February 2015

SAFETY AND RISK

MANAGEMENT FOR
PSD TEAMS
By Mark Phillips

How to DESTROY
Your Drysuit!
BY SUSAN LONG

Hyperventilation-
Induced Blackout
From Lifesaving Resources
Miss Us?! to witness and I am very grateful for the opportunity to
participate.
It has been a while and taken some effort to relaunch
PSDiver. The first thing you might have noticed is that the With this workshop in mind, I want to take this opportunity
name has changed. Instead of being a monthly magazine, to point out something I see far too many instructors and
the goal now is to be at least a quarterly magazine. It is teams gloss over. We all use either the RSTC medical form
possible, even likely that we will produce a few micro issues or something derived from it as part of our medical fitness to
in between that will contain announcements, training or dive evaluation. This is the SAME basis of the recreational
funding opportunities or other time sensitive information. medical form too!
We will not fill your email.
The third question on the questionnaire is: Are you over 45
If you are really interested, you can go back and reread past years of age and can answer YES to one or more of the following?
issue editorials and get a sense of things that caused the
 currently smoke a pipe, cigars or cigarettes
delay in publishing.
 have a high cholesterol level
The new formats will continue to evolve and take shape  have a family history of heart attack or stroke
through the year. We will see how it goes and I look forward
 are currently receiving medical care
to your feedback. I am also entertaining the idea of selling
the magazine and either retiring altogether or staying on as  high blood pressure
a managing editor/writer. I just can’t see myself not doing  diabetes mellitus, even if controlled by diet alone
this… This means, IF you over 45 years of age and can
If you are interested, I am teaching the 6th Annual answer YES to one or more of the following, you
Underwater Body and Weapon Recovery class at UT Austin MUST have a physician’s release in order to
May 29-31. Details and information are posted at participate in scuba!
www.PSDiver.com. I know a LOT of my peers are almost all over the age
Recently I was invited to participate in a workshop that was of 45. VERY few of them can answer “no” to the
strictly for and about the health and well-being of public question - if they are honest. If you take a daily
safety divers. The workshop was hosted by UC San Diego prescription you are receiving current medical care.
Health Sciences, Center of Excellence in Diving; and
It is your health but it also has the potential to effect
sponsored by: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, OxyHeal
the safety of your team members if you have a
Health Group, Divers Alert Network (DAN), ScubaPro, and
Diving Unlimited International (DUI)., I WILL tell you that as
medical emergency that could have been avoided.
a diving community, you are being recognized and Be responsible for yourself and have a doc look you
acknowledged more now than ever before. The information
over.
and ideas that were shared in the workshop were unique If you would like to discuss this topic or
and we have never been thought of or had so much Dive Safe, any other join our discussion group
consideration as I witnessed in the workshop. It is exciting Mark Phillips CLICK HERE TO JOIN

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 2

 SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT FOR how. I am not implying that we are doing anything
wrong, just that our concepts of risk and how we perceive
PSD TEAMS risk may have become been skewed.
By Mark Phillips
Risk becomes a generic word when different people use it
Originally the idea of presenting an article on safety and
and it can mean different things to different people. The
risk management seemed as uninteresting to me as it
meaning is blurred between these personal definitions
probably does to you. It has been my observation that
when associating risk to dive teams.
many teams talk about risk and risk management but do
so without really analyzing what they are doing. It is my
However, I think we
intention to present some of my personal observations,
can identify risk
opinions and concepts on how to recognize and use risk
three ways.
analysis to mitigate risk for your divers and your teams.
First we have
In reality we have no
perceived risk. This
way to actually
is the analytical
measure risk. We
definition based on a
tend to overuse the
lot of “what if”
phrase “Risk
scenarios.
Benefit”. It is
supposed to be a
If we stand on the
ratio of “Risk vs.
edge of a cliff and
Benefit” that goes
look down we are safe but can get scared anyway and
like this: “Does the
perceive risk. What if I fall, what if I slip, what if a hard
risk of this action
wind comes?
outweigh the benefit of the desired result”. If we were
honest we could say something like: “Does risking our
Second we have
lives looking for a piece of evidence that may or not be
actual risk or if it
where we think it is worth the potential negative outcome
works better to
even if we are successful?” Unless we had perfect
understand this
conditions, including visibility, manpower and equipment
concept, committed
or had the potential to save a life, our honest answer
risk.
would have to be, “No”.
If we fall off the cliff
We overuse and misuse the phrase because it sounds like
we are scared and
something we should do but no one ever really taught us

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 3

worried while we contemplate exactly how birds fly. But These elements can be anything from specific techniques,
no amount of arm flapping will make us stop falling. equipment, training and fitness requirements to standard
operational guidelines, leadership and administrative
Last we have consequence of risk. This is most closely support or all the above.
to what we generally think of when we talk about risk.
If we know how to identify risk, we
When, where and how we land can work on mitigating it. We could
when we fall off the cliff is say untethered solo diving in zero
what we are scared of and visibility is very risky. The statement
worried about. In reality it is only gives us a generic idea to agree
NOT perceived or committed on. It does not necessarily define or
risk we are concerned with, it identify risk. We could say,
is the landing –the untethered solo diving in zero visibility
Consequence of Risk. forces the diver to overcome potential
challenges with no hope of help or
Risk is not something defined; additional assistance. Maybe we
it is the perception of the should be more specific. We could say
measure of all the possible outcomes of our choices and untethered solo diving in zero visibility will be fatal if the
actions. diver becomes entangled and cannot escape before
running out of air.
But if we consider how we perceive risk it becomes easier
to understand how we measure it ourselves. We can mitigate the risk by recognizing the potential
negative consequences and saying: All low, limited or
If we considered possible outcomes like, “getting trapped zero visibility diving will be conducted by a tended diver.
in barbed wire in zero visibility could cause you to run out
of air and die”, then we identify a potential event If we recognize that a simple look at the scene and an
outcome that we might want to avoid. Drowning, death “OK, let’s dive” is what we usually do, the concept of a
and dismemberment are consequences we usually want Risk vs. Benefit analysis for a specific dive or dive site
to avoid. goes out the window. But if we have an operational
system in place that automatically works to reduce
What we do to prevent injury or death are the safety potential negative consequences of risk we can make
elements we put into place that mitigate bad or fatal quick judgment calls on scene. And in reality, it is what
outcomes for our divers and our teams. These elements we do already. But this only works in the most basic
take away the chance of making uneducated decisions. terms and requires a great deal of prerequisite conditions.
These conditions include proper training, adequate

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 4

manpower, proper and serviceable equipment and the  How long will any of that support, if any, last?
proven ability to conduct the dive at hand.
Everyone wants to immediately say, “we are covered”
There are other consequences of risk that are not and say it with an almost defiant tone. But the truth is,
addressed this way but can be devastating to an unless one of these scenarios happened to you or a
individual and/or family. These are the consequences we member of your team, you do not know. Volunteer FD
never seem to talk about but to some are the defining teams may not have insurance coverage if their coverage
negative consequences of the risk we accept. is strictly written for firefighting. Paid departments may
have insurance provisions that will not cover off duty
Ask yourself the following questions: divers or subsurface water operations.
 What will happen to one of your divers if they
If you are permanently disabled and unable to work, what
survive a diving accident, but are permanently
is in place to financially support your family? If the
disabled?
coverage you have is for medical care only and you die,
o Do they have health insurance, disability
what happens to your family?
insurance or even life insurance through their
municipality? If so will that insurance provide
You should really take time to find out if for no other
financial and medical support to the dive
reason than piece of mind. If you get all the positive
and/or family? For how long?
answers you are looking for, document them in
writing. If you discover grey areas, insist on definitive
 What responsibility does your department or team
answers in writing.
have to the family of a diver who drowns during a
team mission or a training operation?
PSDs go places
that no one else
 What responsibility does your department or team
is willing to go
have to a diver or his family if he was not properly
to find things
trained for a given task and is injured, disabled or
that most
killed? Will that effect the financial support
people avoid in
insurance might have allowed?
the best of
times and
 What if one of your divers is allowed or assigned by
conditions. We
your diving supervisor to perform a task outside of
do it willingly
his training and is injured, permanently disabled or
and accept the risks we perceive. We do it with purpose.
killed as a result? Is there an insurance umbrella to
We do it sometimes for the wrong reasons but we still do
cover the injured diver or the divers surviving
it.
family?

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 5

Risk Management Risk is something the
team takes on as a
Risk Management must start with recognition and
group but is defined
awareness of the potential for injury or loss of life.
by the individual
diver(s). When team
We have to identify and recognize possible consequences
members have
and be prepared. In being prepared, we must ALWAYS
different levels of
keep as one of our choices, both personally and as a
competency or their
team, the ability and willingness to REFUSE the dive.
own definitions of
skill mastery, the level of acceptable risk is not the same
Safety and risk are
for those within your group.
the two ends of our
spectrum of
Your team is ONLY as strong as your weakest member,
measure. As one
as competent as your least skilled diver and potentially
increases the other
at risk at the highest level of personal acceptable risk
decreases.
within the divers on the team.
To reduce risk we
When we relate risk with consequences and outcomes it
can learn how to do
makes us change the way the think about some things.
the work we task ourselves with more efficiently and
safer. We usually accomplish that with a lot of training
For example, you are called
and in-water experience. But there is a paradox to risk.
to recover a teenager who
While you would think exposing divers to more work
drowned in the river. He
underwater would increase their risk, it actually seems to
was caught by the current
reduce their risk because they become more comfortable
and pulled into deep water.
with diving conditions as they spend more time doing the
He was last seen in the
work.
bend of the river where it is
obvious that trees have
One valid argument against that statement creates
stacked up.
another issue. The more experience a diver may have will
Your team responds with 5
reduce their risk up to a point but it can be said that
members. One of your best
divers who become comfortable in dangerous situations
divers has a head cold and
will be more likely to take greater risks and challenge the
cannot dive. One is still
limits of their own skills. Developing a team mentality and
working on his OW
training as a team will help reduce this outcome.
certification but has trained

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 6

as a line tender. Of the other three, So let’s talk a bit about LIABILITY.
one is very experienced, the other two But in the context of this, keep in mind
have made five dark water dives you have NO specific national standard
between them. and no generic consensus standard
that you are required to follow. So with
The Dive Officer looks at the situation no governmental penalty shadowing
and says, “Yep, we can do this”. There you, hopefully no criminal charges
is no question that a dive will be made. brought up against you, the penalties
The only question is assignments. that do come will most likely be
through a civil court.
We might choose to use our most
experienced diver but if he gets into www.subsalve.com
In this instance, the question isn’t:
trouble, who is left that will be capable of helping him? If “How do Public Safety Divers get hurt or worse?” It is
we chose one of the lesser experienced divers to be our “Whose fault is it?” If your team is following a written
Primary Diver, will they be able to handle the problems operational guideline that is based on reasonable models
that will exists during the dive? Who will be that diver’s that a large number of similar teams use and the
backup diver? guideline has been approved by your administration and
upper management, fault can still be placed in your lap
 Who will you choose to be your Primary diver? but will likely fall above you in the chain.

