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DAN Asia Pacific

Phone: +61 3 9886 9166

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25.01.2022 Got an Emergency Action Plan? If so, when's the last time you updated it? Times like these really illustrate how well-thought-out emergency action plans (EAPs) can keep us out of trouble both on an off the water. Check out this article to see what you need to consider when putting together an EAP for yourself or your students: http://danap.org/dan-effective-eap.php

25.01.2022 Ask DAN: I once heard a boat captain say something like, Stay hydrated dehydration is the No. 1 cause of DCS. Is this true? While dehydration can be a risk factor for DCS, it is almost certainly not the most important. The dive profile is the leading risk factor. The timing and intensity of exercise and thermal status are likely to play the lead secondary roles. State of hydration is no more than a tertiary factor convenient to blame, but generally less dramatic in impa...ct. This is not to say that hydration should be ignored, just that it must be kept in perspective. Drinking an excessive amount of fluid will not eliminate the risk of DCS and can even work against safety by increasing a diver’s susceptibility to immersion pulmonary oedema. As with most things, extremes in either direction can be hazardous. Sound hydration is important for general health and diving health, but ignoring the elephant in the room (the depth/time profile) and factors such as ill-timed thermal and exercise stress is definitely not good practice.

25.01.2022 Today it's estimated that 34.2 million people in the U.S. (about 10.5% of the U.S. population) have diabetes. If you teach divers, know someone with diabetes who wants to dive, or have diabetes yourself check out our guidelines for diving with diabetes to make safer diving decisions: https://www.diversalertnetwork.org//s/diabetes-diving.html

25.01.2022 Psychological fitness to dive is just as important as physical fitness to dive. Through DAN’s medical information line, our medics answer questions about fitness to dive all day long and very often we get questions about diving while taking certain medications, including antidepressants. Check out this article to learn more about mental health and diving or diving while taking antidepressants. And if you ever have a question about your medical fitness to dive or diving while... taking certain medications, send our medics an email to [email protected]; they’re standing by for all divers. https://blog.padi.com//20/scuba-diving-and-antidepressants/ #DiversAlertNetwork #divesafety #scubadiving #DANmedics #mentalhealth #readytodive #scubadivers #goodheadspace #psychologicalfitness #healthylifestyle #divemedicine #medicationsanddiving #DAN #daninsurance

23.01.2022 What's the most useful item in your save-a-dive kit? Even with a thorough pre-dive safety check it can be hard to tell if your o-ring is leaking or that your mask strap is about to break. Carrying a save-a-dive kit with zip ties, bonus fasteners, spare parts/equipment and specialised tools is a great way to manage unforeseen issues and prevent emergencies underwater. We want to know what save-a-dive kit hacks you've discovered on your dives. Tell us your tips in the comment...s below! #DiversAlertNetwork #divesafety #scubadiving #scuba #saveadivekit #redundancy #scubadivers #riskmitigation #safetytips #preventemergencies #keepdiving #underwater #adventure #quickfix #getbackinthewater #ocean #boatdiving #spare #DAN #daninsurance

21.01.2022 Happy Holidays to you and yours from all of us at DAN World. Stay safe out there and if you need us, our medics are standing by 24/7 through the holidays: +1-919-684 9111 or 1800 088 200 (within Australia) While the DAN Hotline remains available 24/7, the DAN World Office will be closed on the public holidays of December 25th and 28th, as well as January 1st. In addition, we are operating with a limited team on December 24th, 31st December and 4th January. ... #DiversAlertNetwork #DAN #divesafety #DANHotline24/7

21.01.2022 If you’re still fit to dive, it’s never too late to get certified or advance your training. But how do you know if you’re still fit to dive? Continuously diving and maintaining your skills goes a long way to maintain your fitness to dive, but the best way to ensure that you're MEDICALLY fit to dive is to GET A DIVE PHYSICAL. Medical fitness to dive can change over time, so to make sure you're in the clear, DAN recommends following this schedule for life-long medical fitness to dive evaluation:https://www.diversalertnetwork.org//medicalEval/index.html

