Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Contingency Planning Presentation

Joe,

Thanks for your response; I had hoped others would chime in. The “full blown panic” comes from my days of doing search and rescue. Cockpit Resource management (CRM) included a brief to a dog handler prior to transporting a K-9 that if his dog went berserk, the dog went out the door! Fortunately (or in some cases unfortunately), we do not have that option aboard a PSUB. This is a question with no answer but what do you do in a K-350 with nowhere to retreat to? On large naval subs, just as they have recently suggested for on the shuttle, the passenger is sedated and restrained in their rack (have seen 2 people rendered thus).

Your recommended actions are well thought out and reflect the process of contingency planning. I will be included in the final paper and presentation.

As for the overhead environment, a PSUB can inadvertently get into an overhead situation by maneuvering in under a large vessel or wandering into a large sewer outfall (yes there are some outfalls that will swallow a K-350). The same can be said for a cavern which may be well lit by ambient reflected light and the pilot doesn’t realize that the boat has been moved in under a ledge.

R/Jay

Respectfully,

Jay K. Jeffries

Andros Is., Bahamas

A skimmer afloat is but a submarine, so poorly built it will not plunge.

From: owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org [mailto:owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org] On Behalf Of Joseph Perkel
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 11:36 PM
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Contingency Planning Presentation

Jay, A very worthy topic of discussion. My input as follows per an earlier off list response.

1) I had not considered until I read this, the potential implications of a passenger in "full blown" panic. I see this often enough in my work in the ICU, to recognize just how bad this could be enclosed in a metal can with someone like that.

In retrospect, although perhaps rare, I see how this has the real potential to incapacitate the pilot and render the vehicle uncontrollable. The recent astronaut incident illustrates human frailty, and the necessity of contingency planning.

Suggested remedies.

Pre screen criteria to possibly include "dry runs" on land, with darkened ports, pilot to "judge" response.

Short duration "initial step down" dives, to "qualify" observers for long duration deep dives.

Pilot familiarity with stages of panic symptomatolagy.

Any doubts, normal surface procedure

Response to worse case scenario.

Initiate emergent surfacing procedure

Pilot to don or (secure) independent air supply

Assume protective posture (pilot), retreat to fore / aft end away from hatch

Call for assistance if able

Attempt "talk down"

Call for assistance being the only reasonable response in my view. Any attempts at restraint increase the potential for injury.

As for overhead environments, the WHOI Alvin manual is short and sweet on the subject. Basically a form of "No way Jose"! :)

Jay, What is an "Outfall" pipe? a sewer line? I am assuming this is big, nasty, and something likely to be encountered in the littoral environment.

This convention is shaping up quite nicely, I do wish I could attend.

Joe

From:  "Jay K. Jeffries" <bottomgun@mindspring.com>
Reply-To:  personal_submersibles@psubs.org
To:  <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Subject:  [PSUBS-MAILIST] Contingency Planning Presentation
Date:  Sat, 17 Mar 2007 12:31:16 -0400
>This didn't make it through the first time, here it is reformatted.
>
>I am working on my presentations for this summer’s conference and would like
>to ask the aid of the list in attempting to develop a comprehensive list of
>potential contingencies that might arise during the operation of a PSUB.
>Please see the attached outline below of my first stab. Identifying all of
>the potential casualties is the first step of five in developing a
>contingency plan. Your assistance in this matter would be appreciated.
>Thanks!
>R/Jay
>
>I. PSUB Casualties
>    a. Fire
>       i. Full out
>       ii. Smoldering
>       iii. Battery
>          1. Fire
>          2. Explosion
>    b. Flooding
>       i. Rapid
>          1. View port rupture
>          2. Catastrophic hull failure
>          3. Burst pipe
>          4. Through main hatch surfaced
>       ii. Slow
>          1. View port fracture
>          2. Leaking fixture/seal
>    c. ± Excessive Depth Excursion
>       i. High speed down angle
>       ii. Rated depth/crush depth
>       iii. Surfacing collision
>       iv. Emergency MBT blow
>       v. Loss of drop weight
>    d. Loss of Power
>       i. Main power
>       ii. Emergency power
>    e. Loss of Maneuverability
>       i. Entanglement
>       ii. Locked steering
>       iii. Overhead environment
>          1. Ship
>          2. Cave
>          3. Outfall pipe
>       iv. Strong current
>       v. Shorted motor
>       vi. Run away motor
>    f. Loss of Buoyancy
>       i. Loss of MBT air
>       ii. Loss of MBT integrity
>          1. Partial loss of a tank
>          2. Full loss of a tank
>          3. Loss of all MBTs
>    g. Life Support Issues
>       i. Scrubber failure
>          1. Loss of power
>          2. Damp scrubber agent
>          3. Caustic cocktail
>       ii. Contaminated atmosphere
>          1. Carbon monoxide
>          2. Chlorine gas
>          3. High partial pressure oxygen
>          4. Various VOCs
>             a. Paint
>             b. Cleaning agents
>       iii. HP air/oxygen release
>       iv. Oxygen regulator failure
>       v. Barotrauma
>          1. During pressurization
>          2. Barotrauma during emergency ascent
>       vi. Thermal stress
>          1. Hypothermia
>          2. Hyperthermia
>       vii. Decompression Illness
>       viii. Aspiration/inhalation
>       ix. Traumatic injuries
>    h. Launch/Recovery Failure
>       i. Heavy seas
>       ii. Fouled lifting equipment
>       iii. Catastrophic lifting equipment failure
>       iv. Fouled hatch
>       v. Recovery vessel collision
>          1. Side
>2. Propeller(s)
>       i. Loss of Surface Support
>       ii. Sudden storm on surface
>       iii. Lost
>          1. Sub
>          2. Surface support
>       iv. Communications
>          1. UQC
>          2. VHF radio
>       . Surface support premature departure
>    j. Miscellaneous Casualties
>       i. Shorted instrumentation
>          1. Navigation
>          2. Lighting
>       ii. Grounding
>          1. Reef
>          2. Shallows
>       iii. Claustrophobic passenger
>          1. Mild
>          2. Maniac
>    k. Compounded Casualty
>       i. One of the above casualties results in one or more additional
>casualties
>       ii. Severe flooding =battery short, chlorine gas, and life support
>systems failure
>
>
>
>
>
>
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