 Who will you choose to be your Backup Diver? We can usually backtrack most all injuries or fatalities to
one of the “The 7 Deadly Sins of Civil Liability” by Bob
 Who will you choose to be your Safety Diver?
Teather, RCMP. If you have not read about them they are
 Will you rotate divers? How will that discussed in depth in the article – “Vicarious
affect the potential outcome? Why Liability and the Search and Rescue Team”.
and when will that change any dive
call? For our purposes we will define
VICARIOUS LIABILITY as:
In our world, recognition and awareness The liability of any organization and its
usually seems to come after the fact when officers and supervisors for the acts or
fingers are pointed and one of us is hurt omissions of those whom they supervise.
or dies during training or on a mission.
Since the consequences of risk are usually What follows is a brief description of 8 areas
very dire for dive teams, the finger of negligence and associated court case
pointing translates into. Liability. references.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 7

 Download the article  Negligent  Negligent Supervision: Failing to provide
Appointment: This meaningful supervision, leadership, and oversight
concept asserts that a to an individual or an operation. This means that
supervisor or manager can supervision must amount to more than mere
be held liable for supervisory presence. Supervision involves the
appointment of the unfit active evaluation of the situation and participation
person to the PSD team. It in decision-making and guidance of the activities of
is important in this regard the operation. (Bowen v. Watkins 669 F. 2d. 979)
that dive team members
possess the basic skills  Negligent Failure To Train: Allowing a
http://www.docstoc.com/do necessary to function as a subordinate to perform an act for which proper
cs/73952749/and-the-
public safety diver (i.e.: a training has not been provided, or failure to provide
Search-and-Rescue-Team-
and-the-Search-and- given level of certification training with respect to the utilization of a piece of
Rescue-Team from a recognized SCUBA equipment or failure to train in the performance of
or training agency, adequate an activity likely to be required of the subordinate.
http://www.psdiver.com/im watermanship skills, medical Training must parallel industry standards and
ages/tr43_vicariousliability- screening, background practices and be within agency policy. Training
secure.pdf investigation, competent must be realistic, ongoing, verifiable, and
PSD instruction, etc.). documented. (Harris v
(Davis v Mason County 927 F2d 1473) City of Canton Ohio 109
SCt. 391)
 Negligent Retention: This area addresses the
individual who proves himself to be unqualified,  Negligent Failure To
incompetent, or reckless and is nevertheless Direct: Failure to
allowed to remain and function as a part of the provide knowledgeable
organization. (United States v Mohr 318 F. 3d guidance, instruction,
613) and/or direction as to
how to properly perform
 Negligent Entrustment: Allowing an individual to an action. Written
operate or use equipment that they are not standards and policies
competent to utilize, or allowing an individual to are important in this
perform an act that they have either previously regard, however keep in
demonstrated that they are not reliably capable of mind that policy is a two
performing, are incapable of performing safely, or edged sword and a
possess no training or expertise at performing. department or team that
(McAndrews v Mularchuk 162 A. 2d 820)

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 8

 violates its own written standards can be held and must be continually refreshed and practiced.
liable. (Lee v City of Omaha 307 NW 2d 900 / An individual who does not train regularly simply
Maple v City of Omaha NW 2d 254) cannot be utilized on actual operations. (Grandstaff
v City of Borger 767 F. 2d 161)
 Negligent Assignment: Assigning (or allowing)
an individual to perform an act with knowledge that If they could show both need and an industry consensus
the individual is not competent to perform that or national standards that are directly related to their jobs
activity or is not qualified or not properly trained to and duties as Public Safety Divers, teams facing
perform a given function (i.e.: allowing a team administrative issues that prevent or limit training or
member designated as “support personnel” to have restrictive or no equipment budgets but are still
exceed his capability and assume an expected to perform the job would have tools
http://www.aqualung.com/militaryandprofessional/us-en/us-en_publicsafety.html

active role as a diver in a PSD to validate their issues. Some of their issues
operation; allowing a new team could be mitigated if there were a national
member to assume the leadership role standard for public safety diving, but there is
on an operation). (Moon v Winfield 383 not. And depending on your own
F.Supp. 31) observations here lies a very large problem.

 Negligent Failure To Discipline: Currently we have NFPA we can follow as a

Failure to take proper corrective steps loose guideline. Since it is a paid
in order to insure that critical subscription based, fire standard, law
infractions of rules or policies are not enforcement and independents do not usually
repeated. Discipline need not follow them.
necessarily be harsh, but must be
sufficient to discourage repeat We have used the OSHA 29 CFR Part 1910,
violations. Discipline, like training, Subpart T - Commercial Diving Operations
must be documented and retained. both as a standard to follow and as a crutch
One area of discipline that undoubtedly to exempt us from following that standard.
affects nearly every dive team in
existence is the problem of the diver who All the arguments you have heard concerning the
seemingly is unable to make training but shows up exemption that allows us a public safety divers to work
to participate in searches. This individual is much unencumbered by OSAH standards have confused the
like the star high school athlete who believes that reality of the purpose of the exemption. We want a
practice doesn’t apply to him, but expects a standard to follow, to point at, and use to show need for
starting position on game day. This is a recipe for training and equipment. We want it but would rather not
a disaster in waiting. Diving skills are diminishing be forced to follow it.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 9

Here is my CURRENT AND will come to you via
information on the your subscription account
OSHA exemption. OSHA with PSDiver.com.)
has NO authority over
Municipal or State We have no consensus
government. OSHA has standard that ALL who
NO authority over claim to be Public Safety
volunteer or military Divers will agree to
groups. OSHA has NO follow. We have no
authority over universally agreed upon
recreational divers who definition of what a Public
work under contract to Safety Diver is or even
provide public safety what their actual
services for a law functions are or the
enforcement agency or minimal training or skill
municipal department. level required to be one!

So if you are a member So, in essence we are

of a volunteer or military only what we say we are
dive team, if you are a and perform a task that
member or under has enough
contract with a municipal commonalities between
or state dive team, you teams that we can
are exempt from understand the
OSHA. But there MAY terminology when we talk
be some exceptions…. with each other. But even
that is strained
There is more to the sometimes. If we take a
story and the step back and look at
DEFINITIVE and FINAL OSHA again, we are
answer is coming SOON! forced to bite the bullet
(An article just on the and use their descriptions
subject of the exemption to identify who and what
will be available soon, we are.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 10

First, OSHA only has STANDARDS for Commercial Diving. anything from diver entrapment to rescue of an
They have definitions of Scientific Diving and Recreational unconscious diver.
Diving. We are recreational divers performing a specific
PURPOSE. We are described as persons engaged in Considerations to Mitigate Risk
diving incidental to police and public-safety
Three Strike Rule
functions.
Everyone has a bad day
Lacking ANY other official definition, as unpleasant as it on occasion; those days
is, we are forced to define who we are by this definition. where nothing seems to
go right and the more
We will know this but we will still identify ourselves as
you do the worse it
Public Safety Divers because WE agree that what WE do
seems to get. If you
is outside the realm of a recreational diving.
are cleaning out your garage or washing your car nothing
ANY other description we use, any other techniques or really bad happens that isn’t easy to overcome.
protocol etc. is either of our own doing or what we agreed
to do when we affiliated with a training agency. When we are diving, especially on a mission in zero
visibility, everyone is stressed. It is the nature of the
If a diver is injured, disabled or killed, what measures will beast. Our experience and training take that stress and
be taken to place blame? What lengths will someone go make it “normal” for us and we rarely even think about it.
to hold someone else responsible?
But every team has experienced a situation where a diver
If you want to really work on increasing your team safety has entered the water and forgotten his fins or weight
and lower your measure of risk, consider training for and belt. OR a diver who cannot seem to go underwater and
preparing for worst case scenarios. stay. Or a diver who comes back to the surface
repeatedly with mask problems etc. It is
For example: When you have a training rarely equipment issues that cause
day, instead of just going out and these things to happen, it is stress.
running some patterns, add out of air
scenarios. Each stress moment creates more
stress for the diver.
When we talk about performing as a
rescue diver in our world, we are usually The idea of the three-strike rule is more
referring to rescuing our own team for the Dive Supervisor and the
members. So add elements of rescue to individual. What we do not want to do is
your normal training. This can be create a situation where we have a

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 11

highly stressed diver forcing himself underwater to do an next turn or request to quit diving for the day. Things
even more stressful job. happen. We just don’t want them to go from bad to
worse.
So a relatively new diver is asked to be Primary Diver. Most of the time the diver is able to make whatever
When he enters the water he discovers he is too light and mental or equipment corrections necessary and is able to
needs more weight. return to a dive position.

Not a big deal but - Strike one. Manpower

What is your minimum staffing
As he goes over line signals with his
in order to make a dive in zero
tender he goes through fast and has to
visibility? Consider three team
correct himself once or twice …. Not an
members for RESCUE and four
unusual thing for a new diver – Ball
for recovery. But these team
one.
members are further defined as
ABLE
The diver is directed on the surface to
AND
swim out and stops when signaled. A
CAPABLE In your own
signal is given to descend and start his
divers. operational
search. The diver begins to let our air
guidelines you
and goes underwater only to return within seconds and
They are also assigned specific jobs might include the
pull his mask off at the surface. He quickly gets it back
that have specific function. Consider words ABLE AND
on, signals OK and begins a second descent – Strike two.
requiring two additional team CAPABLE divers
members to function as Dive on scene. Divers
The diver signals he is on the bottom and is signaled to
Supervisor and Line Tender. with head colds
begin his search. When it is time to stop and change
who cannot
direction, the diver stays in place and them breaks the
In a recovery, this requires 5 equalize cannot
surface with an inflated BCD – I don’t care why… Strike
people including absolutely no less dive and cannot
three.
than 3 able and capable divers. In be counted as
this example we use the diver one of your
It is FAR easier to be tactful and pull the diver out of the
identification of Primary Diver, divers. Able but
water and help him regain his composure while the other
Backup Diver and Safety Diver. They NOT capable.
divers move forward in the rotation than it is to either
use standard 80 cubic feet
have to reset the search or worse rescue your own diver.
aluminum cylinders and the
This is not a time to chastise or be critical; it is time to cylinders should be filled to their service pressure.
allow the diver to either get mentally prepared for his

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 12

 Time Limits
Consider setting a maximum individual time of twenty
minutes and maximum depth at 60’. Time and depth
limits will change according to local conditions. When the
Primary Diver has run out of time, he is removed from
the water, his cylinder either filled or exchanged and he
then takes the Safety Dive position. The other two divers
move up the line providing constant rotation of divers.
With this rotation, each diver has a theoretical surface
interval of at least 40 minutes.

We also need to use common sense and not be absolute

and rigid with time limits.

Allowances should be made if a diver needs a few more

minutes to clear an area, provided the diver is capable,
has enough air to do the additional work, and will
maintain a reserve of air. Time should be altered when
searching shallow depths allowing more bottom time to
each diver. Keep in mind that if the divers are looking for
small objects, the tedium of the search may become
distracting and they may need to swap out after twenty
to thirty minutes just to retain mental focus.

AIR is Important! Air = LIFE

WE dive in a hazardous environment; one incapable of

sustaining human life. We are forced to bring an air
supply with us. If we have air, we live, if we do not, we
die. There are different opinions on the type of equipment
you should carry when it concerns redundant air supplies.
For instance, one camp requires divers to carry a
redundant air supply with them at all times, another
requires a team have a redundant air source available
and still another believes a redundant air source is

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 13

unnecessary and that the divers would be trained If you do not dive
well enough that they never run out of air. with a redundant
source, do you at
You can decide which camp you want to be in. But least have a
consider this, in a zero visibility environment we contingency
usually have no idea what is in front of us or around cylinder rigged and
us. Even known sites can be illicit dumping grounds sitting by the
for debris. If we have a time limit in place that is backup diver? Do
imposed on the divers down time and is practical you leave it on or
relative to the depth we have a built in safety margin off?
of available air with a single air source diver. If we
add an attached alternate air source we are If he has to
burdening them with a bit more equipment. manage and
maneuver a cylinder, how does the Backup Diver find the
We typically do not train for fresh clear water dives with a Primary Diver and stay in contact with the surface?
smooth sandy bottom. We anticipate the worst conditions
possible and prepare for worst-case scenarios. In your How often do you practice this skill as a team? What is
entire career you may never need a carried alternate air your standard for mastery, your time requirement, and
source. But if you do, even once, and you do not have it, your acceptable measure of time for this to happen?
where is your next breath coming from?
How long DOES it take for the backup diver to get air to
How long does it take for your backup diver to reach you? the primary diver?
Will that diver be coming with air immediately available if
it is needed? Not all teams have voice communication Depends doesn’t it?
available and stuff happens and a voice comms system • How long is
can quit. Do you have a backup plan or any plan if a diver the search
signals an emergency and needs help? rope?
• How much
Do you dive with a redundant air SOURCE available or a does the
diver carried or redundant air SUPPLY? depth
change?
Consider having BOTH. • What debris
barriers
Do you consider it important to have another available might need
source of air on site and ready for delivery to a diver to be
underwater? overcome?

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 14

We need to have at least some way to measure the need. You should. The maximum time you set as your required
So imagine you are the Primary Diver wrapped up in skill mastery should be the shortest time recorded after
fishing line and just had a catastrophic air failure. You the second drill!
signal for help and wait…
EQUIPMENT
How long can you hold your breath? There is no question that team safety can be improved if
Stand up. If you try this with others, give each other your dive gear is standardized.
some room. Have someone with a stopwatch time you.
On GO, everyone take a deep breath and hold it as long However, we have to recognize that some teams do not
as you can. When you have to breathe, hold up your hand have the funds for that. That does not mean that your
and the person timing you will call out times. equipment configuration cannot be standardized. So if
everyone has the same thing, if not the same brand, color
Some of you may do really well and others not so good. etc. and it is stowed or secured in the same area of each
But, this was not a real test of your breath holding skills diver then standardized equipment configuration can be
relative to your needs. done with little or no additional cost.

REQUIRED
Before you rest up completely (less than 60 seconds),
everyone stay standing and give each other some room. • Mask
HIGHLY
• Fins
Now do 30 seconds of jumping jacks and try that RECOMMENDED
• Regulators
again!  Full Face Mask
A primary cylinder of
at least 80 cubic feet • Pony Cylinder
On GO, everyone take a deep breath and hold it as long 13cf Min up to
when filled to its
as you can. When you have to breathe, hold up your hand 50’, 30cf Min
service pressure
and the person timing you will call out times. over 50’
• Redundant Air SUPPLY
• Buoyancy Compensator • DRY SUITS
Now compare the differences! Already oxygen depleted, a • U/W
• Instrumentation
minimal amount of work and then forced to hold your Communication
• Exposure Protection
breath; makes things a bit more interesting doesn’t it? • Cutting devices
• Weight Systems
• 3 Cutting Tools minimum! should be
If you were underwater near the end of your search rope DIFFERENT
and became impossibly entangled and while trying to get from each
• PFD’s for surface support
out found yourself out of air, do you know how long you other.
System
will have to hold your breath before someone reaches you
• Ropes, carabineers, clips
with an air supply you can access?
Dive flags, medical etc.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 15

There are three pieces of equipment that teams typically Why? Consider where we work when we dive.
argue against because of the cost. These are dry suits, ~ We dive in water column
FFMs and communication systems.  How do you know the quality of the water?