21.01.2022 Do you CHECK to make sure your emergency oxygen cylinders are full EVERY TIME you head out diving If you said no, you might want to start. Bringing an emergency oxygen kit to your dive site is a feat in and of itself; don’t cut the last corner and let yourself arrive to the scene of an emergency with an empty oxygen cylinder. Taking 30 seconds to make sure your cylinder is full will keep you ready to provide an injured diver with nearly an hour of lifesaving oxygen first aid if they need it. #DiversAlertNetwork #DAN #divesafety #emergencyoxygen #scubadivers #firstaid #divers #injureddiver #safetycheck #safetytip #oxygen #O2 #O2kit #DANO2 #O2provider #fulltank #riskmitigation #daninsurance

20.01.2022 Stingrays do not typically present any risk to divers unless startled, threatened or stepped on. To do what you can to avoid stingray envenomation, keep your distance (we’ve been practicing that most of 2020), look but don’t touch, remain situationally aware on dives, if you have to kneel in the sand make sure you take a good hard look around first, and shuffle your feet when walking into surf. If an accidental envenomation occurs despite your best efforts to preve...nt it, respond by controlling any bleeding, cleaning the wound thoroughly and controlling any pain you experience. And once you’ve cleaned the wound, do what you can to keep it clean to help prevent a secondary infection. Want more tips on avoiding or responding to hazardous marine life injuries? Take DAN’s First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries Course. Check out this link to find a DAN Instructor near you that can get you all set up in e-learning: https://apps.dan.org/instructor-directory/ See more

20.01.2022 Need some weekend motivation? Try these solo exercises that target some commonly ignored regions of the body that are important for scuba diving. Only equipment necessary is a dowel or broomstick and a chair. http://alertdiver.com/Exercise-Drills-with-Dowels

19.01.2022 Dr. R.W. Bill Hamilton conducted research on dive physiology and the treatment of injured divers. He authored numerous papers, reports and workshop proceedings, and was instrumental in the early development and emergence of technical diving. In 2016, DAN established the $10,000 R.W. "Bill" Hamilton Medical Research Grant to help other researchers continue work in the same field he dedicated his career to. Check out the first 4 recipients of this grant in the full article. ...https://gue.com//recipients-of-the-r-w-bill-hamilton-medi/ #DiversAlertNetwork #DAN #research #divephysiology ##RWBillHamilitonmedicalresearchgrant #divesafety #daninsurance

17.01.2022 Boat diving? Make sure you're flying a diver down flag from your vessel's highest point. Shore diving? Take your floating dive flag in with you.

15.01.2022 Ask DAN: Air Usage I run out of air much faster than everyone else in my group. I thought it might be because I was a light smoker, so I quit. I then thought maybe I wasn’t fit enough, so I started working out. On my most recent trip I dived with people that were either chain smokers, overweight, or much older than me and I still ran out of air first. Why is this? The most common cause of running out of air quickly is anxiety. When we are stressed our breathing rate increases... and can even double so that our air will only last half the time of others. Our anxiety may have several causes. Common ones include: - Fear that we are not using our equipment properly; - Fear of our equipment malfunctioning and we cannot breathe; - Fear of our masks flooding and panicking; - Fear of the unknown, of sharks/creatures grabbing hold Experience will help overcome these common fears. It’s important to learn to relax underwater, to concentrate on simply breathing regularly and not too deeply. Don’t try to cover too much distance, dive deep, or take lots of photographs. Plan on enjoying a small area, look at all the small details and life forms, spend time in one spot. It’s important not to be concerned what others think. Ask questions when in doubt. Another cause of using lots of air is poor buoyancy control. If you’re too light or too heavy you can waste a lot of energy and air just staying down or stopping yourself from crashing into the bottom. If this is the case, get some assistance to show you how to become and maintain neutral buoyancy.

15.01.2022 Each year, DAN Research tracks and analyses diving injuries and fatalities occurring throughout the world. We do not publish our findings to scare divers; We publish our findings and highlight numerous cases to teach divers how they can best avoid injury when doing what they love. As we continue to gather data, we continue to deepen our understanding of behavioural and environmental risk factors that lead to accidents, but some mechanisms that drive incidents remain understoo...d. Thanks to the generous support of our members, we are able to continue our efforts to explain these risk factors, develop interventions and recommendations to help make every dive a safe dive and keep this information freely available to all divers. Ready to download your copy of the latest Annual Diving Report? Visit https://apps.dan.org/publication-library (Select ‘Annual Diving Reports’ then ‘2019 Annual Diving Report’, enter your Name and Email, then ‘Request Document’. Note: If you are a DAN Member outside the US, please do not enter your member number)

