Welcome to IDREO !

    Nick Toussaint talks about the motivations of founding IDREO,   Accident Analysis Project, IDREO Training and finally how  to promote Safer & Efficient Exploration.

    Nick Toussaint is an experienced Diver and worldwide recognized   Cave Explorer. He is probably one of the most accomplished and a   worldwide renown expertise as a Cave Instructor to all levels based on   18yrs experience teaching worldwide with a perfect ZERO accident record.

    Nick Toussaint still trains Divers to all levels on all major cave   destinations worldwide yearly, and is the main leader on the   IDREOseminars. He has shared his passion and knowledge about cave diving   at conferences in various diving shows, articles and even sport TV   shows around the world and as well is an active participant in equipment   development and testing specifically for cave diving. He started Cave   Diving in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, the most wanted location for   recreational cave diving
    and got NACD, TDI and NSS-CDS certified in the mid 90's and has   taken Cave Instructor training with IDREO , GUE, IANTD, TDI, CMAS, UTD,   NAUI, PADI, & SDI, while creating outline and diver programs at   various levels for many of them.In 2008 received from NSS-CDS the Sheck   Exley Award, with International endorsement,  which is given for   accomplishing 1000 non training cave dives in at least 5 countries.

    Nick Toussaint has cave dived in 12 countries, and just about  every  cave system in Mexico. Starting in Quintana Roo, Merida in the  Yucatan  Peninsula but also In the North state of Tamaulipas; been  privileged  to explore many of them. Also very familiar with most popular  cave  diving sites in Florida and Europe, including France, Italian   Alps/islands, Switzterland, Scandinavian mines, as well as various   Australasia cave diving destinations.

    You can contact Nick Toussaint by email


www.idreo.org 

Print this file and take it to your training session, in order to record the IDREO Training in detail

The Workbooks are printable pages with the key information required to assimilate in a given course, they have proof a valuble tool as reference material after training but also asssit the trainee to have a dedicated space to write notes and/or questions, the idea is that you use it while going thru this classroom and therefore bring it full to the actual training, at the end you should also attach the answer exam for your instructor to review.

The Explorer Seminar need all Four current Workbooks:

1. Deep Explorer

2. Rebreather Explorer

3. Cave Explorer

4. DPV Explorer

The exams are a very valuable tool to make sure you know the most important information about each diving topic. There is a 4th Exam for DPV diving.

NOTE: Workbooks on different languages on each section.

This Basic Diving Physics video is been shared by the Dive Explorer Foundation, DEF.

In the mid 1600's, Robert Boyle studied the relationship between the pressure P and the volume V of a confined gas held at a constant temperature. Boyle observed that the product of the pressure and volume are observed to be nearly constant. The product of pressure and volume is exactly a constant for an ideal gas.

p * V = constant

NDL stand for NO DECOMPRESSION LIMITS, but thruth is there is not such a thing as we relay on ascent speed, 10 MT / 30 FT per minute or if you wish 20 second stops each 3MT / 10 FT so to explain.

NDSL may be more accurate and stands for No Decompression Stop Limits, which are the minimum times a diver can stay underwater at a given depth before having to perform actual decompression stops before surfacing, so pretty much a direct ascent to surface, as long as respecting a defined minimum ascent speed usually 10mt/30ft per minute.

NDSL Times varies with depth and therefore flexibility in figuring out the times is key in manging efficient and safe exposures.

IDREO offers an easy and accurate rule to "on the fly" been able to figure your NDSL, while at the same time build up the skill need to manage the flexibility exploration diving will require. Notice the plan dive is not always possible to know ahead of time or can change dramatically without expecting it while underwater.

In short 120 rule.

Nitrox diving requires same skill than diving air, however proper understanding of risk and diving procedures is the main focus of any Nitrox course.

Advantages of using Oxygen enriched diving mixes are extended bottom times without NSDL.

In this lecture you will understand the reasoning and the strategy for diving Nitrox.

Standardized Hand Signals make extremely fast and accurate comunication while underwater, without having to Stop and write down what is going on in your wetnotes. Wetnotes are mostly used for Data gathering.

Repetitive task are best served by a specific set of Hand Signals, notice gloves or to slow or fast movements make create complications when aplying Hand Signals for communication.

Basic Dive Signals

Expert Divers use lights not only to look around but for efficient communication.

