Basic Lifesaving Techniques: Recognizing And Rescuing An Unconscious Diver

Imagine yourself encountering an emergency underwater. Could you handle it? Diving takes us into environments and exposes us to conditions that are beyond the norm, and as a result, many divers suffer from a variety of problems while underwater. There are three types of emergencies you might encounter while diving: physical emergencies, equipment-related emergencies, and psychological emergencies. Any or all of these emergencies can cause a diver to black out. Knowing how to recognize an unconscious diver and having the ability to rescue him or her is a vital skill. 

Causes of Diver Unconsciousness

There are several factors that can contribute to unconsciousness. These include equipment failure, severe anxiety, a painful injury or an encounter with dangerous marine life, or nitrogen narcosis. A diver who is descending headfirst can hit his or her head on an obstruction and black out, a wonky dive computer can cause diver error that ultimately leads to unconsciousness, or severe anxiety can lead to panic and subsequent nitrogen narcosis. In short, anything can happen. 

Of all these scenarios, nitrogen narcosis is perhaps the most common; it can lead to hallucinations, feelings of euphoria, an aggrandized sense of self importance, and other problems that can cause an undesirable chain of events to occur which ultimately lead to unconsciousness. 

No matter what the cause, it’s vital that the unconscious diver be rescued immediately, as failure to intervene can lead to rapid drowning and subsequent death. 

Signs of Diver Blackout

There are several ways to identify divers who are blacking out or who are already unconscious. These include: 

• The diver’s legs become floppy
• The diver’s head either rolls back or falls to the chest
• Eyes either roll back or close
• The arms drop down from the side of the body
• Convulsions or seizures occur
• The diver stops swimming and starts drowning

While people who pass out topside normally keep on breathing, even if breathing patterns do change, the relaxation that happens when someone loses consciousness can cause the jaw to become slack, and can cause water to enter the mouth or can lead to the regulator falling out of the mouth. If you see another diver lose consciousness, you will need to act quickly to save his or her life. 

Basic Technique for Rescuing an Unconscious Diver

If you see a diver black out, or if you come upon a diver who has passed out, use the following basic steps to effectively rescue that diver:

• Water must be prevented from entering the diver’s nose and mouth. For this, you will need to cover the mouth with a free hand. Be sure that the diver’s mask is covering his or her nose and be sure it is clear of water before proceeding to the next step.

• With the other hand, you will need to cradle the diver’s neck. The head and neck should be held in a normal, upright position to help keep the airway clear. This will help the expanded air in his or her lungs to get out of the system, and it may even help him or her begin to regain consciousness.

• Inflate the BC controller and begin to make a normal vertical ascent, making sure to keep the rate of ascent under control. A normal rate of ascent should be 30 feet per minute, and even if you are tempted to make an accelerated ascent, do not do it. If you make an accelerated ascent, it could cause air bubbles to get into the victim’s blood stream, further complicating the entire problem.

• Get the unconscious diver to the surface and lay him or her on a floatation device or the boat, whichever is closer. You may need to signal for help using your whistle, a safety sausage, or whatever signaling devices you have on hand. If you need to wait at the surface, be sure to fully inflate the victim’s BCD, ensuring his or her head remains supported. You may be able to begin rescue breathing at the surface if needed; if the person is still breathing, keeping him or her stable and preventing any water from entering the lungs should be a major priority for you. 

• Once you have stabilized the diver, remove his or her mask to aid breathing and aid circulation. You can tip the head to the side to encourage any water in the nose or mouth to trickle out. 

• If the diver does not start breathing on reaching the surface, all heavy equipment and safety gear must be removed rapidly so that rescue breathing and/or CPR may be effectively administered. You may need to remove gear in order to get the victim onto the boat. Use caution while doing this, watching for your own safety as you do all you can to help others get the unconscious person up onto the deck.

• Basic first aid procedures should be followed if the unconscious diver does not start to come to. Begin by ensuring a clear airway and looking for breathing. If the party is not breathing start to administer rescue breaths. 

Get professional help as soon as possible by calling the Coast Guard or other authorites, and begin administering CPR if you cannot find a pulse. Once a more qualified person arrives to help, allow him or her to take over rescue breathing and CPR. Though you may worry about abandoning the person you brought to the surface, allowing someone who is properly trained to take over is one of the best things you can do to help assure that person’s survival. 

While we’ve presented some bare bones basics here, we’d like to encourage you to take your training to the next level and become a rescue diver. Not only will you be better equipped mentally to handle emergencies, you will gain the practical skills that will transform you into a competent, effective rescuer. Even if you never use the skills you learn, simply having them available to you will make you a better diver and a better dive buddy.