Each of these things have risk reduction value. So  What bacteria or protozoans are in it?
arguing against them is stupid.  If you can be infected through absorption?

Drysuits are  If you can be infected through a break in

ONLY fully your skin?
protective for US  If you can be infected through ingestion?
if they include a
 If you can be infected through inhalation?
Dry Hood and
dry gloves, AND  Is a column of gas leaking from a fuel tank?
are used in
conjunction DID YOU KNOW the HIV virus can live outside the
WITH a FFM or human body? Did you know it lives LONGER WHEN WET?!
helmet. The goal
is for our divers We dive in the water column but we WORK in the
to be FULLY ENCAPSULATED. Cost wise, Drysuits and sediment layer. It does not matter what chemical,
FFMS are the least best but most practical for PSD teams. mineral or metal we name as a contaminate; if it is
(The alternative is drysuit and a sealed helmet.) heavier than water, it is in the sediment and it is where
One of the reasons you may have trouble with funding is WE WORK.
you are calling them by the wrong names. If ANY of those chemicals were spilled on dry land, is
Firefighters do not enter into a burning building unless there ANY Emergency First Response department that
they are wearing bunker gear and SCBA. Properly worn, would allow ANY of their employees to mitigate the
no bare skin is exposed and the firefighter breathes clean hazard WITHOUT PROPER and APPROPRIATE PPE? What
air. precautions would be taken if it were an UNKNOWN
chemical?
ALL of that gear is identified and Who would allow a medic to work on patients without
recognized as PPE: Personal wearing gloves or their LE to patrol without body armor or
Protective Equipment. firefighters to fight fire without bunker gear?
Quit asking for dry suits and FFMs and When you choose to dive without proper PPE for the
put together your PPE requirements. environment, YOU assume the risk. For many years we

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 16

have gotten away with it. Few instances of illness or When we have new or
death have been tracked to water contamination or limited skills divers we
exposure while in the water. That does NOT mean it tend to do a lot of
has not occurred or will not happen. Think back training that is “safe”.
and it is likely that you may remember a time By that I mean we
where you had a cut get infected and took a long purposefully try not to
time to heal AFTER you made a dive. OR within a scare the divers or
week of diving you called in sick to work because make them
you had a “stomach bug”. uncomfortable while
they are supposed to be performing tasks underwater.
Our society has created even more pollutants and some
bacteria and virus strains have become tolerant or even We go to a training lake where we have some visibility or
immune to traditional medications. work in a pool on skills that will translate to the river or
lake. We protect the
You MUST recognize the risk and if you are not diving newbies from the scary
with full PPE, start working on a progress path that will side of our work while
get it for you. building their
TRAINING confidence. That is a
good thing to do. But
Monthly team training as a minimum is HIGHLY we forget that our older
RECOMMENDED. divers can sometimes
Train IN your water. Practice in clear water swimming use some confidence
pools when testing new gear or performing skills or building themselves.
conducting water comfort drills. Don’t get complacent
about training and allow yourselves to over use clear Developing water comfort skills and setting performance
water just because it is easier and more convenient. levels will build better
divers without adding
DEVELOP BETTER WATER COMFORT much to your cost of
training and in most cases
Developing water comfort for our divers is something we will utilize the equipment
might be doing in a few small ways without knowing it. you already own. It is one
But over the last few years, water comfort specifically of the least expensive and
taught through definitive skill sets is improving diver’s most rewarding types of
abilities to function in higher stress situations. team training you can do
on your own.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 17

With real water comfort comes a greater ability we welcome new scuba divers into our ranks and then
to control panic. teach them what they need to know
This works out most of the time but I am not sure it
Panic is usually something we can never add to a list as a works out in a way that is actually beneficial to the team
cause of death. It is a subjective action that would have or the diver. A new candidate to your team may have just
to be either witnessed or reported. We cannot see in zero completed an Open Water training class or may have a
visibility and once drowned, the victim cannot report to certification that is 15 years old and a logbook that
us. However we CAN assume that panic WILL occur matches. They may have an advanced certification and
especially if an event suddenly becomes life threatening. “been a diver” for 20 years or more. But does this mean
they are or ever were experienced divers?
Our worst case scenarios almost always include “trapped
and runs out of air”. Your Primary Diver dislodges his FFM It is this entry-level step into Public Safety Diving that is
mask, can’t communicate, partially trapped, and needs missing. We have no standard that offers a path to
time to correct problem. become a Public Safety Diver yet it is not outside the
norm for a team to take on an Open Water certified diver,
How long could you control panic while working on give them a team t-shirt and make them one. In that
a life-threatening problem? instant, that new diver became a Public Safety Diver.

IMPROVE BASIC SCUBA MASTERY Does it mean that they have the skills of other Public
Safety Divers and the ability to do the job? It doesn’t take
With no national standard, there is a lack of entry-level
that long to get them we and start their training, But did
qualifications to be a Public Safety
the come to you with ANY skills that
Diver. We can all agree that scuba
will afford them the ability to stave off
begins with basic open water scuba
panic in zero visibility or perform self-
training. That is our mutual
rescue if they get into trouble?
foundation and that foundation is
based on recreational diving. As such, How can we measure that?
when we take on new team members Better yet, why do we NOT measure
to dive we require them to be scuba that?
certified. They come to us as
recreational divers. There must be a qualification – a
prerequisite skills requirement that sets the tone and
What we do not seem to do is recognize – at this level – measures the scuba skills and abilities of those new Public
the disparity in skills, experience and quality of training Safety Divers. It is not enough to need warm bodies and
those new team members may have compared to take on whoever is willing to join. We must be more
experienced dive team members. But we need divers so responsible than that.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 18

 you an extra breath? Either way is usually considered
A three-day college credited, acceptable for a recreational scuba diver.
SAR SONAR course is being
offered through Northwestern As a Public Safety Diver, if that is your level of mastery
does that teach you anything? What if I asked you to fully
Michigan College in June 2015. flood and clear your mask three times on one breath of
Focused at side-scan and scanning air? Could you do it?
sonar operations, the program
concentrates on acoustics, data What if I told you that the only way you could begin entry
interpretation, hands on data level PSD training was to fully flood and clear your mask
collection - and how to conduct a sonar six times on one breath of air at depth, ascend and
search the RIGHT way!. then clear your snorkel without lifting your head out of
Your team may have the sonar equipment, but do they the water?
have the training to generate the best data set possible
Could you do it?
and ensure 100% coverage? You'll learn more about
SONAR and acoustics in three days then you could ever If you find the idea daunting, is it because you are unsure
imagine.... GUARANTEED! of your own skills? Will you just write it off as impossible?
A copy of the book, Echoes and Images, The Encyclopedia Are you afraid of embarrassing yourself? After all, you
of Side-Scan and Scanning Sonar Operations is provided to have been diving for years. You can clear a mask just
every attendee. fine. Right?

For more information on this program, You will always be as good as you are right
contact [email protected], or now unless you actively work
[email protected] to improve your skills.

When we look at the job of a Public Safety Diver, the If you are unwilling to try and fail and repeat until you
skills needed to survive can be intense. I think there can master the skill, you are going to be one of “those
is resistance in recognizing the necessity for good or guys” on the team who know everything but will
extraordinary basic scuba skills because those are eventually fall behind all of the newer divers who worked
recognized as recreational scuba skills. But guess what – to advance their skills.
they still apply and practicing them is FREE.
No one is expected to pass this “simple” mastery
Consider just clearing a standard scuba mask. Can you do challenge the first attempt.
it? Can you do it with a single breath of air or does it take
It takes TIME AND PRACTICE.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 19

Ok. I get it. You might think it is a stupid drill. If you need a different term to understand,
Why would you even consider it worthy of PSD call it building PANIC RESISTANCE.
training? What could this level of mastery of a
simple recreational scuba skill possibly teach a HERE IS THE SECRET  The more you
PSD? practice these skills, the better you will get
at them. The better you get at them, the
Air/Gas Management. longer you will be able to handle a stress
How much air do you need to clear your mask? load underwater and work through a
If you let a single bubble escape, you used problem.
too much.
How long will it take for an alternate air
Time Management. supply to reach you? Water Comfort drills
that test your mastery of specific skills and
If you take your time performing the skill challenge you underwater will buy you
because you have to think about it too much, extra time to either work out your problem
you are wasting valuable time. or wait for air to come to you.

Breath Control. We can agree that with an increased

As you progress through the skill it takes air. awareness of safety issues we can reduce
You will begin to feel the need to breathe early on but as the negative consequences of risk. We
you progress you will learn to ignore the impulse. When must take a much more proactive role in advancing our
you reach this first level of mastery, that ability will be own safety and reevaluate the way we perceive and
tested AND you will still have to deal with having either accept risk. There is always room for improvement in
the skills or air reserves to clear your training, equipment and skills. It is
snorkel. when we choose to pay less attention
to details and less attention on the
That recognition and ability to KNOW you potential outcomes that we take on
can ignore the impulse to breathe; to unnecessary risk.
perhaps exhale a very small bubble first
to fool your body and buy yourself one or Ultimately though it is up to you.
two more seconds IS the ability to
recognize and begin to control the early Next year, will we still be talking with
signs of PANIC! How important will you, or about you?
those extra seconds be if you are
running out of options? Be Safe ~

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 20

 Hyperventilation-Induced (competitive and recreational), coaches, first responders,
lifeguards, residential pool owners, parents, and aquatic
Blackout facility managers and operators, that extended breath-
Lifesaving Resources / April 26, 2014
holding, preceded by excessive hyperventilation
Shallow Water Blackout (SWB) (ventilating the lungs in excess of metabolic need) is safe
vs. if it is limited to the equivalent of no more than two full
Hyperventilation Induced Blackout (HIB) ventilatory exchanges (two full inhalation/exhalation
Gerald Dworkin [email protected] cycles). Limited hyperventilation will increase breath-hold
time without delaying the urge to breathe (driven by
There has been a great deal of confusion and mixed
carbon dioxide levels in the blood).
messages pertaining to Shallow Water Blackout,
prolonged breath holding, and blackout induced by Supervision....
hyperventilation and prolonged breath holding. For the
purpose of clarification, we will be using the term We need to encourage supervisors (coaches, lifeguards,
Hyperventilation-Induced Blackout (HIB) to describe the facility operators) to carefully scan the surface, as well as
incidence of blackout induced by hyperventilation and under the surface, as many HIB victims may float
prolonged breath holding. motionless at the surface, or may submerge, dependent
upon several variables. And, that the victim floating at
The confusion is that the term "shallow water blackout" the surface may appear to be moving due to water
(SWB) has been used to describe any case of unexplained movement, splashing, etc.
loss of consciousness. In reality, SWB is actually a
problem experienced by breath-hold divers traveling Risk Management....
vertically through a substantial depth range. Descending
Prolonged breath-holding does not necessarily need to be
through the water column compresses the gas in the
banned. But, we need to stress the importance of
lungs, driving more gas into the blood, which increases
safeguarding participants while they are engaged in this
the amount of oxygen available to be consumed. As the
type of activity. But, if the facility is unable to safeguard
breath-hold diver ascends through the water column the
the swimmer while he/she is engaged in this activity,
blood oxygen level falls much faster than it would without
then that activity should be prohibited. This is a basic
the vertical excursion. And, since the relative pressure
tenant of Risk Management in that we REMOVE or WARN
change is greatest in the shallowest water, it is normal for
of the HAZARD, and we either SAFEGUARD or PROHIBIT
blackout to occur in the final state or just after surfacing.
the RISK.
Extended Breath-Holding....
Emergency Resuscitation Protocols....
The Aquatics Community needs to accept the fact that
The proper response to a hyperventilation-induced
breath-holding is part of all aquatic activities. But, we
blackout incident is to rescue the victim from the water
need to urge caution on the part of swimmers

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 21

and to immediately obtain a patent airway using either a therefore provides 100% oxygen concentration during the
head-tilt or a jaw-thrust maneuver. administration of positive pressure ventilation.