14.01.2022 Would you recognise if your buddy was experiencing Neurological DCS? If your buddy was exhibiting symptoms of neurological DCS would you know it? Learn to recognise the signs of one of the most serious types of decompression sickness and brush up on your knowledge before your next dive. It might just make all the difference. READ MORE: www.danap.org/dan-bubbles-on-the-brain.php

14.01.2022 This week at DEMA Show Online our experts from DAN Research, DAN Risk Mitigation & DAN Medical Services are hosting some incredibly relevant dive safety webinars. (Note: Times are US Eastern Standard Time) Check out the full schedule of events and access links to each Zoom meeting here: https://media.dan.org/cms/DEMASchedule2020.pdf... #DiversAlertNetwork #DAN #divesafety #DEMAonline2020 #DANresearch #DANriskmitigation #DANmedicalservices #daninsurance

14.01.2022 Ask DAN: I have noticed that beginning scuba divers often get nosebleeds after dives. What causes them? Divers, especially new divers, sometimes report nosebleeds after diving primarily because they are unaware of the importance of equalising the sinuses and middle ears. The barotrauma that results when the sinuses are not equalised can cause blood vessels in the lining of the nose to burst. These vessels lie very close to the mucous membranes that line the nose and sinuses,... and the blood can come from either of these linings. This type of barotrauma, generally the result of air being trapped within the sinuses, is not always painful, though the presence of blood can be disconcerting. With this type of injury, blood can also run down the back of the throat or pool in the sinus below the eye and emerge later. It can also act as a growth medium for bacteria and lead to sinus infections. Individuals with a history of sinus trouble, allergies, a broken nose or a deviated septum as well as divers who currently have a cold may find equalisation difficult and may experience problems with nosebleeds. It’s always best to not dive with a cold, congestion or any other condition that might block the sinus passages. We suggest a slow, gentle descent with frequent equalising to help decrease the risk of sinus barotrauma. Divers who are unable to equalise their sinuses or have frequent nosebleeds when scuba diving should see their personal physician or a specialist in ear, nose and throat (ENT) care for evaluation.

13.01.2022 TRUE or FALSE: Immersion alone is a stressor on the body, especially on the heart and circulatory system. * * *... * If you guessed TRUE, you’re correct! Immersing your body in water produces a series of physiological responses, many of which are benign and interesting, but some which could pose serious health implications for certain divers. Immersion alone is considered to be a stressor on the body, especially on the heart and circulatory system, and people with a limited exercise capacity may be pushed to their limit by diving to the point of serious injury and even death. Cardiac events are a leading cause of death on this planet, and unfortunately they are also a leading cause of dive fatalities. Fortunately, we’ve compiled an entire health and diving guide to help all divers make safe decisions before hitting the water. Check out The Heart & Diving now to learn how you can work to protect your cardiovascular health while diving: https://www.dan.org/health/heart If you have a heart SHARE this post with all your buddies!! #DiversAlertNetwork #divesafety #fitnesstodive #divemedicine #trueorfalse # #hearthealth #divedoctors #scuba #scubadiving #scubadiver #diving #dive #divers #DAN #daninsurance

13.01.2022 Yelling I’M OKAY over boat engines and wind noise often sounds like boat engines and wind noise, but sometimes it sounds like HELP ME. Using appropriate hand signals for I’M OKAY or I NEED HELP from far away is one of the best ways to get your message across when you’re on the water and possibly out of earshot. Communicating this way every time you hit the water is just a courteous way to preserve your topside crew’s peace of mind, letting them know that you’re all good to make your dive. If you’re not okay, signal that to your crew so they are prompted to respond accordingly. Photo by DAN Member @abbeydias

12.01.2022 5 Mistakes Divers Make: And How To Avoid Them We see these mistakes too often. Learn from them and start making safer diving decisions today. https://blog.padi.com//7-mistakes-divers-make-and-how-to-/... #DiversAlertNetwork #DAN #divesafety #divegearmaintenance #diveplan #divefitness #buoyancycontrol #diveinstructor #scuba #scubadiver #daninsurance

