b. Using information from Dive Rescue Int'l's Ice Dive  class, performing search patterns is considered a moderate workload. On their chart, an 80 cu. Ft. tank will last the average diver approx. 16 min at a moderate work load (at 66 ft) and still leave 1000 psi residual for safety. We stretched that to 20 min with a little less residual for non-penetration dives. 

c. Research presented by Terry Trueblood of  IADRS  , indicate that a diver can only maintain sharp focus during high stress situations for a maximum of 20 min. After that, search patterns become sloppy and the risk of an accident increases.

2. No, we keep the same max depth for rescues or recoveries.

3. We are currently working on training a few of our higher level divers through NAUI's technical series  of Technical EANx, Decompression Techniques and Extended Range diving to push our absolute max limit towards 180 feet. If we needed to exceed the 60 foot limit, right now we would still use an altitude-adjusted depth and stick with the Doppler limits on the Navy Table, with air checks every 5 minutes for safety.

4. We do not currently dive with redundant air supplies, but we have developed a Rapid Intervention Pack (RIP) that can be deployed by a backup diver to bring an additional air supply to a trapped diver. The system we designed allows a quick connect to plug into a choice of two locations and lets the trapped diver retain his full face mask and communication. The tanks can be cycled in and out indefinitely to proved extended air supply in an emergency.

5. The switching mechanism we use for this is a modified DSI manifold block.

I have inserted an excerpt from our SOP's regarding rescue, recovery, and depths. We have coined the term "Exceptional Dive" which is defined and used as part of the overall evaluation of any response. Within these guidelines, we have successfully recovered a body from 200' before. We have a mandatory "period of planning for these exceptional dives, since in the past I have seen dive team fatalities occur in recovery modes that were rushed and the risk under evaluated. Think of it as a "cooling off period"
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A Rescue mode operation will be conducted for one and one half hours from the time the call is received. At the end of the 1 1/2 hour period the Rescue mode operation will cease and a total re-evaluation of the situation will be conducted by the Dive Team and any other organization who has jurisdiction and authority. At this time the operation will be considered a Recovery mode operation. A Recovery mode operation requires special consideration in that since there is no possibility that a life may be saved, an acceptable risk during a Rescue mode operation may be considered an unacceptable risk in a Recovery mode operation. An exceptional dive situation may encountered. The following criteria any one of which if met shall constitute an exceptional dive. 1. Any dive made at night 2. Any dive made greater than 60 feet deep and in zero visibility conditions 3. Any dive where the depth/time profile would impose a decompression ceiling on the diver If any Recovery Mode Operation is determined to be an exceptional dive, then a minimum of 4 hours Period of Planning is mandatory. During this Period of Planning, the dive operation will be on hold while a determination is made that divers are available with the appropriate qualification, experience, equipment and have had sufficient rest to make the dive safely. _____________________________________________________________________
As for questions 3-4 we use redundant 2nd stages only if the dive is done in conventional open-water gear. This is something that I'm in the process of re-evaluating and have not made any changes yet. (budget issues). For any deep recovery we use full cave gear, in a DIR configuration for the potential of an overhead ceiling. We use tri-mix with an Equivalent air depth of 90-100 ft only for anything over 100 ft in depth to eliminate narcosis altogether.

Submitted by

Howard Alexander, Training Officer Loudon County Dive Rescue Team

My name is Bob Shields and I am the team coordinator for the Cumberland Water Rescue and Recovery Team in Cumberland, RI, USA. The follow are answers to your questions based on current team SOGs and future SOG changes. I've listed the numbered replys according to the way it was posted on the IADRS group.

1&2. The max depth we allow is 60 feet whether rescue or recovery. A few of our team members are trained to go beyond that depth but I would need to do a detailed risk/benifit analysis of the situation before letting them dive.

3. We do not train to the max depth. There is only one body of water in our area that is greater than 60 feet, an old quarry with a depth of 150 feet. Our team responds to freshwater incidents only, theses bodies of water have an average depth of 15-20 feet.

4. As of now we do not carry redundant air supplies. We are going to start training with a rescue pack, an aluminim 80 tank and regulator positioned with the backup diver. This will soon be incorperated into our SOGs. We are currently waiting for funding for full facemasks. When we set them up we will be using the maifold block and quick connect system for the rescue pack. We are also looking into breakaway pony bottles with regulators.

5. When we go with the pony bottles we will have to swap mouthpieces. With the full face mask we can switch to the pony without removing the mask via the manifold block. The same with the rescue pack, now we will have to swap mouthpieces but whenever we get the full face mask just connect to the quick connect feature on the manifold.

Submitted by
Lt Bob Shields
Resqdivemedic@aol.com

PS- Check out our teams web site at www.cumberlandrescue.com. Click on the 
links button and go to the dive team section.