Assess the victim's breathing, and if the victim is in Compression-Only CPR....

respiratory arrest, then immediate positive pressure
It should be noted that CPR includes the administration of
ventilation should be provided.
chest compressions in combination with rescue breathing
Check the pulse, and if the victim is in cardiac arrest, (positive pressure ventilation). The American Heart
then immediate CPR should be administered, and an AED Association is advocating compression-only CPR for
should be obtained and attached. If the victim has a victims of sudden cardiac arrest (SCI) and CPR courses
shockable rhythm, as assessed by the AED, then a shock are being conducted throughout the U.S. teaching the lay
should be administered, and CPR continued if the victim public how to perform compression-only CPR. However,
remains in cardiac and respiratory arrest. this procedure is only designed for the SCI patient whose
lungs, blood and brain are already oxygenated prior to
It should be noted that if the HIB victim is removed from the onset of the cardiac arrest.
the water and is assessed to be in cardiac arrest, it is
typically due to the fact that the victim's distress went To the contrary, a drowning victim, regardless of the
unrecognized for up to several minutes - long enough for cause, unless the victim suffered an SCI in the water,
the onset of cardiac arrest. his/her cardiac arrest onset would have occurred as a
result of the victim's respiratory arrest, and the victim is
Oxygen Administration.... therefore hypoxic. Compression-only CPR is ineffective for
the drowning victim and full CPR (positive pressure
Drowning is a hypoxic event, regardless of the cause.
ventilation in combination with chest compressions), AED
Positive pressure ventilation should be administered via
use, and oxygen administration is required to provide the
mouth-to-mouth, mouth-to-nose, or mouth-to-mask.
victim with the best chance for a successful outcome.
Lifeguards and other First Responders should be trained
in the use of a Bag-Valve-Mask (BVM) Resuscitator which, We are encouraging the following reminder:
if used correctly, will provide 21% oxygen concentration
to the patient with each ventilation, versus 16% as If DRY - COMPRESSIONS apply.
administered via mouth-to-mouth, mouth-to-nose, or If WET - give BREATHS and PRESS
mouth-to-mask.
Credit & Additional Information....
Lifeguards and other First Responders should also be Thanks are extended to the NDPA and to Neal W. Pollock,
trained and equipped with oxygen administration Ph.D., Research Director for Divers Alert Network
equipment (oxygen tank and regulator). The oxygen (www.diversalertnetwork.org)) and to the National
administration equipment should be attached to the BVM Drowning Prevention Alliance (www.ndpa.org).
resuscitator, with the oxygen flowing at 15 lpm, which

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 22

DOG TRICK – HOW TO DESTROY YOUR How To Ruin or Shorten the Life of Your Drysuit
DRYSUIT  Don’t Clean Contaminates Off Your Suit After
November 2014Kathy Long, DUI Web Systems Manager
Diving
Want to know the fastest ways to annihilate your drysuit? o Don’t bother cleaning contaminates like
We’ve racked together a list that will absolutely demolish hydrocarbons, i.e. fuels off your drysuit following
your favorite piece of scuba gear. How do we know? Just a dive. This will degrade the drysuit and its
51 years of experience, that’s all. So unless you like components.
buying lots of drysuits (and we don’t mind it at all if you  Apply Silicone Spray to Exhaust Valve
do), we suggest you do not follow this list: Components
o It causes damage to the silicone components
Hang Your Drysuit in the Sun and can result in a leaking valve.
This is a great way to not only color fade the fabric but it  Don’t Rinse Your Drysuit
will quickly deteriorate the latex seals. It will also cause with Freshwater After
the waterproof zipper tape to become dry and brittle your Dive
because it, too, is made of rubber. Prolonged exposure to o Why bother? It only
the sun or ultraviolet light will accelerate the aging creates corrosion on the
process of your drysuit. It’s just like the damage sun does suit especially the valves
to your face but only on your drysuit. and zipper. Salt water
stains make your suit
Don’t Wax Your Drysuit Zipper look cool – NOT! Plus it
This is the best way to damage your zipper. It will cause also causes your drysuit Don’t hang your
brittleness in the tape especially the sealing surface and it to smell bad which is a drysuit in the sun
will it be really hard to zip. Remember replacing your side effect
waterproof zipper is the most expensive repair of a your dive buddy will surely not
drysuit. For more on drysuit zipper care visit Your appreciate.
Waterproof Zipper is the Heart and Soul of Your Drysuit.
 Dive in a Chlorinated Pool
Trifecta of Zipper Abuse Without Getting Your Drysuit
Want to replace your zipper long before it’s due? Here are Wet First
three things you can do: o When diving in a chlorinated
1. Muscle in and out of the drysuit – this can make pool don’t bother to get it wet
the ends of the zipper split. DUI ZipStick $8 first with fresh water. We all know
2. Don’t unzip the zipper all the way. New Zipper $366 that rinsing it first with fresh
You choose! water will lessen the absorption of
3. Grab the zipper pull and yank, yank, yank.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 23

 chlorinated water from the pool. Not rinsing it
first will accelerate the discoloration of the suit
NEWS
and deterioration of the fabric.
South Korean Recovery Divers Feel With
 Careless Suit Storage Their Hands for Bodies
You can do a lot of damage if you take a devil-may- 4/22/14 BY REUTERS
care approach at storage. Here are just a few:
• Store your drysuit with kinks in the zipper – This SEOUL (Reuters)
will cause weakness and breakage of the zipper. - The confirmed
• Store heavy objects on top of your drysuit – This death toll from a
again causes kinks and/or punctures in your sunken South
drysuit. Sure to ruin your next dive. Korean ferry is
• Store your drysuit for easy rodent access – rising faster as
Rodents like to chew through the material making divers penetrate
nice nesting areas. the dark, cold
• Store your suit next to the water heater, clothes waters inside,
dryer, etc. – Motors generate ozone which loves to feeling for
eat away at rubber Relatives of missing passengers,
children's bodies who were on South Korean ferry
like your latex seals. with their hands Sewol which sank in the sea off
The same with an as they swim Jindo, pray towards the sea next to
engine room on a through a maze Buddhist monks at a port where
dive boat. Don’t of cabins, family members of missing
leave it in there once corridors and passengers are gathered at in Jindo
your suit is dry. upturned decks. April 23, 2014. ISSEI
KATO/REUTERS
IF you love your
The divers, with oxygen and communications lines
drysuit, DON’T DO THESE
trailing, can only see a few inches in front of them as they
THINGS! Read the DUI
search areas of the ship where the children were told to
Owner’s Manual on the best
stay for their own safety.
way to care for your
drysuit. It’s free and
"We are trained for hostile environments, but it's hard to
available for download on
be brave when we meet bodies in dark water," diver
our website. With proper
Hwang Dae-sik told Reuters.
care your drysuit will last
years.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 24

The divers can work for nearly an hour as long as the witnesses have said, after
oxygen lines do not snag on sharp corners of the ship's passengers were told to stay
internal structure. With cumbersome oxygen tanks on in their cabins. President Park
their backs instead, they can work for about 20 minutes Geun-hye said on Monday
before an alarm bell sounds. that instruction was
tantamount to an "act of
The Sewol sank last Wednesday on a routine trip from the murder".
port of Incheon, near Seoul, to the southern island of
Jeju. Many of the children did not
question their elders, as is
Of the 476 passengers and crew on board, 339 were customary in hierarchical
children and teachers on a high school outing. Only 174 Korean society, and paid for
people have been rescued and the remainder are all their obedience with their
presumed to have drowned. The confirmed death toll on lives.
Wednesday was 128, many found at the back of the ship
on the fourth deck. Lee was not on the bridge
when the ship turned.
Hwang said his team had retrieved 14 bodies so far. "We
Navigation was in the hands of a 26-year old third mate
have to touch everything
who was in charge for the first time on that part of the
with our hands. This is the
journey, according to crew members.
most grueling and
In a confused exchange between the sinking Sewol and
heartbreaking job of my
maritime traffic control released by the government, the
career," he said.
crew said the ship was listing to port.
Captain Lee Joon-seok, 69,
"Make passengers wear life jackets and get ready in case
and other crew members
you need to abandon ship," traffic control said.
have been arrested on
The Sewol answered: "It's difficult for the passengers to
negligence charges. Lee
move now."
was also charged with
undertaking an "excessive
Hwang stressed the danger of the job of searching for
change of course without
corpses in such tight confines.
slowing down".

Several crew members, "It threatens health and safety," he said. "But we are
including the captain, left trying really hard. The entire nation is worried."
the ferry as it was sinking,

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 25

Divers begin pond search in missing
woman inquiry
http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/story/2014-12-09/pond-search-
connected-to-missing-woman-investigation/
12/09/2014

Police divers
are searching
in a pond near
Reading, in the
hope of finding
items which
may help with
a missing
person
investigation.

Catherine Nee
was last seen
by her family in
2002.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 26

Police divers search deep woodland
ponds for woman missing since 2002
after tip-off
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2867025/Police-divers-
search-deep-woodland-ponds-woman-missing-2002-tip-off.html
9 Dec 2014 By JULIAN ROBINSON FOR MAILONLINE

 Ponds at Burghfield, Berkshire

searched in hunt for missing
Catherine Nee
 Ms Nee was 32 years old
when she was last seen by
family 12 years ago
 It was initially thought that
she had simply moved away
to another area
 But a missing persons However police launched a missing persons investigation
investigation was launched a
a decade later and a 48-year-old man from the Thames
decade later in 2012 Police divers have Valley area was arrested on suspicion of her murder last
 Man arrested on suspicion of searched two
February. He was later released without charge.
murder last year but released woodland ponds in
without charge the hunt for
missing Catherine The grandmother-of-six, who would now be aged 44
Police divers are today searching
Nee (pictured) years, was originally from Reading, Berkshire, but was
two woodland ponds in a hunt for a woman who went living in the Ilfracombe area of Devon at the time of her
missing 12 years ago. disappearance.

Officers investigating the disappearance of Catherine Nee Detective Inspector Kevin Mahon, from Thames Valley
turned their attention to the deep ponds at Burghfield, Police, said: 'Catherine became estranged from her family
Berkshire after receiving a tip-off. 14 years ago and in that time they have made attempts
to try to find her but to no avail.
Ms Nee was 32 years old when she was last seen by her
family, from whom she was estranged, in 2002 and it was 'They have constantly wondered what happened to her.
initially thought that she had simply moved away to They turned to Thames Valley Police for assistance in
another area. 2012 to try to trace her and our investigation has led us
to this point.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 27

 44 years, was originally from Reading, Berkshire, but was
living in the Ilfracombe area of Devon at the time of her
disappearance.

Police said that Ms Nee was last seen in IIfracombe,

Devon, where she was living with a partner.

Early investigations by detectives in 2012 failed to find

any trace of Ms Nee, also known as Kathy, after she
disappeared in 2002.

She left the family home in Dee Park, Reading, Berkshire,

after a 'difference of opinion' with relatives.
Her 71-year-old mother Nellie's last contact with her
daughter was in a series of brief letters.

Police said that Ms Nee was last seen in IIfracombe,

'The Thames Valley Police specialist search and rescue
Devon, where she was living with a partner. She has six
team is conducting a search of two ponds in the
grandchildren who she had never met.
Burghfield woods on the basis of this information.

'We do not know what we may find, but the hope is that
we will discover items relating to Catherine's
disappearance.

'In the meantime we are continuing to appeal to anyone

who knew Catherine, who was also known as Kathy, or
has any information of her whereabouts, to get in touch.'

Officers investigating the disappearance of Catherine Nee

turned their attention to deep ponds at Burghfield,
Berkshire after receiving a tip-off.

Specialist police divers descended on the scene today. Ms

Nee was 32 years old when she was last seen by her
family. The grandmother-of-six, who would now be aged

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 28

 'I pray every night that one day she will come home. Her
grandchildren certainly want to meet her and I would love
her to meet them.

'I would throw my arms around her if she came home

tomorrow.'

'Her family is desperate to trace her so we urge anyone

with information to get in touch.'

Police have yet to reveal where the new tip-off to search

the ponds at Burghfield had come from although it was
known that it was not from anyone currently in prison.

Her mother, Mrs Nee, said at the time: 'I'm not getting
any younger. I want her home and so do the rest of the
family.
8
Police say they hope the search will uncover 'items
relating to Ms Nee's disappearance'.

Police launched a missing persons investigation in 2012

and a 48-year-old man from the Thames Valley area was
arrested on suspicion of her murder last February. He was
later released without charge.

