arterial gas embolism,

8) Evacuating an injured diver to shore and transporting the injured diver.

As a scuba diver, your knowledge of first aid can be as important as your diving skills. Many diving situations occur far from professional medical help. Quick use of first aid in any accident or emergency can very often determine if the victim survives or not.

The implications of scuba diving, in which there is always a risk of a first aid emergency occurring, means that all divers should be as aware as possible of all concepts of first aid considerations, which are always different from land-related first aid. Many in-diving risks do require immediate first aid steps.

Common Injuries and Emergencies in Scuba Diving

Among the common dive injuries that can occur underwater, is decompression illness, which includes both decompression sickness and arterial gas embolism. You have diving emergencies like drowning and near-drowning. Injuries such as marine envenomations from a sting or a bite, stingray injuries, jellyfish stings, coral injuries, and shark bites or tooth fragments. Equipment malfunctions result in injury or drowning and environmental emergencies such as water emergencies, including current, surge, and wave-induced problems underwater.

Decompression illness can occur because of various conditions and be discussed in more detail. It occurs by an ascent that is too fast for a person, either without lean air breaks or no stops at all or due to hyperbaric exposure, for example, among pilots or in altitude exposure, causing a person to have a decompression illness. It can be a result of past exposure to pressure imbalances or near-surface oxygenation of a diver's body post-normal ascent from a wet diving depth.

Basic First Aid Techniques for Scuba Diving

In the care of injuries, there are basic procedures that everyone should know, especially those who dive in pairs and go into places without fast means of access to the surface. When entering an emergency, the first thing to do is understand the acronym: UDAASS (Understand, Discretion, Action, Alert, Strategize, and Secure).

Once we find the victim, the first thing to do is get to the surface as quickly and as safely as possible. Then, it should be considered where the victim is, and how much support is available from both the first aider and the victim to reach the point where treatment can be provided. Most importantly, keep yourself in a safe condition and unaffected by the victim's situation. It's as simple as that. This method is expected to be a basic first-aid approach that can be immediately implemented by the first aider to manage an injured or collapsed person if there are not many options for medical attention or if it takes a long time for medical attendants to arrive. The basic idea is to maintain the condition, and the treatment should be done in such a way that it does not worsen the victim's situation. A stroke in the water, going beyond limits, panic, or similar actions can cause untrained personnel to lose control, even collapse, and ultimately make the victim sink further.

Assessing the Scene

Assessing the scene of any emergency is a critical and lifesaving skill. Divers should conduct a scene assessment in emergencies both on the surface and underwater. Scene assessment will help the responding diver understand if any additional threats need to be addressed before or as part of the rescue. A scene assessment may seem trivial on land or in relatively benign conditions, but it becomes much more important when the surrounding underwater environment can quickly become fatal and those involved are often unable to aid themselves.

Beginning a scene assessment with a real or potential victim, divers should evaluate the condition of the person in trouble and their ability to assist. Doing so can help establish the best course of action. When in the water, the rescuers must also evaluate themselves. Safety for the victim is important, but an injured or unconscious rescuer cannot provide help. The scene assessment should be streamlined to avoid wasted time and action. For example, a solo diver who comes across another solo diver seemingly in trouble is already well-informed about their groups and can save valuable time. In some cases, it is unrelated divers who all come across an incident, and getting a headcount is important to ensure everyone is accounted for before ascending.

Equipment and Supplies for Scuba Dive First Aid

First aid must be available at a dive site in case of injury or illness. Components of a first aid kit for scuba divers include:

• An emergency action plan

• Emergency Oxygen

• First aid supplies

The combination of devices, tools, and medical supplies that can help us during accidents and illnesses is often called a first aid kit. These supplies should always be prepared in case someone is injured or becomes ill. Over time, supplies are used, lost, or become outdated. You never know when you will need these supplies. Always be prepared!

These are some other important things to consider having in your first aid kit for diving:

• An AED (automated external defibrillator) is an important tool to have when treating someone in cardiac arrest.

• A stretcher, trauma board, or litter is important to carry or have access to move a person safely to an ambulance. In scuba diving, there are vacuum splints that can be used in a spinal injury case.

• A guide to providing first aid.

Regularly Check on Your Supplies

Review your first aid kit for scuba diving regularly. A used or opened item should be replaced. Do not wait to replace used items. Make it a habit to check your kit periodically, and you will be ready for those unexpected events. Knowing how to use a first aid kit is very important. Taking a class at a related organization will provide this experience.

Numerous resources are offered to help prepare divers for handling a dive emergency. Divers can work with their medical community to learn better ways to approach dive health and first aid.