Dive Management

Dive Management

■Preparation

■Communication

■Vantage Point

■Recognition

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Supervision of certified divers

Dive Management

Supervision of certified divers

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What are three aspects of dive planning for remote areas?

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Dive Planning Dive Planning

■More involved logistics

■More complex emergency procedures

■Increased self-sufficiency

h. location – determines the prevailing nature of the aquatic environment (e.g., warm clear current, silty lake, clear spring water, etc.)

I. What are three aspects of planning dives for remote areas? (e.g., those that are hours away from dive services, emergency medical personnel, etc.) 1. Plans need to cover more logistics – food, sleeping

arrangements, compressors for filling tanks, etc.

2. Emergency procedures – may need to plan for com-plex evacuations, having appropriate medical sup-plies available and people who can use them (e.g., several hours worth of emergency oxygen).

3. Think in terms of self-sufficiency. (e.g., What would you do if the boat engine broke down?)

III. Dive Management

A. Dive management involves supervision of certified divers.

1. It is difficult or impossible to exercise direct, physical control of certified divers (though it may be appro-priate when supervising student divers).

2. Therefore, supervision means nonphysical influence, by providing adequate and appropriate information and advice.

B. What are four aspects of supervision in manag-ing dives?

1. Preparation – adequate dive planning as just dis-cussed, having appropriate equipment, and being ready to respond to problems.

2. Communication – informing the divers about proce-dures, the dive plan, and other information, usually in a dive briefing (discussed shortly).

3. Vantage Point – putting yourself in the most effec-tive position to see and assist divers.

4. Recognition – anticipating and identifying possible problems so you can prevent, correct or respond to them.

C.What are the advantages and disadvantages of inwater versus out of water supervision, and the advantages and disadvantages of supervi-sion vantage points inwater versus out of water?

1. Choose your vantage point for supervising certified divers by considering:

a. Your ability to spot and respond to a problem.

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Choosing a Vantage Point Choosing a Vantage Point

■Inwater supervision

◆Advantages?

◆Disadvantages?

■Inwater supervision

◆Advantages?

◆Disadvantages?

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Dive Management Dive Management

■Out of water supervision

◆Advantages?

◆Disadvantages?

■Out of water supervision

◆Advantages?

◆Disadvantages?

1. You want to be in the most advantageous spot to see or be aware of divers’ locations.

2. You want to be at the most advantageous spot to lend assistance – anticipate likely problem areas based on diver skill level, environment, etc.

3. These may conflict (e.g., the best place to watch isn’t always the best place to respond from) – you may need to compromise.

b. The skill and experience level of divers c. Number of divers and diver groups or buddy

teams

d. Environmental conditions

2. Inwater supervision – you dive with the group, or escort on surface by snorkel, etc.

a. Advantages:

1. Puts you close to divers to respond to or prevent problems.

2. Minimizes problems such as divers accidentally exceeding their maximum depth, making navigation errors or running low on air be-cause you’re there to guide and remind them to check air, etc.

3. Diving with group adds to interest because you can guide divers to best spots, etc.

b. Disadvantages:

1. You can only watch one group, so may not be appropriate with multiple groups or buddy teams diving independently (depends on diver experience, environment, etc.) unless there are other supervisors at the surface.

2. Some divers don’t like diving in a group. It may reduce their enjoyment if they prefer to explore independently.

c. Procedures:

1. Identify most likely problem sources – diver, environmental effects, etc. and accompany group where you can best prevent or respond to these problems.

2. Brief divers so they know where you will be in relation to the group, and your role (guide, escort following their lead, etc.)

3. Out of water supervision – you supervise from boat or shore.

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What types of equipment can assist in supervising certified divers?

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Dive Management Dive Management

■Management equipment – roster, binoculars, site maps

■Emergency equipment – oxygen, first aid kit, float, radio/phone

■Other dive equipment – tool kit, flag and float, scuba equipment

a. Advantages:

1. Usually most effective way to supervise mul-tiple buddy teams and groups at once.

2. Usually puts you close to emergency related equipment (oxygen, first aid, radio, etc.) for rapid deployment.

3. Often gives diver teams more individual op-tions in where they go during the dive.

b. Disadvantages:

1. You’re not on hand to remind divers of their responsibilities to follow appropriate dive procedures.

2. You can’t show divers around the points of interest on the site.

c. Procedures:

1. Choose the best vantage point for visibility and ability to respond as previously discussed.

2. Have appropriate emergency and response equipment at hand.

3. During the briefing, tell divers where you’ll be and establish surface signals, recall procedures, etc. (more detail about briefings shortly)

D.What eight types of equipment can assist in supervising certified divers?