Ms Nee left the family home in Dee Park, Reading,

Berkshire, after a 'difference of opinion' with relatives
'I think about her all the time. She is always in my head
and always will be.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 29

Police divers find shoes in missing
Police were expected to continue searching the woods at
woman search Burghfield in Berkshire after receiving a new lead in the
http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2014-12-
case.
10/police-divers-find-shoes-in-missing-woman-search
10 December 2014
Detective Inspector Kevin Mahon said the newly-
discovered footwear would have to be analysed to find
Police divers searching two woodland ponds in a hunt for
out if it was relevant to the case.
a woman presumed murdered who went missing 12 years
ago have found footwear which may have belonged to
Det. Insp. Mahon said officers were working to discover if
her.
the footwear was the same size as Ms Nee wore.
Detectives revealed the find a day after searches began
"I can't say if it's going to be relevant at this time," said
at a pond the size of a football pitch in secluded
the detective.
woodland.
"It's very difficult to know what she was wearing at the
However, officers were unsure if the footwear was linked
time she went missing because we don't know at what
to the disappearance of Catherine Nee.
point she actually went missing."
Ms Nee was aged 32 years when she was last seen by her
The officer said poor underwater visibility had made
family, from whom she was estranged, in 2002 and it was
searching the pond a tricky task for divers but that they
initially thought she had simply moved away to another
would remain in the area until he was satisfied it had
area.
been thoroughly scoured.
However police launched a missing
Det. Insp. Mahon refused to go into
persons investigation a decade later and
details of how officers were tipped
a 48-year-old man from the Thames
off to search the wooded area.
Valley area was arrested on suspicion of
her murder last February, but was later
"Our inquiries have led us to this
released without charge.
area," he said.
The grandmother-of-six, who would now
He added that police were not
be aged 44 years, was originally from
given specific information about the
Reading, Berks., but was living in the
ponds but that they seemed an
Ilfracombe area of Devon at the time of
obvious place to search.
her disappearance.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 30

 Halfmoon,
"It's an area where there's a possibility that something State Police
could be disposed of," said Det. Insp. Mahon. said. The
trooper chased
"We have still got some work to do to satisfy myself that Messina at
we have followed up that line of inquiry." speeds
approaching
The officer said no other searches were planned beyond 100 miles per
the woodland but added: "If we get some new hour before
information coming forward we will see where it takes breaking off
us." the pursuit
where the
Police: Driver in high-speed chase had Northway ends at State Route 20 in the Town of
sword, threatened to kill police officers Guilderland, State Police said.
http://wnyt.com/article/stories/s3661178.shtml
12/28/2014 By: Steve Flamis VIDEO ON SITE "YOU WANT TO DIE?"
About a half-hour later, Messina robbed Smith’s Colonie
COLONIE – A Loudonville man led police on a high-speed Wine and Liquor Store, 1701 Central Ave., State Police
chase through three counties, threatened to kill police said. He allegedly stole a bottle of vodka, and threatened
officers, and brandished a sword before he was shot by a two employees with a sword.
state trooper Friday, police alleged.
"I just yelled at him, 'Hey, what the hell are you doing?
Michael J. Messina, 19, called 911 from his cell phone Who's going to pay for that bottle?'" co-owner Nick Patel
during the pursuit and told a Colonie Police dispatcher said. "He takes a sword out, and he's like, 'You want the
that he had a plan to "shoot police officers," Colonie bottle, or you want to die?'"
Police Lt. Robert Winn said.
Police soon spotted Messina’s White Volkswagen Jetta on
"He indicated numerous times that his intent, while he Central Ave. and resumed the chase. He allegedly struck
was fleeing from police, was to kill as many police officers one uninvolved vehicle that was trying to get out of his
as he could," Winn said. "He did indicate that he had a way. No one was injured.
fully-loaded AK-47 and a revolver."
As the chase continued west, Messina allegedly made the
It all began at about 6:30 p.m. when Messina threw ominous phone call to 911. Then, at about 8:00 p.m., on
coffee and an energy drink container at a State Police car Interstate 890 West in Rotterdam, police deflated his
in the southbound lanes of the Northway in the Town of front tires using a stinger device.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 31

TROOPER OPENS FIRE Messina will face charges of robbery, menacing,
Messina bailed out of his car with the sword from the possession of a weapon, unlawfully fleeing police, petit
liquor store robbery, State Police Captain Scott Coburn s larceny, and numerous traffic violations in the Town of
aid. Messina ran down an embankment and crossed a Colonie, according to Winn, the police lieutenant.
stream with a trooper in close pursuit.
Additional charges in other jurisdictions are forthcoming,
"Messina, on the opposite bank, turns around suddenly Winn said. Schenectady County DistrictAttorney Robert
with a sword above his head as if to strike the trooper," Carney has been advised of the situation, and the
Coburn said. "The trooper fired one round from his investigation is continuing.
division-issued weapon."
Divers recover missing infant's body in
The bullet struck Messina in the abdomen, Coburn said.
Troopers provided first aid at the scene before Messina
Withlacoochee River
http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.ht
was rushed to Albany Medical Center Hospital for ml/content/news/articles/bn9/2015/1/5/crews_continue_overn.html
treatment of his injuries. January 5, 2015

Though Coburn said Messina was listed in stable DADE CITY --

condition, Messina’s mother told NewsChannel13 her son Divers have recovered the body of an infant who went
is actually in critical condition. A nursing supervisor did missing in the Withlacoochee River on Sunday, the Pasco
not return a phone call seeking clarification. County
Messina’s mother told a reporter she has a lot to say Sheriff's
about what happened to her son, but she is not ready to Office said.
speak just yet. She provided a photo of her son before
leaving to visit him at the hospital. Ten divers
searching in
"MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES" 64-degree
Investigators did not find the guns Messina allegedly water found
claimed to have, but State Police divers did find the sword 7-month-old
at the bottom of the stream, Coburn said. The motive for Elijah Wilson
around 10 Personnel from the Pasco County
what happened remained unclear. Sheriff's Office and Florida Fish and
a.m. Monday.
Wildlife Conservation Commission
"We’re not going to comment on a motive now," Coburn He had been
searched overnight for a 7-month
told reporters. "There are some mental health issues that with his uncle infant who went missing in the
we are aware of in this case, but I can’t comment any late Sunday Withlacoochee River
further on that either." when the

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 32

pickup truck they were sitting complicated matters.
in rolled into the dark water.
About 25 family members assisted
The body of the uncle, 46- authorities in the search, officials
year-old Jeffery Stock, was said. Family members and
recovered Sunday night. authorities held a moment of silence
when the infant's body was
According to the sheriff's recovered.
office, Stock was sitting in the
bed of a Ford pickup parked Family members had gathered
along the river at Ranch Road Sunday for a cookout and later drove
and Auton Road. He was to the river to go fishing.
holding the infant with the
tailgate down when the truck Authorities are calling the incident a
rolled down an embankment "freak accident."
and into the river.
Police divers search Werribee River for
Authorities said Stock tried to jump from the tailgate with
Elijah, but instead wound up underwater, pinned beneath
weapons used in robbery
HTTP://WWW.HERALDSUN.COM.AU/NEWS/LAW-ORDER/POLICE-DIVERS-SEARCH-
the truck. WERRIBEE-RIVER-FOR-WEAPONS-USED-IN-ROBBERY/STORY-FNI0FEE2-1227178695977
JAN 08, 2015 REBEKAH CAVANAGH HERALD SUN
The father of the baby jumped into the water, but was
not able to reach his child or his brother. DIVERS searched the bed of the Werribee River for
two guns used in a robbery where three bandits
"There were multiple people who went in the water in an took one of Victoria’s largest hauls.
attempt to conduct their own rescue," said sheriff's office
Lt. Mike Jenkins. "But due to the tragic circumstances, it An anonymous call to Crime Stoppers lead detectives to
appears the man and, likely, the 7-month-old child were near the Riverbend Historical Park, Wyndham Vale, where
trapped under the vehicle, and it would have been almost they searched yesterday.
impossible to retrieve them."
Two cars — one with stolen number plates — were found
A search by personnel from the sheriff's office and Florida by divers. But there was no sign of the weapons
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission went through reportedly dumped in the river following the December 1
the night with crews in boats looking along the river with robbery at the Horne St McDonald’s car park in Sunbury.
lights set up. Strong currents and alligators on the banks

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 33

 He said police believe the offenders are living in the
western suburbs.

The search started near a concrete kayak's landing at

10am, but about 1pm, police moved their focus to
another part of the river about 3km away.

The river search comes days after police revealed they

were looking for the driver of a white SUV also believed to
be connected to the case.

The Commodore used in the raid was found burnt out at

Little River, near Werribee, and a white SUV was seen
leaving that area and was also sighted driving past the
Police dive for guns in the Werribee River.
McDonald's at the time of the robbery.
Picture: Kris Reichl

Police refuse to reveal the figure stolen but said it was a Police in Florida say father threw
“substantial” amount with at least five cash bags taken. daughter, five, off Tampa Bay bridge
Detective Sergeant David Woolfe, from the Armed Crime http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/police-in-florida-
Squad, said police were committed to finding those say-father-threw-daughter-5-off-tampa-bay-bridge-9966338.html
behind the heist. 08 JANUARY 2015 ANDREW BUNCOMBE

He could not rule out the culprits had inside information. Why? That was the question
No-one has been arrested and police are yet to identify police officers in Florida were
any suspects. trying to answer on Thursday
after they accused a man of
“We've received information via an anonymous person at throwing his five-year-old
Crime Stoppers that the firearms from that incident may daughter from a bridge.
be located here,” Det-Sgt Woolfe said.
Police said John Jonchuck had
He could not say how accurate the tip-off was and urged been seen hurling his daughter, Phoebe, off a bridge over
the person who made the call to make contact with them Tampa Bay in the early hours of Thursday morning. Police
again. recovered the body of the girl from the water about 90
minutes later.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 34

At a press conference on Thursday morning, St almost immediately and
Petersburg Police Chief Tony Holloway said officers were asked two fishermen for
unsure if Mr Jonchuck’s daughter was alive at the time their assistance.
she was thrown from the Dick Misener Bridge. A post-
mortem examination was being conducted on her body to “He said, ‘You know
try and provide officers with more information. these waters – take me
to where you think she’ll
Yet Mr Holloway said police had little insight into a possibly be’,” Bobby Hay,
possible motive for the alleged crime. “I've been doing one of the fishermen,
this job for 29 years and I don't even know what was later told reporters. “So The body of Phobe Jonchuck
going through this guy’s mind,” Mr Holloway said, we ran right over where was recovered from the
according to the Tampa Bay Times. the tide was going one Tampa Bay on
way and the wind was
Reports said that Mr Jonchuck had previously been breaking the opposite way. That's where I thought she’d
arrested several times for domestic violence but that be. We weren’t far off.”
charges had always been dropped. Despite that, Mr
Jonchuck had legal custody of his daughter. The girl’s body was recovered and she was declared dead
at the scene. Mr Jonchuck has been charged with murder
Mr Holloway said Mr Jonchuck had been spotted speeding and fleeing the scene.
by an officer who was heading home after his shift and
then pursued him to the bridge, which is itself an Neill Buchel murder: 'Jackass prankster
approach to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The man got
out of his car and the officer drew his weapon.
chopped up and dumped in lake by pals'
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/neill-buchel-murder-
jackass-prankster-4991089
“The suspect started talking, but the officer didn't 16 January 2015 By Henry Vaughan
understand what he was saying,” the poloice chief said.
The man then walked over to the passenger's side door Neill Buchel enjoyed taking part in painful and dangerous
and pulled out a child, her face buried in his chest. Mr games with Scott Hunt and Chas Quye, who are accused
Jonchuck then threw the girl into the water, more than of killing and dismembering him, a court heard.
60ft below.
A man whose chopped-up body parts were found dumped
The police officer climbed down a span of the bridge to try in a lake was murdered by friends after they played
and locate the girl’s body, other officers pursued Mr 'Jackass' style pranks on him, a court heard
Jonchuck across the bridge. Police arrived on the scene

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 35

Neill Buchel, 39, and drinking buddies Scott Hunt, 41, justice by disposing of
Chas Quye, 36, were inspired by the US television series, the body.
which features stars performing dangerous and painful
stunts, it was said. Prosecutor Sally O'Neill
QC, told the jury that Mr
Some of the games, including putting chili powder on Buchel had moved into a
genitals and setting pubic hair on fire, would often result flat with Hunt after
in injuries, a jury was told. splitting from his wife in
Attack: The victim was December 2013.
But the 'casual violence' took a macabre turn and Mr brutally beaten at Quye's
Buchel's severed left thigh was discovered at an East flat before being cut into ten The housemates would
London nature reserve by a young fisherman in April last pieces and his dismembered often socialise with
year. The rest of his body was recovered from White Hart body parts disposed of, a Quye, who lived in a
Lakes in Dagenham more than a fortnight after he had jury at Blackfriars Crown block of flats next to
been reported missing by his worried family. Court in London was told. their building.

The victim, known as 'Southy' was brutally beaten at Ms O'Neill said: "They would spend a lot of time together
Quye's flat before being cut into ten pieces and his drinking a great deal and sometimes playing a game,
dismembered body parts disposed of in a 'gruesome and which they called 'Jackass-style stunts', which is a
callous' way, a jury was told. reference to an American television series.

