PADI Emergency & Rescue Procedures 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which piece of emergency equipment should be immediately available on every dive boat?
- Hyperbaric chamber
- Oxygen delivery system (Correct answer)
- Rebreather unit
- Spare dive computer
Correct answer: Oxygen delivery system
A surface-supply oxygen delivery system is essential first-aid equipment that should be on every dive boat for DCI and other emergencies.
Question 2: What is the most dangerous error a rescuer can make when towing an unconscious diver?
- Towing too slowly
- Allowing the airway to become submerged (Correct answer)
- Forgetting to remove the diver's fins
- Inflating the victim's BCD too much
Correct answer: Allowing the airway to become submerged
Allowing the unconscious diver's airway to dip below the water surface can cause them to inhale water, worsening their condition.
Question 3: A diver surfaces showing signs of near-drowning and has inhaled water. After initial rescue, what long-term concern requires professional evaluation?
- Skin blistering from salt water
- Secondary drowning from delayed pulmonary edema (Correct answer)
- Nitrogen narcosis residual effects
- Dehydration from salt water ingestion
Correct answer: Secondary drowning from delayed pulmonary edema
Secondary (dry) drowning can occur hours after water inhalation as fluid accumulates in the lungs, making medical evaluation mandatory.
Question 4: When should a rescuer stop CPR on a dive victim?
- After 10 minutes with no response
- When physically exhausted with no other help available
- Only when directed by a physician or the victim recovers (Correct answer)
- After 30 cycles of compressions
Correct answer: Only when directed by a physician or the victim recovers
CPR should continue until the victim recovers, professional medical help takes over, or a physician directs you to stop — not based on arbitrary time limits.
Question 5: What is the role of the Diver Medical Technician (Dive Medic) in a dive emergency?
- To perform hyperbaric chamber operations
- To provide advanced emergency care beyond basic first aid while awaiting physician assistance (Correct answer)
- To certify divers as medically fit
- To conduct dive accident investigations
Correct answer: To provide advanced emergency care beyond basic first aid while awaiting physician assistance
A Dive Medic provides advanced pre-hospital emergency care for diving injuries, bridging the gap between first aid and definitive medical treatment.
Question 6: Which type of DCI symptom would prompt the HIGHEST urgency for recompression treatment?
- Skin mottling (cutis marmorata)
- Fatigue and malaise
- Neurological deficits such as paralysis or vision loss (Correct answer)
- Mild joint pain in the knees
Correct answer: Neurological deficits such as paralysis or vision loss
Neurological symptoms like paralysis or vision loss indicate severe Type II DCS affecting the CNS, requiring the most urgent recompression therapy.
Question 7: During a rescue scenario, another rescuer is available. How should you coordinate CPR with two rescuers?
- Both rescuers perform compressions simultaneously
- One performs 30 compressions, the other performs 2 breaths, switching every 5 cycles (Correct answer)
- One performs compressions only; the other does not give breaths
- Alternate roles every single cycle
Correct answer: One performs 30 compressions, the other performs 2 breaths, switching every 5 cycles
Two-rescuer CPR uses a 30:2 ratio with one performing compressions and the other giving breaths, switching roles every 5 cycles to prevent fatigue.
PADI Emergency & Rescue Procedures 4
Which piece of emergency equipment should be immediately available on every dive boat?