1. Management equipment – may be useful depending upon the environment.

a. clipboard/dive roster b. binoculars

c. dive site maps

2. Emergency response equipment (see also Chapter 3 of the PADI Rescue Diver Manual)

a. emergency oxygen

b. first aid w/pocket mask and barriers c. rescue float or life ring with line d. marine radio/cellular telephone 3. Other useful equipment

a. tool kit with spare o-rings/fin straps, weight belt buckles, etc.

b. dive flag/float

c. spare regulator, BCD and other equipment (in case of malfunction or loss)

d. spare equipment specific to conditions (e.g., dive lights for night diving, inflatable signal tube for diving in currents, etc.)

E. What is the primary purpose of diver account-ing procedures?

1. When supervising more than a handful of divers, the primary concern is making sure each diver is back aboard/ashore after a dive.

2. Procedure – Names usually recorded on dive roster as divers arrive on board/at dive site, and as they enter and exit water. Typically, you call roll after each dive with all divers visually present to confirm everyone is out of the water.

3. When practical in some situations, it may be useful to record additional information, which may assist in selecting subsequent dive sites.

a. time entered water b. time exited water

Note that certified divers are responsible for tracking their own dive profiles.

F. Integrating customer service and management.

1. Divers come to you for convenience and to enhance their fun as well as the safety benefits.

They’re customers.

2. Dive management requires influencing and advis-ing divers to dive safely without ignoradvis-ing the enjoy-ment of the dive.

3. Customer service dive management tips:

a. Explain the basis for guidelines and procedures so they don’t seem arbitrary.

b. Be open to alternative ways to accomplish some-thing, such as an entry, to accommodate indi-vidual preferences.

c. Be flexible within the limits of responsible diving – the supervision procedures you apply with novices may not be appropriate or necessary with a very experienced Rescue Diver, for example.

d. Give as much attention to assuring convenience, fun and adventure as you do to assuring safety.

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What is the primary purpose of diver accounting procedures?

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Dive Management Dive Management

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Customer Service Tips Customer Service Tips

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■Explain the basis for guidelines — why?

Dive Management Dive Management

■Be open to alternative methods

■Be flexible

■Consider convenience, fun and adventure along with safety

IV. Helping Divers Manage Predive Stress

[Refer candidates to the PADI Rescue Diver Manual – Chapter 1]

A.What are the characteristics of predive stress, and how do you help divers deal with it?

1. You may notice physical and/or psychological stress in a diver. Signs and symptoms include:

a. Behavior change – diver becomes withdrawn, irritable, talkative, distracted, etc.

b. Perceptual narrowing – diver focuses on an action or task to the exclusion of alternative actions or considerations; often associated with distracted or irritable behavior

c. Physical signs or symptoms – sweating profusely, exhaustion, vomiting or nausea

d. Diver expresses concerns about the dive to a buddy or to you.

e. A diver may report stress observed in another diver.

B. Consequences of stress

[Refer to Stress Management Chart]

1. Stress response cycle

a. Stress causes psychological and physical stress responses.

b. If the diver recognizes stress, the diver will reduce activity, think and begin problem solving. This usually solves problem and ends stress.

c. If the diver doesn’t recognize stress, anxiety re-sults. Anxiety produces psychological and physi-cal stress and adds to original stress.

d. Raised stress increases stress responses. This be-gins an uncontrolled cycle of rising stress until stress is excessive.

e. Eventually, stress exceeds the diver’s ability to self-control emotions. The diver reverts to instinctive reactions and uncontrolled behavior (panic).

f. In the water, this can cause an accident requiring a rescue.

2. Therefore, it is best to handle stress as much as possible prior to a dive.

C. Some stress is normal; it is how the mind and body activate mechanisms for handling perceived threats. It benefits divers by helping them focus on equipment

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Helping Divers Manage Stress Stress Management Chart Helping Divers Manage Stress

Stress Management Chart

2222 Problem

Problem

Stress

Stress ResponseResponse

Anxiety Anxiety

Recognition

Recognition Stop

Think Breathe Stop Think Breathe

Action = Solution Action = Solution

Reaction Reaction

Panic Panic

Rescue Required Rescue Required

preparation, dive planning, etc. Certified divers are responsible for expressing concerns and monitoring their own psychological/physical state, but if you observe possible excessive stress, you may be able to assist the diver cope with it.

