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Jon and others,
I've been checking around and find that there
aren't really strong standards in the inland dive rescue community. Also,
I stand corrected on how standard Schrader (tire stem) fittings are. The
dive rescue team locally, uses several different types of connections.
When I talked to them years ago, they suggested I installing a Schrader
fitting on my sub only because it's so common and they have connections for
it. They didn't mean it was a standard in their community.
I'm starting to think that, here in the states,
maybe just have a pipe thread fitting and a hand full of adapters with your
topside people will become the way to go. Even such things as standards
for location isn't much good if the rescuers have never encountered
them. At least our local people, never even heard of a Psub
before I started on mine. Again, I'm thinking the best way to be sure
rescue divers know how to proceed, is with good topside information, form your
own people. All it would take to inform then exactly where to look is a
photo of where a symbol (maybe six inch red circle with the word AIR) is located
on the sub. Or maybe a smaller version of a symbol the navy
uses. Making it standard is a good idea but I doubt lake rescue
people who have never encountered a sub before will know of such
standards.
Since the rescue community is already far larger
then ours, we have to adapt to them. I doubt they will ever be prepared in
detail for the few of us.
I still have some more people to contact and I'll
report what I find.
Jon, Sure, go ahead and hunt down any Navy leads
you can.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 10:16
AM
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] PSUB Rescue
Efforts Proposal
Dan,
Those are all good points for those that are diving in interior
waters. Given some of the comments regarding the tire valve stem, you
might ask the local dive rescue team what their experience has been with such
valves, particularly with freezing up in cold water.
Your
comments about how most rescue people have never seen a psub is well pointed
out. What about adopting a standard for the location(s) of where to find
air injection hardware on a disabled sub?
Jon
Jay and others,
I'm mainly a lake diver where the first to
respond to me would most likely be a dive rescue team, not the coast guard
of navy. For that reason I haven't ruled out the Schrader type tie
stem valve.
The dive rescue teams here work closely with
the fire and rescue people. Most, if not all, dive rescue teams are
actually connected with fire and rescue. The fire and rescue folks use
heavy pillow type air bags for lifting heavy objects and the dive rescue
uses balloon type lift bags for lifting in water. They both use "tire
stem type" connecters. Our dive rescue divers are all equipped
with a hose for discharging pressurized air to fill these bags. I'll
ask around to determine in how wide of an area this is standard. I'm
guessing it's VERY standard since that type of TIRE stem
connection is the same world wide. Maybe there will need to be
more then one standard, depending on the waters your diving in.
When I go out with my sub, I always have a tool
box that stays with the surface guys. That's where I keep
adapters, instructions and things for emergencies. In most cases,
it's your own surface support that will be getting the help for you and they
should have anything that's needed.
For a sub stuck on the bottom, bleeding down
built up pressure in a hull is far harder then injecting in air. To
avoid over pressure on the way up, the hatch could be unlatched and let the
pressure burp out when the sub rises enough, but as Jay points out, it would
have to be a controlled assent. If lift bags were used, the assent
could be controlled by the length of the rope that attaches the
bags. For my sub, my surface support knows that my hatch viewport
can be loosened to vent or unbolted to gain access.
What it comes down to is, most of how a rescue
would go will be determines by how well the rescuers know your sub and how
well they do what is needed. For lake divers like myself, the best
protection is the information and things you have in your topside tool
kit. Most fresh water dive rescue people have never seen a
Psub and don't know first thing about one. Unfortunately,
the best qualified rescue person for any particular sub, is most likely
the person trapped inside.
Jay, I'll get back with you in a few days
about what I find as standards here in fresh water. I'll contact the
rescue teams in the areas I dive.
Dan H.
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