How to Save an Unconscious SCUBA Diver

If you are a scuba diver, it is extremely important you know how to save an unconscious diver. You never know when the situation may arise, but you must be prepared for when it does. The following steps will tell you what you should do if you encounter an unconscious scuba diver.

Instructions

    • 1

      Bump, or slightly nudge the unconscious diver to ensure that he is indeed unconscious. You want to make sure they are not simply playing a joke on you.

    • 2

      Approach the diver from the left side and slide your right arm under his left arm. This step is assuming they are at the bottom of the body of water.

    • 3

      Reach for his regulator (diver's breathing device) and hold it in place while also supporting his head and neck. His head and neck should be held in a normal position. This enables expanding air to escape the diver's lungs, and could help him regain consciousness. This step is assuming the regulator is not in the diver's mouth.

    • 4

      Inflate your BC (buoyancy compensator) and ascend at a regular rate to the surface. Normal rate of ascension for a diver is 30 feet a minute. Ascending any faster could result in too much pressure building in the veins and has the potential for causing air clots in the body.

    • 5

      Begin CPR on the unconscious victim once you have them on the boat and have determined that they are not breathing. Also contact the Coast Guard or emergency personnel as soon as possible.