Underwater apnea is a sport that is practiced within a defined "special" environment (ie in water); moreover, by definition, the athletic performance of the freediver is determined by the ability to hold the breath, a variable that heavily affects the dangerousness levels of the discipline.
For many years underwater apnea has remained an activity reserved to the few "brave underwater fishermen", or worse, to the "record-man" who alternated with the detention of depth records; to date, underwater apnea represents a sport in remarkable expansion (above all in the female population) that embraces a decidedly wider catchment area. However, in order to obtain a significant collective adhesion, it was necessary to deepen the aspect of specific prevention and safety very much, in such a way as to transform an extreme sport, or potentially at risk, into a commonly practicable activity.
Safety and prevention of accidents in underwater apnea are two aspects that must be included in the general attitude of the freediver himself; the rules and the rules of protection, both own and of others, can be grouped and described at length; but in the end, if well rooted in everyday practice, their implementation becomes a pleasant automatism.
First of all, we must thank all the schools of preparation and training for underwater apnea for the very strong contribution they have given, are giving and will continue to give, in the expansion of the concept of safe apnea and conscious apnea; therefore, I strongly advise interested readers to contact the nearest sports association and apply to attend an apnea course or to improve their apnea skills.
Safety and prevention in underwater apnea
In underwater apnea, prevention means above all avoiding - but also knowing how to cope - every unlikely event, and organizing oneself in the best way to be able to manage it effectively. The prevention of the freediver starts from the application of the basic rules for maintaining safety and reducing the risk index, up to the programming of real emergency management plans. Let's go into more detail.
Prevention: health and safety
The freediver is an athlete and must behave as such; even if they do not adhere to associations or race circuits, even a simple "pure" sub-diver or freediver has the duty to keep constantly monitored through the performance of periodic examinations of psycho-physical fitness for competitive sport; by doing so, you would be guaranteed to have all the essential physical requirements, thus reducing the chances of illness during sports.
For the same reason, it is essential that the freediver is careful to maintain a constantly optimal state of nutrition and hydration, especially before activities that will involve him several hours a day. In this way, he can be sure that his physical condition will allow him to face in an optimal manner even the most demanding situation (such as the return from a sudden storm surge or the turn of the current on a shoal).
Prevention: couple system
The component that has the greatest impact on the possibility of a fatal accident is the presence or absence of a diving partner. Especially for a freediver, being able to rely on a "sentinel" ready to rescue him in any situation, is a guarantee of considerable safety. To do this, it is essential to find a companion with whom it is possible to constantly share one's outings and who possess at least the same level of athletic preparation; he must be able to descend to the same heights and know the basic principles for recovering the injured person in depth (at least 8-15m) with some notions of relative first aid. It goes without saying that he too must be constantly in optimal psychophysical conditions. By attending an underwater apnea course it is possible to acquire all the information necessary for the management of the torque system, including also ASSISTANCE during the dives; this behavior (much in the various disciplines) is frequently underestimated by neophytes (especially by fishermen), but guarantees a very high level of safety even during prolonged apneas up to the limit of their own maximum performance.
Prevention: dive plan
Once guaranteed the state of health, fitness and physical prowess of the couple of freedivers, it is also fundamental to increase the level of general safety by planning each exit of training or underwater fishing. This aspect is particularly important in underwater apnea carried out in open water, where the variables are many and the chances of unusual circumstances appearing increase significantly. There is nothing more important than programming the entire trip (also through a quick briefing), communicating the right opening and closing times, specifying also the meeting places (especially in the eventuality in which visual contact fails) and the logistics of the nautical support and relative equipment on board (signaling rockets, life jackets, first aid kits, communication systems, telephone numbers of the competent authorities etc.) or of the parked car (possibly informing the comrade of the precise point of concealment of the keys of the vehicle). Last but not least, remember to inform someone (anyone) of their release in open water; in this way, in the worst case scenario (such as the failure of the nautical vehicle or the car concomitant with the malfunctioning of the means of communication), we will still have a good chance of being rescued relatively quickly. By following these short and simple rules it is possible to carry out an entire exit in open water (which can last almost half a day) reducing organizational and logistic complications to a minimum.
Prevention: emergency management
An integrative part of the dive plan is undoubtedly the emergency management program; although the percentage of risk related to unpleasant events can be reduced to a minimum, we cannot ignore the possibility of their occurrence. In this regard, it is extremely important (especially in the management of large groups) to inform the partner, or each individual member of the team, which ITER IS NECESSARY to follow in the event of an accident; with regard to samba or black-out, it is generally sufficient to bring the unsafe back to the surface and hit it with some slap on the face, or at the very least perform one or more mouth-mouth or mouth-nose insufflations. In case of bruises or lacerations related to nautical accidents, sudden illness, syncope with cardiac arrest, high altitude injury, etc., the procedure to follow is the following:
- As soon as possible (possibly after recovering the unsafe person), if necessary, CALL THE RESCUES !!!
- Check that the situation is NOT potentially at risk even for us rescuers; for example, it would be inadvisable to try to recover a companion (perhaps caught in a net) at a height well beyond our apnea potential (obviously, in spite of ourselves).
- If possible, recover the unsafe by applying the concepts of underwater rescue / recovery (teaching of apnea courses) and transport to the nautical vehicle or to the shore.
- Reached a fixed point, if the authorities have already been notified, try first aid:
- in the event of a blackout by insufflation;
- in case of cardiac arrest perform a cardiac massage or apply the defibrillator together with the insufflation;
- in case of bleeding, try haemostasis with strings or cords, or by pressing on the laceration.
In the event of a power failure, it is advisable to apply the oxygen delivery kit.
Obviously, to do all this it is essential to make use of some basic tools; among these, if the exit takes place in open waters with the support of a nautical vehicle, remember to bring:
- Summary sheet of all useful numbers (because in case of emergency the brain does NOT reason clearly)
- Multiple communication systems: VHF, mobile phone, spare cell phone
- GPS for precise point communication
- First aid kit and oxygen delivery kit
- Defibrillator, BUT ONLY if trained to use it making sure the floor is dry and enough space
- At least ONE thermal blanket
- Scissors to cut the diving suit
- On-board equipment for failure reporting
- Abundant drinking water
Prevention is an essential component to minimize the risks of underwater apnea by significantly increasing the level of general safety. By following these few rules it is possible to enjoy an absolutely unique sport of its kind and contribute to its dissemination and expansion.
