We hope this video makes people aware of the dangers of free diving alone. Its more fun in pairs and definitely safer 🙂
avoid shallow-water blackout:
- Do not hyperventilate to excess no more than three or four breaths.
- Recognize that any strenuous exercise will limit your bottom time drastically; when you exercise, head for the surface much sooner than usual.
- Recognize a dangerous situation when your mind starts to focus on a goal, and drop your weight belt.
- Treat your weight belt as a disposable item; if in doubt, drop it. Bring a spare weight belt to decrease your hesitancy to drop it.
- Avoid endurance dives. If you must make a long or deep dive, make sure you have a buddy standing by on the surface.
- Adjust your weight belt so that you will float at 5 meter. ( for example 3mm wetsuits maximum weight 3if you r diving lower than 5 meter, if you diving depth is only 5 meter is ok to use more than 3 weights)
- Consider a swimming pool a dangerous place to practice endurance breath-holding. Always have an observer standing by to assist.
- Learn the basics of CPR and think about adapting them to your diving arena, whether diving from shore, board or boat. More info
Freedive Safely
- Dive with an evenly matched buddy, and conform to the level of the least capable diver.
- Weight yourself correctly (positively buoyant at surface) even after exhalation.
- Do not hyperventilate to excess.
- One up/ One down – diving with constant visual contact. When conditions allow each diver should have a flag.
- Maintain close, direct supervision of any freediver for no less than 30 seconds after he surfaces.
- Make your minimum surface interval twice the duration of your dive time.
- Do not take every dive to its limit. Maintain a reserve.
- Review, practice and discuss how to recognize and handle blackouts and near blackouts. More info
Rescue Skills
- Get victim to surface immediately. Establish positive buoyancy for the both of you.
- For a witnessed blackout; remove mask and snorkel, blow on face-eyes, stimulate face with a few taps, vocalize encouragement to breathe, otherwise open the airway and begin immediate rescue breathing. 1 breath every 5 seconds
- Get victim to land or boat ASAP, manage ABCDs (airway-breathing-circulation-deadly bleeding) start CPR with O2, 30 compressions to 2 ventilations, as needed.
- If evacuation from water is prolonged, monitor Airway & Breathing and provide rescue breathing (1 breath every 5 sec.) during transport if needed.
- Seek help from EMS (emergency medical services) 911, or hail the Coast Guard on Channel 16 on VHF radio.
- After a SWB, STOP diving and immediately seek medical evaluation.
All information are from http://shallowwaterblackoutprevention.org