Chambers recompressing diver's database

[FW]

I know that this is a crazy idea coming from someone that has been treated for DCS three times, but perhaps you should expend as much thought as to how to avoid needing a chamber in the first place, just sayin'.

I agree!

[shellmoundal]

We can't get anyone to volunteer for a position on the Board of Directors. How then could we expect any volunteers to work on a Chamber Process? It is easier to get volunteers in a 3rd world country than it is to get the one in Cave Country; sad but true.

BTW, here's a sobering overview from Duke Dive Medicine posted on SB, commenting on the "draconian" standard of care in general for dive accident victims: http://www.scubaboard.com/community/...4#post-7675247

A good analysis above, which explains the problem but doesn't offer any solutions. . .

Even eighty-three-hundred miles away from you, Truk Lagoon has what can be considered a level 5 trauma facility and has a privately run multiplace Recompression Chamber on-call that can also treat emergent DCS cases. They have phone consultation with a Hyperbaric Physician -in Sydney Australia over 3200 miles away- when they run their HBOT Table 6. In addition to the paid Chamber Operator/Facility Director, there are now volunteer/relief chamber stand-by operator crews, trained personnel whose day jobs are at the major Dive Operations (Truk Lagoon Dive Center, Truk Odyssey Liveaboard etc).

If they can train the necessary Basic Life Support personnel to make at least a level 5 trauma facility for acute DCS/AGE care & treatment, and make this system viable in a remote poor central pacific region like Chuuk Micronesia, why can’t y’all do the same in North Florida USA?

Again, it's up to you divers out there to generate grass roots support, along with some state & local corporate sponsorship (Dive Rite, Halcyon, Univ of Florida -etc) to set-up a non-profit emergency HBOT Diver's only facility out there in Cave Country. Or at least have some form of organized rotating 24/7 Recompression Chamber coverage amongst the private operators in the immediate region. Recruit and train volunteer Chamber Crews, rotate them in 24/7 stand-by with tacit cooperation & use of facilities from the local private chamber operators.

Work out the legalities and make this happen. . . !

[Kevrumbo]

We can't get anyone to volunteer for a position on the Board of Directors. How then could we expect any volunteers to work on a Chamber Process? It is easier to get volunteers in a 3rd world country than it is to get the one in Cave Country; sad but true.

Put yet another way: If at least attempting to establish a barely adequate logistical network of Recompression Chambers can be done over 3.2 million square miles of Oceania, on some of the best diving spots but poorest nations on the planet, why can't you North Florida Cave Divers work to establish a more reliable network to treat dive casualties over a much smaller area?


DAN and Duke Dive Medicine are not going do this for you --you're going to have to organize & do it all yourselves. . .

[OFG-1]

Put yet another way: If at least attempting to establish a barely adequate logistical network of Recompression Chambers can be done over 3.2 million square miles of Oceania, on some of the best diving spots but poorest nations on the planet, why can't you North Florida Cave Divers work to establish a more reliable network to treat dive casualties over a much smaller area?

Very simple. There are at least 1000 times more lawyers in cave country than in all 3.2 million square miles of Pacific ocean that is sparsely dotted with very small land masses mostly inhabited by nice people that would probably not drag your ass into court for killing their idiot husbands that could not figure out how to use their diving computer.

[gschaut]

The Catalina chamber is a major accomplishment, but a model that hasn't been reproduced elsewhere. I suspect the major hurdle is getting support and finding from a local county agency. I seriously doubt that will happen. I wish it would as I would donate.

I also worry about the liability factor. Look at the frivolous lawsuits recently over divers' deaths aka school sink and Wes skile's wife. What happens if someone dies during or after a chamber ride? Who gets sued by the family?

Quoting from Florida statutes:
“Any person, including those licensed to practice medicine, who gratuitously and in good faith renders emergency care or treatment…shall not be held liable for any civil damages…where the person acts as an ordinary, reasonably prudent person would have acted under the same or similar circumstances.”

Bottom line: if the chamber is operated by VOLUNTEERS (not paid staff), the "bar" needed to EVEN FILE a suit is evidence of gross neglegence.