Hunt and Quye, along "These games

with a third man Elvis would sometimes
Kwiatkowski, 36, are result in injuries to
accused of the murder of one of the parties
the South African. They and video footage
are standing trial at was taken of that.
Blackfriars Crown Court
alongside Colin "It appears Mr
Gruesome: A fisherman
Bushaway, 61, and Alan Buchel was
alerted police after Quinn, 28 who, along with generally a willing
spotting a human leg their three co-defendants, participant in Evidence: Police found Mr Buchel's
floating in a park lake in also face a charge of those games, dismembered thigh in a lake, the
Dagenham, east London perverting the course of while, you may court heard.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 36

think, he often seemed to bear the brunt of them. One witness described seeing
Mr Buchan on his knees in the
"They sometimes filmed the events using a mobile phone. sitting room, with his head
The so-called pranks or stunts included such things as the completely covered by
use of chili powder on genitals, the burning of pubic hair material. Quye and Kwiatowski
and the insertion of items into the genital area." were seen standing over him
shouting abuse with Quye
But she explained that in December 2013, Mr Buchel was wielding a large rubber mallet,
attacked by the two men and was hit around the face the court heard.
with dumbbell weights.
It is claimed Bushaway, who
"It is the Crown's case that episode demonstrates the had a panelled van, was later
almost casual, but serious violence that Mr Hunt and Mr called to the flat, where by this
Quye were prepared to inflict on Mr Buchel," Ms O'Neill time Mr Buchel's lifeless body
continued. was in the bathroom.
The jury were told that Mr Buchel had been drinking in
the park with a group of Bushaway allegedly suggested
friends on March 13 last year. they should dispose of the body, although did not take
part in the dismemberment or removal of the remains.
He ended up, extremely drunk
at Quye's flat, where a number Bradley Andison, 47, who is not standing trial after
of others were present pleading guilty to attempting to pervert the course of
throughout the evening, justice, was then called in to help, the court heard.
including Quye, Hunt,
Kwiatkowski and Quinn, it is Mr Buchel was not seen alive after the night of 13 March
claimed. last year and his worried ex-partner contacted police.
A murder investigation was launched even before his left
"Neill Buchan was rendered thigh turned up in the lake, found by a young fisherman
virtually helpless by drink and who poked it with a stick after mistaking it for a dead
was a very soft target for the fish.
brutal and cowardly attack at
the hands of those who Ms O'Neill said: "On 1 April 2014 a young fisherman who
professed to be his friends," was walking around the lakes detected something he first
Ms O'Neill said. thought was a dead fish.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 37

"It turned out to be a human The body parts were found to have multiple blunt force
thigh. The police were injuries most likely resulting from kicking or stamping,
informed and the area was the court heard.
searched by police divers
and using police dogs. "There can be no doubt that those deliberately inflicted
injuries on him were intended, at the very least, to cause
"Over the next few days very serious harm," Ms O'Neill added.
several other body parts
were found in the same area Hunt, of Dagenham, Quye, also from Dagenham, and
- ten body parts. Kwiatkowski of Royston, Hertfordshire, all deny murder.
Hunt, Quye and Bushaway, along with Quinn, of
"The torso had been Dagenham, deny conspiracy to pervert the course of
wrapped in a duvet and justice. Kwiatkowski and Andison, of Rochester, Kent,
weighed down with stones. pleaded guilty to the charge.
Technical Rescue
"Other body parts appeared Bushaway, of Eltham, southeast London, also denies an
Magazine
to have been wrapped in red http://www.trescue.com alternative charge of preventing a lawful burial.
curtain, which had come
loose. The trial continues.

"They had clearly been in the water for some time, but all Mystery of the 60 bodies: Is serial killer
of the body was recovered, ten parts in all.
responsible for corpses in Manchester's
"That body was that of a man called Neil Buchel, who was canals?
last seen alive on the evening of 13 March last year and http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/552283/Could-serial-killer-
responsible-Manchester-60-canal-deaths
the Crown say he was in the company of the first three
January 16, 2015 By DOMINIC MIDGLEY
defendants Scot Hunt, Elvis Kwiatkowski and Chas Quye.
BODIES have been fished out of Manchester’s network of
"In broad terms the allegation is while Neil Buchel was
canals at an average rate of around nine a year for the
with those three men at Mr Quye's address, he was
past seven years without anyone but the relatives of the
brutally assaulted by them and died of his injuries that
deceased making much of a fuss.
night while still at that address."
But since the news of this remarkable death toll broke at
the weekend following a Freedom of Information request
to Greater Manchester Police, an almighty row has broken

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 38

 out involving a maverick
professor of psychology,
local councillors,
bereaved families and
police.

It revolves around the

fact that not one of the
60 deaths has been
recorded as a crime,
with both police and
coroners apparently
satisfied that they were
Relatives are calling for a the result of accidents
murder inquiry after student or suicide. There have been an alarming amount of bodies found
Souvik Pal was found in in Manchester's canal network ALAMY
Bridgewater Canal Confronted with this
remarkable statistic A number of the corpses were found in stretches of water
Craig Jackson, professor of psychology at Birmingham around Canal Street, home of many of the city’s gay bars
City University and an expert on spree killings, has and restaurants.
suggested the idea that a serial killer could be on the
loose. This plus the fact that only two of the victims have been
identified as female – though the gender of 27 of the
“It is extremely unlikely that such an alarming number of victims has not been made public – and that the men are
bodies found in the canals is the result of accidents or almost invariably in their late teens or early 20s has led
suicides,” he said. “Canals are not popular suicide spots, to speculation of a sexual motive.
especially for men.
“It is extremely unlikely that such an
alarming number of bodies found in “I think the fact that several of these
"They are, however, popular dumping the canals is the result of accidents or discoveries were made in Manchester’s
sites. And water can be a sure way to suicides. “ Gay Village could also be significant,”
erase DNA evidence." Craig Jackson professor of psychology says Professor Jackson.

“Suffolk strangler Steve Wright dumped some of his “Do we have another ‘gay slayer’ like Colin Ireland [a
prostitute victims in water so any traces of him would be serial killer who murdered five gay men in London in the
washed away.” 1990s] on the loose?”

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 39

 The professor’s theory is
given credence by the fact
that the Rochdale Canal’s
Lock 85, a well-known gay
cruising area, is said to
have been the site of six
body finds in the past 18
months. Detective Chief
Superintendent Russ
Jackson, head of Greater
Manchester Police’s Serious
Crime Division, was not
impressed.

He said: “What is very

important to bear in mind is
that the cases have been
www.bauercomp.com

subject to separate investigations and there is no Police divers scour the canal for Adam Pickup's body,
evidence to suggest these deaths are linked or were which was later found under a railway arch CORBIS
suspicious.
The grandfather of Indian student Souvik Pal has called
“These cases have then been presented at inquests and for the police to open a murder inquiry into the death of
it is for the coroner to determine the cause of death. It the 18-year-old, who was found dead in Bridgewater
should also be stressed that coroners do have the power Canal having been seen with a mystery man after leaving
to refer any deaths back to police if they suspect foul play a nightclub.
and that has not happened.”

Related articles Professor Jackson is not the first to have

But this has not been enough to reassure doubts about the official version of
the “dozens of individuals”, including a  Police arrest events. Locals have long harboured a
number of relatives of the deceased, who Wetherspoons barmaid number of theories to explain the deaths.
have contacted Professor Jackson this over gay ‘banter’
week to share their concerns over the One of the most popular is that many of
 Detectives to meet
spate of deaths, which in one 12-month the dead are victims of a figure called The
professor over claims
period accounted for one third of all such Pusher, who murders his targets by
'serial killer' is on the loose
fatalities nationwide. shoving them into the water.
in Manchester

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 40

Others speculate that a number of the dead have been the cases
the subject of gangland hits by one or other of the concerned,
organised crime networks that have led to the city being particularly
dubbed “Gunchester”. in the city
centre.
Meanwhile Professor Jackson has been invited to meet
representatives of GMP next week and he believes he can “He needs to
help. withdraw
these stupid
“My role will be to emphasise new techniques that can allegations
help understand criminal behaviour, such as geographical because they
profiling and other elements of investigative psychology are causing
which might prove useful,” he said. hurt and anguish for the families.

“Studies of predatory serial offenders show that isolated “I will be writing to the chancellor of his university.
and secluded areas, such as waterways, populated by "If this is academic research then the taxpayers need
drunk or drugged individuals who are suggestible and their money back.”
compliant and who may be from minority groups can
provide ideal circumstances for those committing serial
crimes.”
Car found in South Florida canal tied to
1978 case
But not everyone is convinced. http://tbo.com/news/crime/car-found-in-south-florida-canal-
tied-to-1978-case-20150123/
January 23, 2015 The Associated Press
Mancunian local
councillor Pat
SUNRISE, Florida – Officials say they’ve recovered
Karney warned:
from a South Florida canal a car that a young couple
“The professor
was in when they disappeared more than 30 years ago.
needs to think
about the effects
The 1969 Dodge Cornet car was spotted Wednesday by
on families who
a South Florida Water Management District employee
have lost loved
who was doing routine maintenance work in Sunrise.
ones. It’s 100
per cent rubbish,
Authorities ran the vehicle identification number and
knowing a lot of
confirmed it was connected to the missing-persons case
of Dana Null, 15, and Harry Wade Atchison III, 19.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 41

They were last seen leaving Atchison’s Dana Null, 15, and her
house in October 1978. Detectives boyfriend, Harry Atchison,
said the pair had been arguing after were last seen getting into
attending a Foreigner concert in a car and driving away
Hollywood earlier that evening. from a home after getting
Atchison got into his car and started into an argument after a
to leave when Null flagged him down Foreigner concert on Oct.
and got into the car.  7, 1978.
Dana Null,
They weren’t seen again. boyfriend The remains of
Harry Atchison's 1969 Dodge
Atchison last
No bodies were found in the rusting Coronet were pulled
seen 36
orange car, and police divers searched from the canal along
years ago
the canal again Thursday, looking for State Road 84, between
clues. 136th Avenue and
International Parkway, last
Null was a freshman in high school when she week.
disappeared. The National Center for Quick Clicks
Missing and Exploited Children  Divers find human remains in A worker with the South Florida Water
developed an age-processed image of canal where car discovered Management District discovered the
Null a few years ago showing what she  Car pulled from canal linked to car after it got caught on some
would have looked like at age 48. 1978 missing persons case equipment.

Divers search Sunrise canal where bones Divers searched the water again Friday, finding human
bones and more parts of the car. BSO spokeswoman
thought tied to 1978 disappearance Veda Coleman-Wright said the bones were taken to the
found medical examiner's office.
http://www.local10.com/news/divers-search-sunrise-canal-where-
bones-thought-tied-to-1978-disappearance-found/30941384
They were back at the canal Tuesday hoping to find more
Jan 27 2015 Peter Burke, Managing Editor
clues.
SUNRISE, Fla. -Broward Sheriff's Office divers are once
Local 10 News was there as a diver removed a green bag
again searching a Sunrise canal where human remains
from the water and tossed it to detectives, who collected
believed to be linked to a 1978 missing persons case
it as possible evidence.
were discovered.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 42

'God wanted me to live': Missouri teen's First responders conducted
CPR for 15 minutes before
'miracle' recovery after underwater for doctors at SSM St. Joseph
15 minutes Hospital West continued for
http://www.today.com/news/missouri-teens-miracle-recovery-after- another 27 minutes, NBC
underwater-15-minutes-2D80479747
affiliate KSDK reported. After
Feb. 7, 2015 Elizabeth Murray VIDEO ON SITE
John didn’t have a heartbeat for
A 14-year-old 45 minutes, doctors said they
Missouri boy who called his mom, Joyce, so she
fell through an icy could say goodbye.
lake and was "He was gone," said Dr. Nancy
underwater for 15 Bauer, who treated John at the
minutes, with no Missouri hospital. "I've never The Forensic Teacher
pulse for nearly felt someone so cold in my life." Online
45 minutes, has theforensicteacher.com
made a As doctors were telling Joyce in the trauma room about
"miraculous" Video: In this NBC News exclusive, the condition of her son, the distraught mom said she
recovery, doctors 14-year-old John Smith talks about started praying.
said. Now, John how he miraculously survived after
Smith says he's falling through the ice of Lake "A few seconds later, we had a heartbeat," Bauer said. "It
fortunate to be Saint Louise and remaining gave me goosebumps."
alive. underwater for nearly 15 minutes.
The next morning, John opened his eyesand was able to
"There's no really any explanation but how God wanted move his feet. SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical
me to live for a reason so i'm alive now," John told Center PICU described the story as "a miracle." "I
TODAY. remember everybody just kind of started crying," she
said.
The eighth-grader was walking over an ice-covered Lake
St. Louise with two friends when the trio fell through the But even after John woke up, doctors weren't
ice. While one of the teens was able to swim back to immediately sure that he would be the same. John had
shore, and another clung to the ice, John fell through the been without oxygen for much longer than the time it
water and was submerged for more than 15 minutes takes to cause major brain damage. Within 48 hours of
before paramedics arrived. regaining a heartbeat, doctors say, John opened his eyes.
And they decided to test the young basketball player.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 43