12.01.2022 Ask DAN: How can I reduce my COVID-19 risk while diving? You all asked, so we answered. If you want quick tips for reducing your COVID-19 risk when you return to diving, check out this article: http://danap.org/dan-reducing-covid19-risk.php

11.01.2022 Shore diving or planning a local dive trip? Support your local dive centre by booking a refresher dive or online course. Don’t forget to get your dive gear serviced! AND Remember: Join or Renew your DAN Membership and Dive Accident Coverage before you enter the water, visit www.danap.org #DiversAlertNetwork #DAN #divesafety #supportlocal #divecentre #divebusiness #diveprofessional #daninsurance

09.01.2022 New: Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire After countless hours of research, discussion and collaboration between the world’s leading diving and hyperbaric medical experts, several new dive medical forms are now available. The forms are all parts of the new Recreational Diving Medical Screening System, which was designed to allow all who can safely scuba dive to do so, but also to encourage those with possible health risks to be medically evaluated for their fitness to dive before getting into trouble. The system is endorsed by UHMS, WRSTC, DAN, dive training agencies, and many other organisations. As a recreational diver, you are likely to be asked to complete the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire, which now also includes a question pertaining to COVID-19: http://www.danap.org//2020_diver_medical_participant_quest

08.01.2022 Do you know what to do if you think your dive buddy has the bends? Check out this article to refresh your knowledge and remember how to recognise symptoms of Decompression Sickness (DCS). DCS can be life threatening, so if you or your buddy experience symptoms of DCS after a dive, summon emergency services, then CALL the DAN EMERGENCY HOTLINE +1-919-684 9111 (or 1800 088 200 from within Australia). https://blog.padi.com//what-to-do-if-you-think-your-dive-/... Photo courtesy of @paditv

08.01.2022 Love to spearfish? Do it safely and legally under the watchful eye of an amazing buddy. And while you're at it, don't wear too much weight if you're aiming for fish on a breath-hold dive. Ready for more simple dive safety tips like this? Send us your questions or tell us what you'd like to learn more about in the comments. Jon Stenstrom from @castandspear with a cabrilla grouper.... #DiversAlertNetwork #DAN #divesafety #safetytips #scubadiving #freediving #spearfishing #underwater #safety #buddyup #properweighting #freedivingsafety #scuba #ocean #safespearing #freedive #freediver #daninsurance

06.01.2022 As more and more eager divers look forward to getting back in the water, dive operators want to know how to ensure everyone’s safety. The following Q&As have been compiled from questions sent to DAN by divers, dive professionals and dive business owners and are intended to help everyone get ready for a safe return to the water. http://danap.org/dan-operating-safely.php... #DiversAlertNetwork #DAN #divesafety #scuba #diveprofessional #divebusinessowner #daninsurance

06.01.2022 Next time you get underwater, take a closer look around You’ll be amazed at what you find. Whether you discover hidden gems, a huge puffer in a bed of sponges, or your buddy struggling with an issue you can easily help them handle, you’ll be glad you looked. Situational awareness can make all the difference underwater and it’s something you should work to improve on every dive you make.

06.01.2022 URGENT FOR EQUIPMENT OWNERS: This scene look familiar? If you purchased a hose within the past 5-7 years that has failed producing plastic debris like what’s pictured here, email [email protected]. To read more about this issue and our investigation, check out the full article linked in our story or visit :... AlertDiver.com/Hose-Failure #DiversAlertNetwork #DAN #divesafety #diveequipment #DANRiskMitigation #daninsurance

05.01.2022 REBREATHER DIVERS: HAVE YOU HAD A CAUSTIC COCKTAIL? Or know someone who has? Tell us about it in this 5-minute survey so we can develop ways to prevent others from getting injured or having to experience one: https://www.research.net/r/DANcausticcocktail DAN Research is looking for rebreather divers to share their experiences with caustic cocktails while diving and tell us about commonly applied first aid treatments. Currently, there is little data available on how common ca...ustic cocktail events are, who suffers them and how often, if they occur more in highly experienced or less experienced rebreather divers, how long into the dive they occur, or how divers are responding immediately and upon surfacing. Even if you have just witnessed one of these events we want to hear from you. #DiversAlertNetwork #DANResearch #divesafety #rebreather #rebreatherdiver #dan #diveinsurance

