DIVERS ALERT NETWORK
Coral Divers is proud to support DAN Asia-Pacific (DAN
AP). The Divers Alert Network (DAN) is a global network of
not-for-profit, member-based, dive safety organisations working for the
safety of all divers through education, research and training.
DAN AP provides Worldwide Emergency Evacuation Coverage
and optional Dive Injury (Treatment) Insurance Services for Members. In
addition the organisation is responsible for funding and/or manning
24-hour diving emergency hotlines throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
DAN AP is a part of the International DAN Federation of
Dive Safety Organisations with worldwide Membership presently exceeding
300,000.
Wherever
members live or dive around the world they have peace of mind knowing
that DAN is available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week to assist in the
event of an accident/illness.
Why is
it so important that as Divers we are protected with DAN Membership &
Dive Injury (Treatment) Insurance?
It’s all about being prepared for the unexpected, namely
dive accidents and illnesses. It’s essential that divers have a
reputable organisation to call that will be able to co-ordinate a rescue
effort and get them to the most appropriate treatment for their injury
or illness. And then there is the issue of cost. DAN protection ensures
the diver will not be lumbered with the burden of a potentially hefty
invoice in the event of an accident or illness.
An Example
In 2007 DAN was involved in
the evacuation of a paralysed diver from the Solomon Islands to
Australia. The evacuation cost was around AUD$90,000 (as an aircraft had
to be sourced from far away). In addition, the treatment costs were in
excess of US$30,000, plus on-going expenses.
The
essence of DAN Membership & Dive Injury (Treatment) Insurance is about
being prepared. DAN offers members peace-of-mind, which comes from
knowing they have the experts in diver accident management to call in
the event of a diving accident or illness.
To learn more about DAN,
or to become a member, visit
www.danasiapacific.org |
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Dive Safety Information Presented by
DAN Asia-Pacific, Your
Buddy in Dive Safety
SAFE
DIVING TIPS
All
diving involves a degree of risk, because, after all, we are
air-breathing mammals and are not designed for breathing underwater. If
we accept this premise, and admit to ourselves that we are voluntarily
entering an alien environment, we are more likely to approach our diving
with a sensible degree of caution. We must also acknowledge that we rely
totally on our equipment while diving.
These
safety hints apply to ALL dives and should be read in addition to
those hints for specific types of diving.
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Be
trained by a recognised agency.
Such training will make you aware of the more common problems you
will face underwater, and how to reduce the likelihood of these
problems occurring. |
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Be
sure that you are medically fit for diving.
Some medical conditions are not compatible with safe diving, while
other conditions may allow you to dive safely with caution. It is
important that divers over 40 receive regular medical check-ups. |
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Be
sure that you are physically fit for diving.
Diving may require exertion beyond what is usual for you and it is
important that you are fit enough to deal with this. |
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Thoroughly prepare and check your gear prior to diving.
You rely totally on your equipment while underwater. |
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Choose dives that match your training, experience and confidence.
Dive within your comfort zone on all dives. |
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Listen to your inner voice.
If
you do not feel right while underwater, or you feel that you have
exceeded your comfort level, abort the dive. |
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Watch your ascent rate on all dives.
You
should never exceed an ascent rate of 10m/minute when diving
shallower than about 30m. An ascent rate of 5-6 metres per minute is
recommended in the last 10m of ascent. |
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Complete safety stops on all dives that exceed 10m depth.
Safety stops assist with reduction of excess nitrogen, which reduces
the risk of DCI. They also slow your ascent rate, by forcing you to
stop for a period of time. The rule of thumb is 3-5 minutes at 5-6
metres. An additional deeper stop may sometimes be beneficial after
deeper dives. |
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Always dive with a buddy.
Your safety and your enjoyment will be enhanced by being with a
companion while underwater. |
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Plan your dive.
You
and your buddy should agree on depth, time, air cut-off, and safety
stops. |
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Plan your dive so you surface with a minimum of 50bar.
Don’t look at it as wasted air, but as insurance against the
possibility of some emergency that causes your air consumption to
increase. |
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If
you have had a layoff from diving, or you have been unwell, do some
easier dives to regain your confidence and skill.
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Revise your skills regularly.
Practise such survival skills as mask-clearing, regulator removal,
and air-sharing regularly. |
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Log your dives.
A record of your diving history may come in very handy should you
ever seek higher levels of training. |
DIVING MEDICAL
QUESTIONS – DAN DOC
Do you have any diving
medical related questions? Do you have any concerns about the effects
of diving? Follow the link below to find all the answers to many common
and some less common questions relating to diving medical issues.
CLICK HERE for answers to your diving
medical questions.
DIVING
EMERGENCIES
As divers, we hope to never
find ourselves in need of emergency medical assistance as a result of a
diving accident. However, statistics highlight that accidents do
happen, even to the most experienced divers, so we should all have a
plan of action that will prepare us for the unexpected.
If you ever find yourself in an
emergency situation, when in Australia, your first step should be to
call the Divers Alert Network (DAN) funded
Diving Emergency Services
Medical Hotline on 1800 088 200.
If you
are calling from Outside Australia you need to call:
+ 61- 8 - 8212 9242.
This number is
available to all divers throughout the world.
As
we all know many of the world’s top dive destinations are in remote
areas that are difficult to access and often result in significant costs
in terms of emergency evacuation and subsequent medical treatment.
Therefore, DAN strongly recommends that all divers be adequately covered
for such a contingency. And remember, if you are prepared for the
unexpected you can focus on what’s most important … enjoying your
diving! |