Light communications is both Active & Passive.

In this lecture we review Light Communications and Light Signals the goal is to understand them better to take the most advantage from using them.

The Diving Bottles choices available for carrying efficiently the different gas need during a dive are very much define by material and size but also a keypoint is the configuration options.

DEF OW Sidemount configuration is solid foundation to explore the underwater realm, it's minimalistic approach allows the diver to efficently move underwater due to minimum drag.

This is the DEF Scuba Explorer main recommended configuration for Non Divers.

The DEF OW Sidemount configuration is based in a back plate with a solid one piece webbing strap.

Diving Basic applied to basic side mount diving, sponsored by White Arrow

Divers can benefit of a reliable and durable Lighting System, as besides providing ilumination which is mandatory in the overhead is a great tool to get team attention and stay together thru passive comunication.

A Light Canister does provide enough burntime for making an extensive dive,
with expectancy usually no less than 1 hr burntime and as long as 15 hr,
minding repetitive dives and/or bailout plans times.

In any case the Canister Light should stay ON for the planned dive duration,
in fact it's duration maybe as well be a limitation in order to call the dive;
for example if you are going in and out a cave need to use half of the expected burntime going in,
just to make sure you won't run out of batteries upon exit.

The canister light are usually of two core parts the Canister itself and the light Head.
Both components are attach by a cable.
Dealling witht this cable could be a bit of out of the ordinary and natural at the beggining but quickly becomes part of the diver with a little practice and some tips to remember when using it,
even in emergecy situations such as sharing gas or failures !

Advice at properly dealing with canister light cable.

• Use Goodman handle
• Cable most be the "right" length
  
• Understand each arm "needs"

Performing a Valve Check is a fast an organized way to verify all valves are open, the valves should be moving to be open, never jam open the valves, one you turn the valve on go back half a turn.

Procedure for Regulator Exchange, switching from Primary Regulator to Back Up Regulator.

When in need to share gas with a dive partner is a lot easier and efficient to do so while each member has absolute control of personal buoyancy and trim, as other way need to complicatedly operate as one unit, which can result catastrophic if letting go of each other during ascents.

As well wehn in need to travel to tight restricted tunnels of passage can proof cahllenging and even impossible unless the team is equipped with a Long Hose in the main regulator.

The Long Hose typically is been 7ft, 2 mt long as standrd and is quite easy to handle it underwater if wrap around the diver torso and behind the neck, securing under the battery canister of the Light or electrical heating device.

When deploying the Long Hose switch to back up reg and offer what is the correct mix and working regulator out of your mouth.
Paramount in safety when diving with multiple breathing mixes in different bottles.

Quick Video showing properly MOD bottles for the Full range of Deco Gases.

IDREO recommended procedures to adjust Decompression in the case of Deco Gas Lost. The reality we face with bottle failures could en up in missing a gas to complete the planned deco, having at hand other breathable gases will allow us to resume the Decompression obligations by Adjustment of the planned stop times.

Gas Analysis is to verify the gases content within a Mix.
When Air have been enrich with Oxygen to create Nitrox mixes you must verify the Oxygen content by analyzing the bottle.

Is very simple to perform Gas Analysis of a mix content by using a digital gauge + gas sensor unit, it does read the Fraction of the gas usually FO2 but also can be done in Helium.

Oxygen analyzers are most common, Helium analyzers are availble to and t expect to find O2 and Helium analyzers combined in one. Lately CO analyzers are becoming available and a great way to control unreliable gas filling situations or the gas use in those extreme dives.

Gas Analyisis is done to proof Mix against bottle MOD

After stage or deco bottle use you may need to perform a Switch to Back Gas, so again make sure you are letting people know in the team as chances are they also may need to do it, however is unlikely if emphasis in proper Dive Planning has been done, however it will be pretty standard with a stage/deco bottle failure.

In this realistic video a Switch to Back Gas demo is done and performace to be considered as the minimum acceptable need to apply for an IDREO technical diving class.

Multiple Gas Switches are required in multiple gas decompression dives or extended penetrations.

In this video are shown in detail the basic steps for bottles rotation, when wearing more than two stages or deco botttles, this skill is to be practice until sequence is memorized and the muscle memory response has been achieved.

The bottle rotation is a skill to be performed when planning to do Multiple Gas Switches.

