Snorkeling Safety equipment -- An Open Forum Towards a Better Cayman Islands

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Date Posted: 13:37:36 04/23/02 Tue
Author: anon
Subject: Snorkeling Safety equipment

I live in the Cayman Islands and have been diving and
snorkeling here for over 30 years. �Every year about a dozen
snorkelers die here while snorkeling. �For the past 25 years
I have always snorkeled wearing a snorkeling vest. �I have
always used a vest that has a C02 and oral inflator on it. �In
many �of the drowning accidents while snorkeling, the lungs
of the victim contain water and the death is therefore
considered to have been caused by drowning. �May I
suggest other causes that would not necessarily be able to
be found in an autopsy. �If a snorkeler were to have a kidney
stone or gallbladder attack he would be helpless in the
water for some time because of the acute pain associated
with many of these attacks. I am sure that the two cases I
have described are only a few of the medical problems that
could occur and not be found in most autopsies. �
Presently almost all of the snorkeling vests that are offered
to people on a snorkeling trip are of the oral inflation type
only. �You may check with medical experts but I am sure they
will tell you that a person in the throes of such an attack
would probably not be able to orally inflate his safety vest
and might die. �The C02 inflation devices which were
available on almost all snorkel vests years ago have almost
all been replaced with oral only inflators. �The reasons given
by local snorkel boat operators for not supplying C02 inflator
vests, which can be purchased from various companies, on
their snorkel boats are given below in order of their
frequency:

1 - If the CO2 device fails I will be sued.
2 - The C02 device gives the snorkeler a false sense of
security and when it fails he will panic and may drown.
3 - The C02 device may go off accidentally and the snorkeler
will panic and/or have a heart attack from the sound of the
CO2 cartridge detonation and inflation.
4 - These devices require a lot of expensive maintenance to
�
keep them working.
5 - These vests are more expensive then the oral inflator on
type.
6 - When a person is in trouble he will panic and forget to
use the C02 device.
7 - A CO2 inflated snorkeling vest might not keep the
persons head up out of the water during a medical �
emergency and he would drown.

Examination of these reasons reveals that, except for #2
and#6 which are ridiculous, the major problem they have
with C02 vests is liability and costs. �The # 8 excuse given
for not offering their customers a C02 inflating snorkeling
vest defies reason; �" I remember back in the 80s or 90s that
a snorkeler died while wearing a vest with a C02 inflator."�
These people would ban seat belts because of an accident
in which seat belts were used resulted in a death, and
therefore eliminating seat belts would save lives.
I hope that all of the certifying organizations will consider
what I have presented here, and advise the instructors, �and
divers they have and will train that a C02 inflating snorkeling
vest could save lives and therefore should be offered to
anyone who wishes to wear one.
The #7 excuse is foolish because vests with CO2 inflators
are identical to the vests with oral inflators as far as their
ability to keep a persons head above water when inflated.

�
� � � �

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