Pemeriksaan realitas pertama saya sebagai seorang profesional selam datang setelah seminggu bekerja dengan pasangan. Setiap hari mereka meminta pemandu selam pribadi dan dukungan khusus. Mereka dengan murah hati memberi tip kepada setiap profesional penyelam dan anggota kru untuk mendorong lebih banyak perhatian pribadi keesokan harinya.
Setelah penyelaman terakhir pada hari terakhir perjalanan mereka, sang suami membuka ritsleting pakaian selamnya, dan semua orang membeku. Jepitan bedah menjalar di bagian tengah dadanya. Dia tertawa dan berkomentar bahwa kami tidak akan mengizinkannya menyelam jika dia memberi tahu siapa pun. Pemeriksaan cepat pada formulir medisnya menunjukkan bahwa dia telah berbohong tentang kebugarannya untuk menyelam, dan selama seminggu dia tidak pernah membiarkan siapa pun melihatnya tanpa baju atau pakaian selam.
Kami belajar pada hari itu bahwa insentif finansial dan perilaku yang baik membuat kami tidak memperhatikan tanda-tanda yang signifikan dan mengkhawatirkan. Sejak hari itu, kami memberikan perhatian ekstra untuk memeriksa setiap formulir medis, dan anggota staf meluangkan lebih banyak waktu untuk berdiskusi dengan pelanggan tentang realitas keselamatan dan bagaimana hal itu terkait dengan informasi pada formulir.
Setelah beberapa bulan tanpa insiden, pengecekan berikutnya muncul di suatu pagi yang indah dengan air yang tenang dan matahari yang cerah. Kami memiliki beberapa kapal yang membawa penyelam untuk menyelam santai. Begitu kami tiba di lokasi, para penyelam masuk ke dalam air. Seorang penyelam tiba-tiba muncul ke permukaan, tampaknya dalam kesulitan. Dia batuk-batuk dan bergerak tak menentu. Setelah beberapa saat dia memberi isyarat baik-baik saja, rileks, dan tenggelam lagi.
This diver was an average middle-aged woman and had shown no signs of any issues in previous days. The mate from her boat noted where she submerged and started preparing a rescue buoy and line. Within moments the diver surfaced again and fell forward, not moving. The mate immediately entered the water and swam toward the diver’s location as the diver’s buddy surfaced. The mate gave the buoy to the buddy and towed the unresponsive diver back to the boat.
The crew removed the diver’s gear, made the proper radio call to shore for assistance, began lifesaving procedures, radioed sister vessels to pick up the remaining divers, and started toward shore. The unconscious diver started expelling bloody, frothy fluid from her mouth when the mate began CPR. The mate faced a critical decision: Would she perform rescue breaths despite the bloody discharge and not having a pocket mask?
Tanpa ragu-ragu dia mencoba melakukan napas penyelamatan selama perjalanan di atas kapal. Penegak hukum dan petugas medis menemui perahu tersebut di pantai. Paramedis menyadari bahwa mereka tidak dapat menyelamatkan penyelam tersebut, tetapi memuji rekannya karena telah melakukan upaya terbaik.
After the incident, all working parties went to a local facility for substance testing. This policy was part of the dive operator’s standard postdive accident protocol, to which the dive professionals had agreed. Its purpose was to satisfy law enforcement concerns and ensure proper behavior for associated insurance providers.
There were no substance abuse issues, but the testing didn’t include bloodborne pathogens, even for the mate who had potentially been exposed. She and the other dive professionals were surprised to find that she, not her employer, was responsible for that testing. The mate had to drive two hours to a separate facility and was initially financially responsible for the pathogen testing. The operator eventually agreed to cover all her medical testing related to this incident.
Dive professionals are often called upon to provide the best support possible, which sometimes puts our safety and well-being at risk. Appropriate and ethical treatment isn’t always guaranteed for rescuers and first aid providers. Advocating for the employer to take care of an employee who put herself at risk on their behalf was instrumental in ensuring she did not face an unexpected financial burden for preserving her health.
Investigators determined that this diver had also lied on her medical form and didn’t disclose a medical condition and current medication that would have prevented her from diving. Despite all the protocols in place, it’s ultimately up to divers to be honest and ensure they correctly complete the paperwork. Whether divers or dive professionals, we are all part of the dive community. We should do our best to avoid causing risk for others, support each other when problems arise, and help prevent future problems.
© Penyelam Siaga - Q1 2023