The operative questions are:

1. Will Florida Cave Divers who spend $$$ a year on their own equipment be willing to donate a couple % of their personal budget to sponsoring a chamber.

2. Will Florida Cave Divers who spend (God knows how many) hours on their personal skills training (and partying) be willing spend a few hours learning how to be chamber operators. We have LOTS of fire/ems/medical personnel in our ranks.

3. With a pager system, will Florida Cave Divers living within 1 hr of High Springs (just for argument's sake) be willing to take time off to go assist a fellow diver who needs their help?

The way I see it, if the community can agree on items 1-3, the rest is just paperwork.

Forrest mentioned that there was a previous attempt at establishing a Cave Country Chamber that failed when 1 person absconded with the funds. Maybe it's time to try again, WITH a few financial safeguards in place.

I'm 1,400 miles from cave country, and I get down there once a year (maybe). I will put up the first $500, tell me who to make the check out to.

I've spent 40+ years helping those in need, and I have no intention of stopping now!

[DogDiver]

Until the Tort system in America gets changed, there is no possibility for a "voluntary" chamber.
Very sad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rddvet]

Quoting from Florida statutes:
“Any person, including those licensed to practice medicine, who gratuitously and in good faith renders emergency care or treatment…shall not be held liable for any civil damages…where the person acts as an ordinary, reasonably prudent person would have acted under the same or similar circumstances.”

Bottom line: if the chamber is operated by VOLUNTEERS (not paid staff), the "bar" needed to EVEN FILE a suit is evidence of gross neglegence.

The operative questions are:

1. Will Florida Cave Divers who spend $$$ a year on their own equipment be willing to donate a couple % of their personal budget to sponsoring a chamber.

2. Will Florida Cave Divers who spend (God knows how many) hours on their personal skills training (and partying) be willing spend a few hours learning how to be chamber operators. We have LOTS of fire/ems/medical personnel in our ranks.

3. With a pager system, will Florida Cave Divers living within 1 hr of High Springs (just for argument's sake) be willing to take time off to go assist a fellow diver who needs their help?

The way I see it, if the community can agree on items 1-3, the rest is just paperwork.

Forrest mentioned that there was a previous attempt at establishing a Cave Country Chamber that failed when 1 person absconded with the funds. Maybe it's time to try again, WITH a few financial safeguards in place.

I'm 1,400 miles from cave country, and I get down there once a year (maybe). I will put up the first $500, tell me who to make the check out to.

I've spent 40+ years helping those in need, and I have no intention of stopping now!

I don't care what the "law" says. People and doctors have been sued for rendering emergency care. While they may not have lost and it was probably thrown out, it still costs time and money to deal with.

Those are the reasons I don't see this going far. Oh and the fact that when you put 5 cave divers together for a good cause 2 of them end up claiming to be el Presidente and have a war of stupidity.

But I agree, if this ever did get off the ground, I'd give $500-1000.

[Kevrumbo]

How we annually fund the Chamber:

https://dornsife.usc.edu/chamberday/

How we recruit the Volunteers:

https://dornsife.usc.edu/hyperbaric/...ber-volunteer/

[Kevrumbo]

You divers all there in Florida keep on making excuses why you can't do and having no courage for what you should do. . .

I don't care what the "law" says. People and doctors have been sued for rendering emergency care. While they may not have lost and it was probably thrown out, it still costs time and money to deal with.

Those are the reasons I don't see this going far. Oh and the fact that when you put 5 cave divers together for a good cause 2 of them end up claiming to be el Presidente and have a war of stupidity.

But I agree, if this ever did get off the ground, I'd give $500-1000.

$107,855 -Thank You!

[bent]

You divers all there in Florida keep on making excuses why you can't do and having no courage for what you should do. . .

You can't really compare SoCal with northern Florida. The population density is way higher in SoCal, you have much more people live and dive there and I bet the demand for deco treatments is way higher too.

I mean, how many people come to Fl for cave diving every year and how many cave divers live in the area? Combined a couple of thousand? If that.