The provision of Emergency Assistance at Dorothea quarry Snowdonia 05/08/2001 | |
Incident Report Background: Sgt Dave Taylor is a Trimix instructor and the Expedition's Diving Officer. Hollyhead Coastguard, the nearest recompression chamber in the Wirral and Flight C RAF had been notified of our training exercise by a courtesy call before we arrived. Sgt. Dave Taylor also had the permission of the owner of Dorothea for the Military personnel to dive there as it has been closed to public use. Incident: Sgt Dave Taylor had an extensive emergency procedures pack as part of his comprehensive risk assessment for our training exercise and took immediate charge of the Incident Management whilst Dr David Adey rendered medical assistance. The two civilian divers had made a rapid ascent without stopping and one diver was distressed at the surface. Dave Taylor and colleagues sent divers already in the water to give the divers towed assistance, whilst an area was cleared to receive them and an emergency stretcher was provided using a camp bed. The distressed and breathless diver described how he had a free flowing regulator at 50M, which he turned off and isolated, whilst his buddy had reached 66M. Both were diving on air. His buddy then apparently turned off the functioning pillar valve and the distressed diver was forced to resume using the free flowing regulator. He described taking in water, lost control of the situation and his buoyancy and both divers made an uncontrolled ascent to the surface. From knowledge gained at the Institute of Naval Medicine concerning the Expedition, such an uncontrolled ascent from depth carries a high risk of Arterial Gas Embolism. They also were at high risk of decompression illness. A medical history was taken from the distressed diver, including details
of the dive, whilst Dave Taylor collated personal details, and liased
with the Coastguard concerning evacuation to the Wirral chamber. The team
had deployed 100% oxygen and administered it to the casualty, along with
re-hydration with water. The casualty was rapidly medically assessed and
then underwent the standard taking of his medical history and cardiovascular,
respiratory, abdominal and central nervous system examinations. The distressed
diver had stable parameters. Dave Taylor also detailed two of the team
to place the casualty in a space blanket as this incident was in the open
air in the middle of Snowdonia and we knew that the water temperature
at depth was between 5 and 7deg C. Conclusion: Having undertaken a dangerous ascent they were rapidly placed on oxygen and rehydrated and were speedily and efficiently evacuated to the nearest chamber. They were extremely lucky to have had their incident in this remote location at the same time as the Joint Services Mixed Gas Diving Team where on exercise. |