05.01.2022 Ask DAN: I've heard that deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a concern for travellers on long flights. What are the risk factors for getting DVT, and will I still be able to dive if I do? DVT is a condition in which a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins, usually in the legs. When blood clots break free and travel with the blood, DVT can cause life-threatening conditions such as stroke or pulmonary embolism. DVT is not related to diving, but divers often travel and are... thus exposed to the risk of DVT. Although DVT while travelling is rare (the prevalence for travellers on flights of more than eight hours is between 0.3 and 0.5 percent), risk factors include older age (with increasing risk after age 40), obesity, estrogen use, recent or current pregnancy, thrombophilia, prior personal or family histories of DVT, active cancer, serious illness, recent surgery, limited mobility, central venous catheterization and significantly above- or below-average height. If you will be on a long flight and believe you might be at increased risk for DVT, you can reduce the likelihood of developing the condition by wearing compression socks and talking with your primary-care physician regarding the possible benefits of anti-inflammatory medications. It is also good practice to periodically stand up and walk around, exercise the feet and calves while you are seated and stay well-hydrated. If you develop DVT, you should not dive during the acute phase of the condition or while you are taking anticoagulants. You may return to diving after DVT, but you should not do so before consulting a physician trained in dive medicine. It is less likely that you will be able to return to diving after pulmonary embolism, but you may be able to do so in consultation with a physician. Returning to diving after a stroke should also be evaluated on an individual basis. Petar Denoble, M.D., D.Sc.

04.01.2022 Make sure there ain’t nothin that’s gonna break your stride next time you enter the water. The type of entry you choose to make will vary with every dive site and set of conditions. No matter how you make your splash, always make sure the water you’re entering is clear of any obstacles or other divers. How do you make sure you’re entering the water as safely as possible?... #DAN #divesafety #scubadiving #giantstride #ocean #boatdive #diversinthewater #oceansafety # #daninsurance

04.01.2022 WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN DAN RESEARCH? KEEP READING DAN is looking for divers and freedivers who have recovered from a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection for a long-term study on the effects of COVID-19 on diver’s health and fitness to dive. If you have been infected with COVID-19, are recovering or have fully recovered, and are planning to return or have already returned to diving, please consider signing up for our study. In 15-20 minutes you can easily complete this initial survey and then over the next 5 years you will be contacted periodically by DAN to follow-up on your diving career and any possible medical issues. GET STARTED NOW: https://www.research.net/r/DANcovidstudy

03.01.2022 Freediving after scuba diving is an UNSAFE PRACTICE. Since freediving can be strenuous exercise, it can be dangerous to engage in this activity immediately after scuba diving. Light physical activity (like leisurely swimming or a nice walk on the beach) has been shown to increase your off-gassing efficiency, but higher-intensity activities (like freediving, interval training or weightlifting) may increase your risk of DCI. Therefore, anything more than LIGHT physical activi...ty following a scuba dive is not recommended. To better understand the physiology behind these risks & learn about other risks associated with freediving after scuba diving, check out this article: http://www.alertdiver.com/Could_Breath-Hold_Diving_after_Sc #DiversAlertNetwork #DAN #divesafety #freediving #scubadiving #embolism #freediver #ocean #scuba #exerciseanddiving #divemedicine #arterialgasembolism #apnea #breathhold #freedive #DCI #DCS #DCIprevention #riskmitigation #daninsurance

01.01.2022 What is Oxygen Ear? Also known as middle-ear oxygen absorption syndrome, oxygen ear describes a gas volume imbalance in the middle ear after diving with breathing gas that has a higher oxygen fraction than air. The phenomenon is commonly associated with open-circuit diving using nitrox and closed-circuit rebreather diving. The high-oxygen-content gas fills the middle-ear space over the course of the dive. Post-dive, the tissues metabolise the oxygen, reducing the total gas vo...lume below what it would be if the space were filled with air. If this loss in gas volume is not equalised, relative negative pressure will develop. This is in effect a squeeze, which can present as ear fullness, mild discomfort and/or impaired hearing. This problem can be avoided easily with occasional equalisation for several hours after diving. A person who is active, talking and/or laughing during this period may have no need to actively equalise. On the other hand, a person who goes to bed immediately after diving might wake up several hours later with mild discomfort. Full resolution is best achieved using gentle equalisation techniques.