"We said, 'John, pretend your left hand is Lebron James Editor's note: This story about the death of Geetha
and your right hand is Michael Jordan,'" " Dr. Jeremy Angara was published in The Star-Ledger on Feb. 2,
Garrett, pediatrician, SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s 2007. It was written by Mark Mueller.
Medical Center said, adding that the teen also correctly
answered a series of questions, indicating that his brain Nearly two years after a chemist was choked into
functions would return to normal. "It's really amazing," unconsciousness and left to drown in a Totowa water
Garrett said. treatment plant, the state Attorney General's Office and
the State Police are poised to take over the stalled
But doctors say John still has a way to go before he's fully investigation.
back to normal. He has a persisting cough and must
undergo physical therapy to regain movement in his The involvement of the two agencies comes as a "great
hands. relief" to the family of Geetha Angara, 43, a mother of
three from Holmdel. Her husband, Jaya, has waged a
Still, he said, "I'm thankful that I'm alive now." yearlong campaign to enlist outside help, contending the
Passaic County Prosecutor's Office has not done enough
DEATH IN THE WATER TANK to find the killer, a claim the prosecutor denies.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/02/from_the_archives_state_to_take_up_probe_in_death.html
02/08/15 Mark Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com "We're hopeful," Jaya Angara said. "We believe it can be
solved if it's given the
Death in the water tank: nightmarish case remains proper attention. But we
unsolved 10 years later also think this should have
 From the archives: Accident or murder? Former
happened a long time ago.
They have to find this
investigator addresses water-tank homicide
person."
(2008)
 From the archives: State to take up probe in death On Feb. 9, 2005, Angara's
of chemist at water treatment plant (2007) body was found in a lightless
subterranean tank
 From the archives: In hunt for killer, police will
containing 1 million gallons
revisit a 1968 mystery (2005) of purified water. Authorities
 From the archives: At plant, a chilling idea: Killer said she had been dumped
still on site (2005) in the tank a day earlier.
All Stories |
In a recent interview,
Passaic County Prosecutor

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 44

 James Avigliano said Leonard said state investigators are expected to take a
investigators continue to lead role in the probe once they wrap up work on another
believe it was a co-worker high-profile case, the murder trial of Melanie McGuire, a
who killed Angara but that 34-year-old fertility clinic nurse accused of killing and
detectives have been unable dismembering her husband in the couple's Woodbridge
to find evidence to make a home three years ago.
murder charge stick.
Still unsolved: 10 years later, Geetha Angara's
"Thinking you know who did death remains a mystery
it and proving it are two
different things," Avigliano
Opening arguments in the McGuire trial are scheduled for
said. "We have no evidence
March 5.
and no motive. ... The case
has been investigated
"As we understand it, the Angara case is on their plate,
exhaustively. My detectives
and it's going to be picked up at the conclusion of the
worked like hell on this."
An undated photo of trial," Leonard said.
With the case at a standstill,
Geetha Angara, left, and Avigliano ratcheted down
husband Jaya Angara, Peter Aseltine, a spokesman
the investigation early last
who has pressed for the Attorney General's
investigators to solve the
year, leading the Angara
Office, confirmed the state's
case. family to wage a campaign
involvement in the probe
for outside help.
but declined to elaborate,
citing a policy restricting
The prosecutor, who initially resisted calls to seek
comment on active
assistance, relented under pressure from Rep. Rush Holt
investigations.
(D-12th Dist.) and other legislators, who took up Jaya
Angara's cause. In June, Avigliano wrote to then-Attorney
In the hunt for a suspect,
General Zulima Farber, inviting her office to review the
investigators may not have
case.
far to look.
Since then, members of the State Police major crimes
Avigliano said the likely
unit have acquainted themselves with the details of
killer is hiding in plain sight,
Angara's murder, said John Leonard, a lawyer for the
reporting to work as usual
family.
and maintaining a veneer of
normalcy.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 45

"We have an individual who just goes day a clipboard, Angara walked along the
to day and doesn't say anything," he said. tunnel's concrete floor toward the
instruments she intended to service.
That thought is never far from the minds
of those who work at the plant, said Authorities have only a hazy portrait of
Joseph Bella, the Passaic Valley Water what happened next, forensic science
Commission's executive director. mated to guesswork.

People continue to do their jobs, Bella Avigliano has said investigators believe
said, but the killing hangs in the air. the killing was an unplanned crime of
In this 2005 file photo, then-
Passaic County Prosecutor
passion; that Angara argued with
"People are still very upset about someone in the dim, industrial tunnel or
James Avigliano, left, announces
Geetha," he said. "She's just always on stumbled across something she wasn't
that the death of Geetha Angara
our minds." has been declared a homicide. meant to see.
Angara drowned in an
Asked about the possibility of an arrest, underground water tank at the The killer — almost certainly a man, the
he said, "Every day we think about that Passaic Valley Water prosecutor says — struggled with Angara,
and hope for that." Commission's treatment plant in wrapping his hands around her neck until
Totowa. (File photo) she passed out, the autopsy report
Angara, a native of India with a doctorate in organic shows. He then pried open a 4-foot access hatch set in
chemistry from New York University, worked as a senior the floor, revealing the dark tank below, and pushed his
chemist at the Totowa plant, responsible for ensuring the victim inside.
quality of drinking water piped to 800,000 people in 17
northern New Jersey communities. In numbingly cold water 35 feet deep,
Angara drowned. Above, her killer
On the morning of Feb. 8, 2005, she replaced the 50-pound hatch and
descended to a deserted passageway on returned to work, authorities believe.
the facility's lower level to calibrate
instruments, a task she performed It would be 30 hours before police
frequently during her 12 years on the divers discovered her body.
job.
In the weeks that followed,
Lined with enormous pipes, the hallway investigators interviewed all 50
sits atop a vast tank containing ready-to- people who had been inside the
drink water. Carrying a glass beaker and building around the time of Angara's

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 46

10:30 a.m. disappearance. They took In the absence of official progress,
fingerprints and DNA samples. They Angara's family members continue to
administered polygraph tests. They press for answers, and they question
winnowed the list of suspects to eight, why the federal government — chiefly
then to three. the FBI and the Department of
Homeland Security — have not taken an
But linking a suspect to the murder has interest given the contention that a
been harder than anyone initially killer continues to work at the plant.
imagined.
"The potential danger is there," Jaya
Unaware a crime had taken place, plant On the one-year anniversary of Angara said. "Maybe the killer is
employees and police officers who Geetha Angara's death, mourners hibernating right now. But what
searched for Angara on the night of Jan. attend a candlelight vigil at the happens if he chooses to do something
8 trampled the crime scene, fouling any entrance to the Passaic Valley to the water supply?"
evidence it might have contained. Water Commission's treatment
plant in Totowa. Angara's 2005 Separately, the family is preparing to
Angara's body, submerged in death, declared a homicide, file a wrongful death suit against the
chlorinated water for so long, yielded no remains unsolved. The slain water commission, contending it didn't
fingerprints or DNA. chemist's husband, Jaya Angara, is do enough to safeguard the plant.
seen second from left. (File photo)
Investigators could find no motive, saying Angara had no Jaya Angara calls his active role in the case a form of
known enemies and was not involved in an extramarital therapy, saying it gives him hope for justice and a reason
affair. to carry on.

In the quest for answers, the prosecutor's office asked As he struggles to raise his children — a 15-year-old son
the state Department of Environmental Protection and the and two daughters, 11 and 21 — the husband says he is
federal Environmental Protection Agency to review the reminded every day of his wife's strengths and his own
plant's records. They found nothing amiss, Avigliano said. shortcomings. It was Geetha Angara who dispensed
motherly advice, solved everyday problems and soothed
Early last year, an EPA dive team bearing a remote- bruised feelings. Without his wife, he says, he is adrift,
controlled, camera-equipped submersible mapped every prone to emotional breakdowns.
inch of the massive water tank's floor to search for
evidence that might have been missed. Again, nothing. "It changes your entire life," Jaya Angara said. "There's
just a permanent void there. There's no substitute for
her."

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 47

 Police appeal for help to identify
mystery victim dredged from
Maribyrnong River
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/police-appeal-for-help-to-identify-mystery-victim-dredged-from-
maribyrnong-river/story-fni0fee2-1227211098594?nk=fdf8ca14faf44909f7cf42bd664c7c2a

02/07/15 ANTHONY DOWSLEY/ SAMANTHA LANDY, HERALD SUN


Vic police continue hunt for body Police
parts spokesman
Sen-Constable
Adam West
said it was
believed the
three limbs
found at the Police remove a limb from the Maribyrnong River after
river since they photograph the scene.
Thursday all Picture: Tony Gough
belonged to
the same The limb - the third to be found in the river since part of
THREE limbs found in the Maribyrnong an arm was discovered near Moonee Ponds’ The
River since Thursday all belonged to person.
Boathouse cafe on Thursday - was protruding from a
the same person, police believe - and
they now have a number of leads to He told white shopping bag.
unravel the mystery. the Herald
Sun about Essendon man David Neale said he found it while walking
3.30pm that police were yet to identify the man they his dogs along the river about 11.20am. The 69-year-old
belonged to. said the limb was grey.
But police had received “a number of calls” to Crime
Stoppers since releasing an image of a distinctive devil It appeared to have washed up on the side of the river
tattoo found on one of the limbs, he said. and become wedged between some rocks opposite the
Essendon Canoe Club and near the Raleigh St Bridge -
The leads would be investigated, he said. about 500 metres downstream from where the original
limb was found.
A third limb was found wedged between rocks on the side
of the Maribyrnong River this morning. Two men who “I was just walking along the edge of the river, I looked
alerted police to the gruesome find told the Herald Sun it down and couldn’t believe it,” Mr Neale said.
was part of a leg with the kneebone clearly exposed.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 48

Mr Neale said he had been upset
by the find. Police removed the limb from the
river just after 2pm, taking it
“I feel awful - it’s someone,” he away for forensic examination.
said. “I think I’ll go home and
have a stubby.” A search and rescue diver
plunged into the water near
Mr Neale and another local where the body part was found
walking along the river - Andrew shortly afterwards. But the diver
Walker - called local police and did not find anything linked to the
flagged down a water police boat investigation and abandoned the
conducting sonar searches search about 3.30pm.
nearby. Search Continues for body parts in Maribyrnong
River. Police will now focus their search
Picture: Tony Gough
Mr Walker said the experience on this portion of the river -
was “a bit surreal”. “It was pretty downstream from where the first two
unmistakable what it was,” the 44- DEATH LURKS IN THE SHADOWS limbs and black plastic bags were
year-old said. “Kids are enjoying a nice recovered on Thursday.
game of cricket (just over the
other side of the river), and Police this morning returned
there’s a body part floating to the Maribyrnong River for a
near them.” third day.

Victoria Police spokeswoman The identity of a man with a

Belle Nolan said officers were devil tattoo whose severed
still investigating the limbs were pulled out of the
circumstances surrounding the river in the Moonee Ponds
find. area remains a mystery.

“But at this stage police Victoria Police spokesman

believe this morning’s Sergeant Kris Hamilton said
discovery is linked to human water police officers would
remains found in the Police tape off the area where more human remains again take to the river on a
Maribyrnong earlier this were found whislt they photograph the scene. Picture: boat, but search and rescue
week,” Ms Nolan said. Tony Gough

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 49

divers were not expected to take another plunge today. Police have been searching their missing person files and
A police boat yesterday spent the day travelling up and running the red devil tattoo through their criminal
down a 4km stretch of the river, using sonar equipment database but have so far not found a match.
to scour the water.
The probe will also involve:
They departed from The Boathouse cafe on The
Boulevard, in Moonee Ponds, where a portion of the  RUNNING DNA through databases for a match.
man’s arm was first spotted. No additional body parts  CANVASSING tattoo parlours for anyone who
were found yesterday. recognises the devil tattoo.
 SCOURING CCTV footage of suspicious activity in
The distinctive tattoo on the inner forearm is the only the area.
distinguishing mark homicide investigators have to go on  DOORKNOCKING and placing posters asking for
to try to identify who it was who met with foul play in the witnesses to come forward.
last eight days.  ANALYSING information reports flowing in to
police
Police called off a search of the river just after 5pm. No
further body parts were found. Det. Insp Hughes said it was
unfortunate the man’s family
Police have confirmed the dead man, who was almost was likely to learn of his death
certainly killed and dismembered elsewhere before being from seeing the tattoo image.
dumped in the river, was a white caucasian.
“We know this is a terrible way
The homicide squad’s Detective Inspector Mick Hughes for them to find out, but I think
would not divulge how many body parts were retrieved it’ll get a breakthrough in the This is a tattoo from
from two sites along the Moonee Ponds section of the investigation early. body parts found in the
river, just a kilometre apart. Maribyrnong River
“Last night most of our time
But Det. Insp Hughes conceded “major limbs’’ had been was spent on missing persons and we’re running through
recovered and the victim’s hand had been severed, tattoos on our criminal database.
possibly to eliminate the possibility of fingerprint
identification. “Tattoo parlours will be (among) the avenues we’ll look
at,” Det. Insp Hughes said.
The remains were being analysed by staff at the Victorian
Institute of Forensic Medicine. Divers had resumed their search early on Friday following
the discovery of the body parts in the river on Thursday.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 50

 Maribyrnong River remains: person
identified as more body parts surface
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/maribyrnong-river-remains-person-identified-as-more-
body-parts-surface-20150208-138v4r.html
February 8, 2015 Rania Spooner

The human
remains that have
been washing up
alongside the
Maribyrnong
A police search and rescue diver plunged in near the River are believed
bridge at Afton St, Aberfeldie. Detectives looked on as the to belong to a
diver carried out the grisly task of scouring the river bed. Melbourne man
aged in his late Police retrieve a suspicious
Sonar equipment was also used to sweep the bed. 30s, who was not a object. Photo: Chris Hopkins
And a police boat spent the day travelling up and down a missing person.
4km stretch of the river.