Rebreather Types is about efficiency, NOT injection methods even one type of unit may have several ways of injecting gases to it whic adds to the confusion. Traditionally divers need to catalog units in order to asses risk and therefore injection may play a big role, but a Rebreather Type is directly proportional to it's gas efficiency.

VIDEO UPLOADING

Constant PO2 is a reminiscense of the efforts of early RB technology to proof advantageous to OC diving, however at the technical level is contraproductive and dangerous.

Traditional theory mixes between two gases with a possible big gap between them, usually one of the is pure O2 100%% which beyond traditional recreational limits is potentially a fatality situation.

On the contrary the gases been mixed should have less %% differences to avoid hipoxia and hiperoxia, and should be exchangable by diver during the dive as need. Adding Helium to reduce density and increased narcotic effects.

CCR technology independently of injection method can or cannot be dive using Constant PO2, but what are the advantages and disadvantages ?

IDREO RB CHECKLIST is the recommended sequence prior to Rebreather Diving

The IDREO Oxygen Consumtion Rate / Volume Drop Test allows the rebreather diver to identify the partial reduction of rebreather gas volume due to diver metabolism, in fact the inner gas volume in rebreather can be completely depleated as in not possible to creata gas flow and countelrung movement.

The time for the Voume Drop to happen is proportional to the Counterlung size, Diver metabolism and Dive activity intensity following a complete gas injection stoppage inside the unit. Such as running out of gas.

The Volume Drop test bring two keypoints to consideration:

• One is that in any case the gas inside unit must be of adequate levels when completely depleating the Volume, so we will obtain valuable information to e able to know the Minimum Operating Depths to be using each mix as applied to a particular type of Rebreather unit. In any case avoiding Hipoxia .
• Exact time of reaction upon a gas supply failure or switch.

Because performing a Volume Drop Test with low O2 content Mixes can lead to Hipoxia, this test should be perform in shallow water with O2, which when quantify for also allows to understand Oxygen Consumption Rate, as diver consumes al O2 thru metabolization, reducing the Volume in a period of time and therefore allowing a quite accurate stimtion of diver O2 Consumtion Rate for giving conditions, rest, swimming or working.

The Partial Pressure of O2 Consumption Rate test, PO2CR test, equipes the Rebreather Diver with the information need to complement minimum operating depth as well as performing the IDREO Gas Cycles.

IDREO CCR Gas Cycles is the amount of time mixes are usable without assistance of O2 rich mixes injection to control PO2 levels, this will be applied everytime an O2 rich injection gas in CCR rebreather fails and/or PO2 levels are intentionally kept low to avoid CNS% count.

To notice that single Gas Operated Rebreathers perform Gas supply switches to stay in the breathable ranges between the MINIMUM & MAXIMUM Operating Depths, ideally to allow safe Gas Cycles even after complete Volume Drop. To notice that OC do just that however there is total Volume Drop and total injection every breath.

The MAV Manual Adition Valve injects gas in a RB unit by diver action of pressing a button, MAV are usually use to aid PO2 Drop and connected to O2 Rich Gas.

The injection must be before the analysis of the MIX, in order to have proper readings, is extremely dangerous to inject gases after the analysis.

If MAV is not working, perform a Flow Check from bottle to QC6 or viceversa, but in one direction verifying QC6 is connected and bottle is open.

While RB Flooding is a possibility when Rebreather Diving, partial operation maybe possible but discourage as is the main reason why Divers and Explorers carry Bailout gas.

Responsible manufacturers will perform complete flooding test before releasing any product in order to identify the best way to clear units from water intrusion as well as buoyancy characteristics.

Using water weight and fluidity combined with gravity you can efficiently clear partial flooding of breathing hoses into CL, furthermore units with canister OPV can be completely cleared even after a complete flooding.

IDREO REBREATHER CONFIGURATION philosohpy is build upon simplicity & consistency among all platforms, the goal is to dive all units with the exact same way of operation, independently of RB Types and/or mounting capabilities, while reducing diver task loading.

The obvious advantages are compatibility among divers and equipment, but extend to gas standardization and decompression mangement.

Side Mount Rebreather Diving is about making diver "Thinner" but simultaneously making it "Widder" is suitable for bedding planes but also maybe more convenient in some diving activities as far to reach dive sites such as sumps.

