Hi Rachel and GinaI was a qualified PADI Dive Master, before I changed my life around and I have not dived since.
A couple of points that were mentioned
Quote from: REM.1126 on March 23, 2024, 01:37:11 PMGina, when I took (non scuba) rescue, we were taught that same thing. You can save them if they kill you. Obviously, when they stop pulling you under, you get a breath and try again (more careful to protect yourself).
and
Quote from: Gina P on March 23, 2024, 01:31:45 PMMy father had said when he took a course in the 20s. They were taught if someone had a death hold on them to dive deeper to get them to release. No scuba just aquatic training. I'm guessing there are a lot of new techniques these days.
One you cannot save them if they kill you! Second I was also trained if they grab you (aquatic training) then you dive down deep and away from them. The reason being is they are not going to follow you, because they are panicking and don't want to drown so they stay on the surface.
In life saving there is a graduated process in what you do in trying to rescue someone who is in trouble, suffice to say, contacting the victim is the absolute last resort and even then you should think twice about it. Your life is important.
You should approach your victim face on and in a laid back position with one or two legs raised and as you approach you talk to the victim and if they try to grab you as they are want to, you can swim backwards and if they do grab you, you kick them away.
Instruct them explicitly what you are going to do, come behind them and proceed with the contact tow method that you are comfortable with. If they do not listen to your instructions then wait for them, don't approach them (unless you have some aid with you, in which case you do not do a contact rescue), if they become unconsciousness. Go behind them and then rescue them.
Quote from: REM.1126 on March 23, 2024, 01:23:11 PMI took a stress and rescue course in scuba. I was a particularly strong swimmer, and very comfortable with scuba. The "drowning victim" was a fire rescue professional. He flailed and kicked and gave most people a little trouble, but he kicked it into another gear for me. We were friends, and he threw the kitchen sink at me. He elbowed me in the face (it was like being punched), knocked my mask off, ripped my air supply out and pulled me under. I recovered and made the retrieval. Next time around, though, I swam out to him, dived deep and came from directly beneath him on his back side (yes, he was spinning, but I still managed it) inflating my BC as I ascended) and grabbed him and inflated his BC and dropped his weight belt, then retrieved him. I kept the middle of his back on my hip and all he could do was reach back over the top of his head. He did manage to knock my mask off again (break the seal), but it just fell down towards my regulator, not off into the pool.
Afterwards he commented that I was lucky I came up with that strategy, because he was planning to make it even tougher on me than before. He said he didn't think the others could handle it, but he was preparing me for the worst I might face in real life, because some people are absolutely losing their s4!t and can be exceptionally dangerous to the rescuer. He followed that up with, I know you can handle way more than most. I felt honored.
Very interesting rescue and solution in that scenario. Yes, you was also lucky that you came up with that strategy. In your case, you were confident and the instructor knew this. Hence making it difficult for you as you said. I'm of the same disposition. However, if you are a small person and the other was a hulk. That tactic would more than likely fail.
I still would have approached the person who was in the scuba gear face on and if I was approached back off or if I was grabbed descend as you did in your scenario and swim away and rinse and repeat. While still talking to them, telling them what to do or what you are going to do.
Quote from: REM.1126 on March 23, 2024, 01:23:11 PMMy question is, what is it ACTUALLY like rescuing people. Do they (unwittingly) try to drown you? Do they try to use you as a floatation device such that you are in danger? Or, are they so relived to be able to breath freely that they lose their fight or flight feelings? Was he doing what he said? Or, was he just messing with me because we were friends and sometimes that's what guys do to friends?
You go into automatic overdrive or a hyper sense of awareness and you will have analysed the situation and have formulated a plan you will go with. This is what Sarah was trained to do over the years. When I rescued that person on the beach he was in the water and I noticed he was struggling and I knew he was going to need help. I did not have any aids except a towel. I was in my bathers, I swam out and approached him face on talking all the time. I asked him if he needed help and he replied; "yes".
Telling him I was going to tow him in with the towel and he was to grab the end and I was going to swim survival backstroke so that I could watch him all the time and I said to him if he tried to approach me. I would let go and swim away, but I would come back for another try. Eventually, arrived at the shore were he could stand up. Lots of thank yous and all I said that's all right and please be careful in the future. I later analysed the situation and thought about what I did and could I have done better.
If the victim is in the throes of drowning they will not be coherent, like you said "they will be bat s4*t crazy. They will try their damnedest to get on top of you because they want to breathe, so in a sense you will be come their floatation device. When they can breathe easily they will forget about fight and flight, but not completely as their Adrenalin will still be high.
When I used to train and I did my lifeguard updates. Scenarios are always part of the course, I never play patsy so that others can have an easy time of it. I always made it difficult or made it awkward when they rescued me. Not outrageously so and I always want a much harder scenario myself.
I cannot say what he was thinking at the time. Yes, it was a practice session, lesson. So that is always in mind. The harder the scenario is the better equiped you will be when the real thing happens. Yes I would also be honoured, that I would have been set a harder task to do.
Love and HugsSarah B@REM.1126 @Gina P