They departed from The Boathouse cafe on The

Boulevard, in Moonee Ponds, where a portion of the
man’s arm was first spotted.

State Emergency Service volunteers conducted line

searches along the banks.

Forensic investigators also scoured several “areas of

interest”.

The gruesome finds, in an area popular with runners and

dog walkers, shocked locals.
Police divers search for body parts.
A witness said: “We’re curious. We were told a limb was Photo: Chris Hopkins
found. They (the police) are just slowly, slowly going
The possible breakthrough was made when a close
around the river.”
member of the man's family identified a tattoo of a devil

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 51

 said on Sunday. It's a tragic way for the family to find out
but it has progressed our investigation," he said.

Detectives are awaiting the results of forensic testing, a

process that could take several days, before releasing the
man's identity.

Police divers search for body parts. Photo: Chris

Hopkins

Police and detectives bag up suspected body parts

found in the Maribyrnong river. Photo: Chris Hopkins

The man was last known to reside near the Melbourne

CBD. He had last been in contact with his family during
the Christmas period, Inspector Hughes said.

"Once we definitely confirm it's him, we'll really extend

our investigations in relation to relatives and friends and
locations that he was known to frequent," he said.

Police at the Maribyrnong River where body parts have "We think we're on the right track, everything points to it,
been found. Photo: Paul Jeffers the description by the relative, we're all but sure its him."
on his forearm, which police released through the media Body parts including an arm and a leg have been floating
last week. That family member walked into the North to the surface of the river in Melbourne's north-west since
Melbourne police station and told police they had Thursday.
recognised the tattoo, detective inspector Mick Hughes

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 52

The death is not beleived to be linked to "We had no idea where the tattoo came
gang activity and the deceased was not from and (the ablum cover) was one
known to police. reference and then there was quite a bit of
discussion around that," he said.
On Sunday another discovery was made,
this time by a female rower near the "Speaking to the relative... we don't know
Maribyrnong Road Bridge at about 8am what triggered that contact."
when she spotted something inside a
plastic bag. The Maribyrnong is a tidal river, which has
complicated the search effort, Inspector
The investigation was launched on Hughes said. "Its a pretty hard bit of water
Thursday after a forearm was spotted to search," he said. "We haven't found all
floating nearing the Boathouse at the the body parts and we just ask residents to
The Downtime album
Boulevard. contact police and we'll certainly respond to
cover. Photo:
musicaustralia.net.au that."
Other remains were discovered a short
time later, but police have not revealed the details of the He said it was impossible to say what sort of person
second grisly find. would have disposed of the body.

On Saturday, divers entered the river again when a local "Some people do things out of panic," he said. "If the
man spotted part of a leg poking out of a shopping bag on offender's out there, we're just methodically working our
the river's edge, about 500 metres from where the arm way towards him or her and if they would like to contact
was found. crime stoppers we'll certainly make ourselves available.

Detectives racing to identify the remains had released an "A lot of people find themselves in circumstances they've
image of the forearm tattoo, revealing what appears to be got no control over."
a devil character holding a spray can.
Police urge anyone who sees anything suspicious in the
Web sleuths on the reddit forum were quick to point out Maribyrnong River to notify police immediately on triple-
the similarity to a devil depicted on the cover of Sydney 0.
punk band Downtime's late 90s album Tooth and Nail.
Earlier, Inspector Hughes said the response from the The search will continue "spasmodically," as other
public, including the spread of information on social sightings come to light, Inspector Hughes said.
media, had been "tremendous".
Divers were continuing to scour the river on Sunday.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 53

Family of man whose dismembered body It comes after severed
arm with a red devil
was found dumped in a river help tattoo was spotted in
identify him thanks to devil tattoo the Maribyrnong River
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2944467/A-distinctive-tattoo-led-unofficial-
identification-man-body-parts-dismembered-dumped-Melbourne-river.html near the Boathouse
8 February 2015 By CINDY TRAN and SALLY LEE and EMILY restaurant on Thursday,
CRANE FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA and AUSTRALIAN while other remains were
ASSOCIATED PRESS found further upstream.
 The first body parts were discovered by a Divers are still scouring
runner on Thursday the river after more body
 DNA tests will take several days to confirm the parts were discovered by a member of the public, who
identity of the victim found two severed limbs and a plastic bag of flesh at
 Police believe they have identified the about 11am on Saturday.
dismembered body of a man
Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Mick Hughes said a
 A family member came forward after they close relative of the suspected victim came forward after
recognised the red devil tattoo police released images of a red devil tattoo found on the
forearm.
 A forearm was spotted floating in the
Maribyrnong River in Melbourne Police released the image after a forearm - severed at the
 Part of a limb and black plastic bag of human elbow and wrist - was spotted floating in the Maribyrnong
flesh found further upstream River in Melbourne by diners at a nearby restaurant on
 Police are scouring missing person records to Thursday afternoon.
try and identify the man
 Devil tattoo was found on the inner forearm 'It's a tragic way for the family to find out but it has
found floating in river progressed our investigation,' Det Insp Hughes said.

Police believe they have identified a man's body dumped Police won't release the name of the victim until he is
in pieces in a Melbourne river after a family member formally identified through DNA testing, which is expected
recognised a distinctive tattoo. to take several days.

DNA tests will be used to confirm the identity of the 'We will release it as soon as we are able because clearly
victim, who police say may be a man in his late 30s who again we want to know his associates and how they may
lived on the fringe of the Melbourne CBD. be able to help us,' Det Insp Hughes said.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 54

It's believed the Investigations
man was not into the man's
known to police. associates will
begin once he
He had not been in has been
contact with his formally
family since identified.
Christmas but Detectives
police say that was believe the
not unusual and he +Detectives continued searching latest find is
the river by boat on Friday
was not listed as a linked to the
morning and will focus on a bridge
missing person. about two kilometres from the
other male
5 restaurant where the forearm was remains found so far.
It comes as spotted
severed arm with a A severed arm with a red devil tattoo was spotted near
devil tattoo was spotted in the Maribyrnong River in the Boathouse restaurant on Thursday, while the other
Melbourne on Thursday. remains were found further upstream.

Det Insp Hughes said the tidal nature of the river made The part found on Saturday was near Oakland Street,
the search for body parts difficult. which is about 1km away from the restaurant.
Water police revisited the river on Saturday morning and
He said police were still expecting to find more body parts remain at the scene.
and any member of the public who come across them
should contact officers. 'We've done the best we can on Police released the image of the tattoo after a forearm
the ground and we'll continue to do that,' he said. was spotted floating by diners at a nearby restaurant on
Thursday afternoon.
'Certainly if someone sees something we'll have a team
respond.' Part of a limb and a black plastic bag of human flesh were
found further upstream when police divers searched the
The first body parts were discovered by a runner, while a area.
rower discovered more on Sunday.
A Victoria Police spokesman says police have received a
Det Insp Hughes confirmed some of the body parts had number of calls offering information, and detectives are
been found in plastic but said appeared they had not been working through them.
weighed down.

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 55

 Dramatic rescue saves woman A woman in Auckland, New Zealand, has been rescued
from her sinking car by policemen who smashed the rear
in sinking car window with a rock to reach her.
http://thechive.com/2015/02/18/dramatic-rescue-saves-woman-in-sinking-car-4-photos/
02/18/2015
The car shot over a ferry terminal’s car park and plunged
into the water.
Two New Zealand policeman in the water rushing to help
the woman, who is in the back seat of the partially
submerged car. The officers and a bystander who also
jumped into the water couldn’t open the doors. So they
found a rock…2

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 56

 informative. I am a C7 complete tetraplegic since age 17,
a practicing physician and a diver. I sit on the Board of
Diving Medicine Directors for the DPF as well.
Online We would be pleased to be of service to potential divers
Ernest Campbell, MD, FACS with disabilities, their buddies, medical professionals and
Comprehensive information about diving diving professionals. You can learn more about us at our
and undersea medicine for the non- website: divepirates.org if you are interested. If I can be
medical diver, the non-diving physician and the of help, please contact me at your convenience. Thanks
specialist.
http://www.scuba-doc.com
again for your efforts and expertise.

Dr. Campbell, Mark Fredrickson, MD, FAAPMR

Director of Spinal Cord Injury Program
Thank you for your ongoing efforts with respect to diving Associate Medical Director
medicine and education. We are genuinely grateful. Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital
San Antonio, Texas 78229
I wanted to alert you to another group who works with Work: 210-614-0100 Mobile: 210-573-8208
divers with disabilities. The Dive Pirates Foundation is a
Houston, Texas based nonprofit group that teaches
prospective divers, dive buddies and dive instructors. In
Sinus Rinse/Irrigation for Scuba Divers -
concert with SCUBA Schools International, we have HD
developed expertise and curricula that allow individuals Published on Jan 23, 2015
with various disabilities to dive. Now in our tenth year,
we are the largest such group, with chapters across the Dr. David Colvard (www.DivePsych.com) demonstrates
country and more being created. high volume, positive pressure, buffered saline nasal and
sinus irrigation for scuba divers who have problems
Our "Classified Diver" program stratifies divers based on equalizing pressure in their middle ears due to blockage
ability, provides appropriate training and and/or swelling of the Eustachian tube due to congestion
recommendations. We train buddies and dive instructors from allergies or colds or dust, etc. This video was made
as well. We plan and execute dive trips, and encourage at a dive site on Bonaire in January 2015. David F.
disabled divers to enter the mainstream of diving. Colvard, M.D. is a retired physician and an active PADI
Divemaster.
We have trained over 100 divers with disabilities including
those with limb amputations, paraplegia and tetraplegia FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: Dr. Colvard has been a medical
(aka quadriplegia). consultant to NeilMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In 2005 he did a
post-marketing study of Sinus Rinse in 100 scuba divers who
If I have a special passion for this, my situation might be had a history of using decongestants while diving

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 57

 Continuing 2015 EVENTS
Education
PSDiver-CE-111
Circumstances have prevented us from developing the CE
portion of this issue. Because we are limited to a very
small pool of contributors weather, duties and timing
caused us to curtail CEs this issue. We could use YOUR
help. If you would like to help us with our Continuing
Education, let us know. We would very much welcome
some new team members. If you want to work with us,
just send an email to the address below and let us know.

If your team is using the PSDiver CE material, we need

some feedback. While we have worked to bring you
material and scenario drills to help augment your training,
we need your help to make it better.

Send us some feedback on what we are doing that you

find helpful, what we could do better, and more
importantly, what you need.

Send us a quick note or a detailed essay – we don’t care

– and help us help your teams.

Email to: [email protected]

“Under Srtress, You WILL Perform

As You Trained” If you have an event to share for 2015, email
the information to [email protected]

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 58

 These training agencies have recognized PSDiver
Monthly as a valued addition to their programs and
IMPORTANT NUMBERS: Continuing Education requirements.
Chemical spill information can be obtained by
calling 1-800-424-9300.
Public Safety Diving
Association(PSDA) recognizes and
DAN Medical Information Line at 1-919-684- approves the PSDiver CE program. Each
2948 month’s Q&A program credits 1 CEU for
DAN operates a 24-hour emergency hotline renewal up to a maximum of 3 CEUs from
(1-919-684-9111) to help divers in need of this source for each year’s renewal.
medical emergency assistance for diving or ERDI Recognizes and
non-diving incidents supports the PSDiver Monthly
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CE Program. Contact your ERDI
1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA Instructor for details.
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) Life Saving Resources
Lifesaving Resources advocates the need
PSDiver Monthly is a free subscriber E-Zine for Public Safety and Rescue personnel to
distributed by Press Release notice and website be trained in Water and Ice Rescue and
download. PSDiver Monthly is not bound by recognizes the PSDiver Monthly CE
borders and while our largest subscriber base is Program for continuing education training
and credits.
in North America, we have a worldwide
subscriber base.
PSDiver Monthly is the magazine for
PSDiver.com and is edited and published by
Mark Phillips
Lifeguard Systems – TEAM LGS
Associate Editors: Dominique Evans-Bye
Dive Rescue International
Continuing Education Editor: Chuck Elgin Dive Rescue International has
For advertising and sponsor rates, please email: remained exclusively committed
[email protected] to providing training and
equipment for all public safety
PSDiver is a downloadable Internet Magazine. professionals involved in aquatic
Subscribers are notified via permission based incidents.
email that a new issue is available for download.
We welcome all training agencies and ogranizations to
[email protected] participate. For details, email [email protected]

PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 59

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PSDiver Magazine Issue 111 60