In fact its convenience and valve monitoring have make it a popular OC activity, however taking it to RB Technology is even lighter !

Side Mount Rebreather Diving is also a great way to increase redundancy in challenging Dives.

The gas Valve Drill hep create strength, flexibility and muscle memory in order to operate your valves while diving.

A systematic valve failure procedure will help you understand how to manipulate your tank manifold in a rebreather configuration, thru a simple elimination process, following the most used moving parts in the gas source system you can identified where is the leak coming from and minimized the gas loss.

A basic Pre-dive Check list will help your to be organize and not forget any step while assuring the proper configuration, adequate operation and overall integrity/functionality of your Rebreather prior to get in the water.

Cave Explorer Workbook to print and use as part of IDREO Cave Explorer classes.

This Cave Explorer Workbook is design to match the information need during participation of a IDREO Cave Explorer Class, we have several languages and strive to list the most updated version.

The Cave Enviroment is unique and vast of features. The better informed divers are, the most likely divers are to enjoy visiting the Cave diving realm.

Cave Diving features are a result of Cave Formation understanding its basic processes will assist in proper techniques adapt to face it, but as well as building up to the strategy applied for exploring them.

This lectures covers main features of the Cave Diving Enviroment as well as the Cave Formation, diver nomenclature and related topics.

Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself.

Sediments are most often transported by water (fluvial processes), wind (aeolian processes) and glaciers. Beach sands and river channel deposits are examples of fluvial transport and deposition, though sediment also often settles out of slow-moving or standing water in lakes and ocean dunes and loess are examples of aeolian transport and deposition. Glacial moraine deposits and till are ice-transported sediments.

The Cave Diving Enviroment Water Quality is awesome and very changeable, caves have different WATER TYPES from fresh to salt and various densities, colors, odors and directly affect diving visibility.

In oceanography, a halocline is a subtype of chemocline caused by a strong, vertical salinity gradient within a body of water. Because salinity (in concert with temperature) affects the density of seawater, it can play a role in its vertical stratification. Increasing salinity by one kg/m³ results in an increase of seawater density of around 0.7 kg/m³.

In the midlatitudes, an excess of evaporation over precipitation leads to surface waters being saltier than deep waters. In such regions, the vertical stratification is due to surface waters being warmer than deep waters and the halocline is destabilizing. Such regions may be prone to salt fingering, a process which results in the preferential mixing of salinity.

In certain high latitude regions (such as the Arctic Ocean, Bering Sea, and the Southern Ocean) the surface waters are actually colder than the deep waters and the halocline is responsible for maintaining water column stability- isolating the surface waters from the deep waters. In these regions, the halocline is important in allowing for the formation of sea ice, and limiting the escape of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Haloclines are also found in fjords, and poorly mixed estuaries where fresh water is deposited at the ocean surface.

A Cave Flood is the term use by cave Divers when the water flow of a cave system has gone beyond diveable conditions, current will be to difficult to go against and visibility could been reduced due to sediments stir up.

Flooding are a response of heavy rain and/or periodically snow melts. Caution must be applied when planning dives around adverse enviromental conditions.

Cave conservation is the protection and restoration of caves to prevent or minimise the effects of human activity.

Some caves have delicate features that can be disturbed by changes in light levels, humidity, temperature or air flow. Caves that have lighting that remains on are prone to having algae grow within the cave changing the appearance and ecology. Speleothems grow as a result of water both on cave surfaces and the humidity of the cave air. Changes to these because of a high number of visitors, changes to the cave air flow and changes to the hydrology will alter speleothem development.

Speleothems can have a slow growth rate and therefore removing them as souvenirs or breakage due to movement within the cave will be visible for a long time, often throughout several generations of human interaction.

The Cave Biology inside flooded caves isolate evolution of particular species, we are most likely to interact with Arthropods, Crustaceans, Worms and Sponges. Also in the entrance of the cavern zone, sealife, river life, lake life can be present too.

Guideline Markers are used in Cave Diving to navigate the permanent lines as well as the temporary guidelines install inside the Cave Main tunnels and side pasages. We have two types of Guideline Markers Directional and NON Directional. Is critical Cave Divers undestand their proper use and applications as will be needed when performing COMPLEX NAVIGATION dives.

Directional Markers ALWAYS POINTING TO THE NEAREST EXIT, WHICH IS NOT NECESARILY THE WAY YOU CAME IN ! All Directional Markers are Cave Diving ARROWS.