1. Try to confirm that the diver is stressed – usually it’s simplest to ask the diver about the signs observed.

2. Try to determine cause of stress.

a. May be obvious, such as physical stress caused by overheating.

b. If willing, the diver may tell you what the stressor is.

c. In some instances, you may not be able to deter-mine the stressor and the diver may not tell you – use your best judgment as to what the stressor may be.

D. Relieving stress. Stress is relieved by either removing the stressor, or by changing the diver’s perception of the stressor so that it’s no longer threatening, or chang-ing the perception of the diver’s ability to cope with the stressor. The dive briefing often helps, but sometimes you may be able to individually assist divers manage their stress.

1. Physical stressors – simple actions may relieve these.

(e.g., diver overheated in exposure suit, offer to spray with water, suggest slowing activity, or open-ing suit to cool a bit.)

2. Explain procedures – stress about dive often comes from lack of information about how to handle a perceived threat or concern; providing information may reduce or relieve stress. (e.g., divers concerned about strong currents may feel better if you review current diving procedures and explain what to do if the current carries them past the boat.)

3. Offer choices – you may be able to offer alternatives that relieve stress. (e.g., diver who is concerned about successful navigation during a dive may appreciate the option to make a guided dive. Diver concerned about making a deep dive may appreci-ate option to swim in shallows along top of wall.) 4. Provide information – new or accurate information

may reduce stress by removing perception of threat.

(e.g., diver hears that nurse sharks are common at dive site and may experience stress through fear of shark attack. Telling the diver that nurse sharks are

docile and not associate with attacks (except when molested) may greatly reduce stress.)

5. Let them off the hook – make it clear to all divers that if someone doesn’t feel up to a dive for any reason, it’s okay not to dive.

V. Mapping Dive Sites

A. There are several reasons to map a dive site.

1. as a briefing tool

2. to provide you a navigation reference when leading dive tours

3. to provide divers you supervise with a navigation reference when diving independently

4. to show divers local facilities, entry and exit points, and points of interest

5. to have a reference against which to observe changes in the dive site over time

B. Mapping tools – the following will be necessary or helpful in mapping.

1. dive compass 2. large slate

3. buoys/markers with lines and weights 4. graph paper

5. protractor and ruler

C.What are the general steps for mapping a dive site, and what elements do you include in a dive site map?

[see also the PADI Underwater Navigator Manual]

Note to instructor: This is one technique. There are others you may wish to recommend. Consider drawing a sample map to illustrate these steps for candidates.

1. Identify a central point, or place a buoy from which to gather data, and determine the map boundaries.

2. Swim a large search pattern, such as a U-pattern, that covers the map area, away from the point. You may need to use several sets of patterns to cover the whole area.

3. Count kick cycles and record depth and features as you go, noting the pattern leg and distance when you find features.

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Mapping Dive Sites Mapping Dive Sites

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■Why?

◆Use during briefings

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◆Provide navigation reference

◆Orient divers to site

◆Note changes to site over time

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✚Compass, slate, markers and line, graph paper, protractor and ruler

◆Tools

✚Compass, slate, markers and line, graph paper, protractor and ruler

◆Steps

✚Define area

✚Use appropriate search pattern

✚Record depth and features

✚Plot data on graph paper

◆Steps

✚Define area

✚Use appropriate search pattern

✚Record depth and features

✚Plot data on graph paper

4. On each leg, record the kick cycle where you hit specified depths to show contour (e.g., 3 metre/10 foot increments).

5. Draw the pattern on graph paper in pencil. Use protractor to keep heading angles accurate, ruler and graph lines to maintain scale. Include depths and features noted on the pattern.

6. Connect same depths with lines to show contour, and fill in headings and distance from shore refer-ence to points of interest.

7. Fill in shore line, facilities and topside features.

8. To finish map, use ink on parts of map you wish to keep and erase the pencil portions. Or, use blue pencil and blue graph paper to draw map, then black ink for final version and photocopy through blue gelatin.

D. [Mapping Project – If you have not given mapping project assignments, you may want to do so now. If necessary, review search pattern procedures and have candidates practice a U-pattern in open water prior to beginning the Mapping Project.]

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Part 1

Questions?

Supervising Diving Activities for Certified Divers

Part 1

Questions?

Supervising Diving Activities for Certified Divers

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Topic 2

In document Dive Master Questionaire (Page 43-51)