Controlled buoyant lift
Encyclopedia
The controlled buoyant lift is an underwater
diver rescue
technique used by scuba divers
to safely raise an incapacitated diver to the surface from depth. It is the primary technique for rescuing an underwater and unconscious
diver. It can also be used where the casualty has lost or damaged his or her diving mask
and cannot safely ascend without help.
The standard PADI
-trained technique is for the rescuer to approach the face-down unconscious diver (victim) from above and kneel with one knee either side of his or her diving cylinder
. Then, with the victim's diving regulator
held in place, the tank is gripped firmly between the knees and the rescuer's buoyancy compensator is used to control a slow ascent to the surface.
In the technique taught by BSAC
, the rescuer faces the casualty and uses the casualty's buoyancy compensator to provide buoyancy for both divers as the rescuer makes a controlled ascent. If the casualty is not breathing, the ascent will be urgent. If the two divers separate during the ascent, the use of the casualty's buoyancy is intended as a failsafe causing the casualty to continue to the surface where there is air and other rescuers can help.
Underwater
Underwater is a term describing the realm below the surface of water where the water exists in a natural feature such as an ocean, sea, lake, pond, or river. Three quarters of the planet Earth is covered by water...
diver rescue
Diver rescue
thumb|right|Beaching a casualty while providing artificial respirationDiver rescue, following an accident, is the process of avoiding or limiting further exposure to diving hazards and bringing a SCUBA diver to safety...
technique used by scuba divers
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
to safely raise an incapacitated diver to the surface from depth. It is the primary technique for rescuing an underwater and unconscious
Unconsciousness
Unconsciousness is the condition of being not conscious—in a mental state that involves complete or near-complete lack of responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli. Being in a comatose state or coma is a type of unconsciousness. Fainting due to a drop in blood pressure and a...
diver. It can also be used where the casualty has lost or damaged his or her diving mask
Diving mask
A diving mask is an item of diving equipment that allows scuba divers, free-divers, and snorkelers to see clearly underwater. When the human eye is in direct contact with water as opposed to air, its normal environment, light entering the eye is refracted by a different angle and the eye is unable...
and cannot safely ascend without help.
The standard PADI
Professional Association of Diving Instructors
The Professional Association of Diving Instructors is the world's largest recreational diving membership and diver training organization founded in 1966 by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson...
-trained technique is for the rescuer to approach the face-down unconscious diver (victim) from above and kneel with one knee either side of his or her diving cylinder
Diving cylinder
A diving cylinder, scuba tank or diving tank is a gas cylinder used to store and transport high pressure breathing gas as a component of a scuba set. It provides gas to the scuba diver through the demand valve of a diving regulator....
. Then, with the victim's diving regulator
Diving regulator
A diving regulator is a pressure regulator used in scuba or surface supplied diving equipment that reduces pressurized breathing gas to ambient pressure and delivers it to the diver. The gas may be air or one of a variety of specially blended breathing gases...
held in place, the tank is gripped firmly between the knees and the rescuer's buoyancy compensator is used to control a slow ascent to the surface.
In the technique taught by BSAC
BSAC
BSAC can stand for:*Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center*Bit Sliced Arithmetic Coding, audio coding from MPEG-4 Part 3*British South Africa Company*British Sub-Aqua Club*British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy*Black Swamp Area Council...
, the rescuer faces the casualty and uses the casualty's buoyancy compensator to provide buoyancy for both divers as the rescuer makes a controlled ascent. If the casualty is not breathing, the ascent will be urgent. If the two divers separate during the ascent, the use of the casualty's buoyancy is intended as a failsafe causing the casualty to continue to the surface where there is air and other rescuers can help.