Non Directional Markers does not "point" to exit, but rather are left behind as bread crumbs such as "Hansel & Grettel" fairy tale. Non Directional markers can be :

COOKIES

SQUARES ALSO CALL SURVEY MARKER

CLOTHES PINS

Basics of Team Travel Formation when navigating tunnels and passges with a permanent line.

The lead diver must be the furthest away of the line as it has undisturbed field of vision, the last diver in the team going in is the closest one to the line. The order is maintained but reverse when exiting and therefore also line aproximation.

The first man in runs the line and the last man out remove the teamporary Primary line.

A Simple Navigation is an overhead pentration that requires dive team travel exactly the same path going in than going out, therefore entrance and exit is in a linear form, however the "penetration line" may include a single "T" or "Jump".

Linear Penetration is the most basic form of pentration with Guidelines.

Have a look how divers learn the Basics of line laying, trim buoyancy, comunication are as important as handeling the reel !

You must be capable of running a Primary line if thinkng in diving in the overhead enviroment.

Cave Divers can greatly reduce the risk of cave diving by simply maintaining a continuos guideline all the way to the surface, which is the main direct cause of cave diving fatalities.

Permanent lines inside the cave passages are called secondary lines, the main tunnel line is called Main Permament Line, when this lines are connected temporarily we use "JUMPS or GAPS" , as well in a few cases they could be permanently attached forming what is called a "T".

This lecture provide insight in how to run a jump spool.

Jump spool temporarily connect permanent lines to provide a continuos guideline to the surface, when venturing off the main tunnel into side passages, as well as could be employed when attempting to complete a circuit.

A Cave Dive involving Complex Navigation requires continuos decisions regarding guideline navigation, it usually involves several T's and/or jumps, depending of the complexity of the navigation may require several dives to acomplish it.

There are four basic steps to follow :

-Setup

-Proof

-Completion

-Clean up

A Restriction is a term use by cave divers to identify reduction in size of a given passage. A restriction can be a a single point or a complete tunnel.

Backmount is ideal for fracture and vertical restrictions, however sidemount configuration is best for bedding planes and horizontal restrictions.

Restricted passages require team formation to be modify, there are two types of restrictions Minor and Major.

Minor restriction forces the team in single file and Major restriction require equipment removal, so call NO MOUNT.

These are the procedures to safely and efficiently perform restrictions during a given dive.

IDREO Open Circuit Cave Sidemount Configuration is aim to divers that do logistics, cave environment shape, prefer not to dive Back mounted rigs.

The IDREO Open Circuit Cave Sidemount Configuration is bit different from the RB Sidemount Configuration, as the bottles are moved from only left to a bottle on the right side.

In this lecture a full land drill presentation on the equipment need, preparation, set up and donning of the IDREO Open Circuit Cave Sidemount Configuration

When the cave enviroment features an extensive restricted tunnel passage in horizontal shape such as a tight bedding plane the ideal configuration will be sidemount, however the Gas Management Rules are slightly different than traditional open cave. Due to the inherent possibility of visibility reduction the travel time for the exit portion of the cave on zero visibility following the line touch contact may require substantially longer time than clear water travelling and therefore the most agressive rule to be followed is reserving at least 3/4 of gas supply for the travel out, which is alimit of 1/4 for penetration.

Depending in the amount of gas require and the amount of bottles to carry it the gas management reflects redundancy and possibility of reducing diver size for an emergency exit abandoning fail and empty bottles along the way.

New school of sidemount rebreathers increase dramatically the gas available in smaller configurations increasing the safety in such exposures.

An efficient and Safe Stage Bottle Switch differs from a Deco Bottle Gas switch as the diver will be doing multiple switches upon descent, bottom and during deco as opposed to a single switch to perform a brief deco stop with a single bottle and therefore less chances of amking the wrong bottle switch.

Furthermore Stage Gas Bottle Switch may include doing so while operating Rebreathers and while handelling several different bottles with different Gases, Rebreather and DPV.

As in all Gas Bottle Switches the keypoints are stop all activity and counter check Bottle MOD with Depth gauge and Dive Partner. In this video an Stages Bottle Switch is performed by an Explorer and show the ideal skill level need to assure safe and efficient gas switch.

A Stage Bottle is used during certain stage of a dive, not to be confused with a Deco Bottle. Stage Bottles are only 80ft3/11lt aluminum single tanks and Deco Bottles can be of different sizes with al40/5.5lt aluminum the most common. The Stage Bottles are breath in sequence and to reduce drag are "drop" in the line thru the penetration, in this video we show an ideal stage drop sequence for Stage Bottle Cave Diving.

Awesome Video by White Arrow

Deep Cave Dive Exploration video

This workbook is intended to be use by capable and qualified DPV divers,
or for students soon to participate in a formal DPV course, including land drills and in water skills practice.

Its include the following main DPV Course Topics :

• DPV History

• DPV Planning Sequence

• DPV Math

• DPV Failures

Also we review the Basic Diving Skill for

• Dive Planning

• Bailout Considerations

• NDL

Complete DPV Set up allow DPV divers to enjoy efficient DPV diving but also promote safe long term DPV operation.

Battery monitoring, maintenance and burn time prediction is paramount in safe DPV Set up.

Proper Tow leash attachments, buoyancy and trim are the basics in safe and efficient DPV set up.

The right DPV Driving Techniques combined with perfect DPV diver trim allow DPV divers to reach maximum efficiency.

Predictable burn times and distance estimations are easier to figure out when DPV diver DPV Driving Techniques and DPV diver trim are constant and dove at maximum efficiency.

DPV Turning while submerge on the water requires specific techniques to avoid loosing speed and make effortless, even in reduce areas, changes of direction.

DPV Turning techniques are 45º, 90º, 180º and 360º, use to change direction of travel maintain team formation and or handle a run away DPV.

Efficient DPV Turning techniques are based in reduce drag and aggressive configurations.

• DPV Failures
• DPV Towing
• DPV Flooding Recovery

VIDEO UPLOADING

"Analysis is the process of breaking a complex topic or substance into smaller parts to gain a better understanding of it"

This is the way we should keep learning to cave dive !

In this section we provide a general overview of the history of cave diving Accident Analysis up to date !

The following information is based in 650 accidents worldwide from 1970's to 2012.

At all times the average cave diving yearly accident fatalities rate is 60 divers, with 2.5 being certified divers, with a peak to 12 in 2011 and sadly currently in mid 2012 with 18 deaths in 11 cases.

Till 1985 more than 90% been non certified cave divers, presumably as the risk was not properly advised or regulations endorsed. In fact in the last 10 yrs NON trained diver accidents in cave have reduce dramatically, however the certified cave divers involved in cave diving fatalities has increase to more than 50% of the total.
In the last 5 yrs certified cave diver fatalities has increase to 80% of total.

The average age of cave diving accidents is 27yr old, with peak starting form 17 to 37 yrs old and with the higher risk been at 30's in the last 5 yrs.

Solo diving vs team is a very tight 50% / 50% and as sport gets more global the accidents are going from exclusively USA to worldwide with a peak in Europe and Australia.
1977- Sheck Exley published the 3 main causes of cave diving fatalities:

Guideline- Lack of having a continuous guideline to the surface, which includes no primary line, un proper T markings and failure to properly
jump lines.Gas Management - Failure to reserve at least 2/3 of gas supply for exit.Depth - Deep air diving O2 toxicity and Narcosis
1984 - Wes Skiles published two contributing factors :Training- Lack of cave training as at this time 90% of fatalities were NO overhead trained diversLights- Failure to secure lighting during whole duration of dive, including Primary light failure
2008- Jeffrey Bozanic published Accident analysis for the New
MillenniumGas Mixtures- Wrong gas switching, poor mislabeled cylinders, poor analyzed mixesNew Technology - Un proper DPV and Rebreather experience and/or
trainingMedical problems - Poor fitnessEquipment Maintenance - None periodically servicingSolo diving- 50% accidents happen soloSkill maintenance - Holiday cave diving

2010 - IDREOThe alarming trend that has completely turn over the early accident analysis on involved trained cave divers.
In where early (1970-1990's) analysis show a mere 10% of the fatalities involved certified and trained cave divers and since then has transform in higher than 80% by the end of the 2000's. Exploration efforts boom worldwide.2011the facts are 5 times more accidents than historic average.
In total 12 documented cave diving fatality accidents, worldwide in
Australia, France, Ireland, Mexico, Turkey and USA.

In most cases Wrong Gas Mixtureis the main cause while employing New Technology. With 5 rebreathers involved, units been pSCR & CCR, one case of Guideline navigation and two with poor Gas Management. 6 were "Exploration dives" mode.
Dives start as "team" in all cases except one Solo Divingand in two cases there was diving separation, one agreed previously.
One case of Medical Problems do poor fitness happen in surface after dive.

Proper procedures for gas switching, full understanding of New technology (RB technology), thorough knowledge on rules for gas management and guideline navigation were featured in this year Safety meeting, as a result of this year analysis.

2012 AAP brought us new challenges with Accident fatalities rates going even higher than those in 2011 and 10 times more than historical average, with 21 fatalities in total of which 13 certified cave divers.

To notice that 8 of this "accidents" were "customers" under direct guidance of a paid "Cave/rn guide", in most cases guide fail to survive, for a total of 7 in two dives.

This year accidents were involved fewer trained cave divers and 85% happen on the cavern zone, in cave all RB units involved were CCR mostly electronic driven injection.

As well 12 were Solo Diving, 7 been guided/Instructed and 2 teams of two one separation and one double fatality while surveying.

2013

Analysis in progress

IDREO publish this Accident Analyisis Project (AAP), continuing to bring awareness of the current safety situation of Cave Diving and promoting an International yearly Accident Analysis in a community meeting.

Cave Divers Safety Meeting is been promoted to analyze each year accidents data base.

Next meeting :

Dic 2013, Akumal Mexico

4 Basic Steps when dealing with ANY equipment Failure

Practicing the sequence of a Systematic Valve Shutdown in order to identify the gas failure in a manifold is a great way to efficiently cope with failures in zero visibility o situations when a buddy is not close to help.

This practice builds up the skill of valve operation and regulator side identification, but is not necessary to be done before any dive, however is a good practice to do during deco stops. Not to be confused with a simple valve drill or a mandatory valve check.

The process of thinking behind the sequence varaitions is on the eBook in lecture before this video

• Gaining atention of Donor
• Exchanging Regulators
• Storaging faulty equipment
• Travel sharing Gas

The Buddy Search with Spool technique is used to search for your buddy in a poor visibility situation avoiding loosing touch contact with the Main Line. This skill is a common practice during Cave Training.

The Diver attaches the line with a directional marker and begins the Buddy Search with Spool in hand, the searching diver must recalculate gas available by multiplying by at least 3 the gas required for exit.

So in short turn around penetration - real time pressure times 3.

• Establish point of lostness
• Quantify enviroment and hints
• Search with Safety Spool
• Safety Line attachment to Main line
• Exit travel choice

This e-Book showa a way to identify by a simple elimination process the source for gas leakage from back mounted manifold valves and regs, DIR configuration.

In-water recompression or underwater oxygen treatment (IWR) is the emergency treatment of decompression sickness (DCS) of sending the diver back underwater to allow the gas bubbles in the tissues, which are causing the symptoms, to resolve. It is a risky procedure that should only ever be used when the time to travel to the nearest recompression chamber is too long to save the victim's life.

Carrying out in-water recompression when there is a nearby recompression chamber or without special equipment and training is never a favoured option. The risk of the procedure comes from the fact that a diver suffering from DCS is seriously ill and may become paralysed, unconscious or stop breathing whilst under water. Any one of these events is likely to result in the diver drowning or further injury to the diver during a subsequent rescue to the surface.

This eBook outline the basic planning to create and monitor Project growth

An ideal guide to properly organize dive teams and task during a IDREO project

The Exploration Rules Chart is a quick reference to assist maximum capabilities of a given configuration, in other words when is the wise time of calling the dive.

In order to make maps we need to collect certain data, the activity of data collection is called Survey, in which afterwards can be used to produce maps.

As cave divers is important tool to have maps in order to plan dives, we can attempt to produce different grade maps according to information displayed.

Grade 1 - Estimation of depth & distance

Grade 2 - Measured Distance, Depths, Azimuth bearing

Grade 3 - Measured Distance, Azimuth bearing and Depths by stations plus Walls Distance estimations

Grade 4 - 3D Map, Measured All features

There are softwares that draw the lines for us and even simulate 3D mapping once you fill up the survey data, a link below to Compass Cave Survey