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Panic Proof Diver
Prerequisite
  1. FCOA Freediver or equivalent 
  2. Having mastered the FCOA Mask drill
  3. Having mastered all basic scuba skills. 
Panic is the most common cause of dive accidents. Most divers know that they should go up slowly and they know that they should not hold breath while ascending. But when we panic all logic is lost. 

Most common causes of panic during scuba:
  1. Mask issues
  2. Equalizing issues
  3. Air issues (running out of air or the mouthpiece coming off)
Buoyancy issues. 
  1. Darkness
  2. Separation
  3. Rough conditions
  4. Panic of another diver
  5. Entanglement
By exposing ourselves to those panic triggers in a safe environment we can learn to keep our calm. This should always get done after a discussion to see what we are ready for. The question should be: What do you want to practice? The safest place to do Panic Proofing challenges is in chest deep water, but while your there you should pretend to be at a deep depth with no direct access to the surface, maybe because you're inside a shipwreck or because you have a decompression ceiling. 

The ultimate exercises
  1. Tank closed and mask ripped off: Prioritize regaining air. You don't need a mask!
  2. Blind folded and wrapped in a fishing net. (The easiest blindfold is a handkerchief inside your mask)
  3. Five-minute blind folded scuba swim: How many times can you circle the pool in 5 minutes while trailing the wall. 
  4. Surfacing an unconscious diver while blind folded: The diver that pretends to be unconscious should not be blindfolded so he can see how the blind folded diver is doing. This diver could first pretend to have a panic attack, maybe rough handle the blind folded diver a bit (this should always be agreed up on) a panicked diver has the tendency to grab and hold his buddy with force. This can be intimidating for the blind folded diver, but it is simply something that can happen so learning how to calm can be a life saving skill. Right after that the diver can pretend to have blacked out. Now the blindfolded diver has to get in to action, he has to feel around to get his hands in the correct position. Keeping the airway open is always the highest priority when bringing up an unconscious scuba diver because if you don't you very likely over expand his lungs. 
  5. Bubble catch vision: Read your dive computer without your mask (works for 50% of divers that try it)
  6. Screamer tolerance while your blind folded under water, with your buddy or Instructor simulating a panic, bumping in to you, screaming, pulling your regulator out because they are out of air, you keep your calm and stick to best diving practices.


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What is your current scuba diver level? 
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Panics caused by mask issues. 

Please describe your confidence level: Are you ok with your mask getting pulled off during any moment during any diver? 
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Panics causes by air issues:

Please describe your confidence level. Are you ok with your scuba tank getting closed without you knowing it? 
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Panics caused by combined triggers

Please describe your confidence level. Are you ok with your scuba tank getting closed without you knowing it while at the same time also your mask being pulled of? 
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Panic caused by darkness and entanglement

Please describe your confidence level. Are you ok to get blindfolded before your scuba dive and to get wrapped in a fishing net.
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Panic caused by your buddy becoming non responsive in zero visibility.

Please describe your confidence level. Are you ok to respond to a blacked out scuba diver while blindfolded.
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Panic caused to you by your buddy panicking when he runs out of air. While your blind folded, he will bump in to you, scream for help and pull your regulator out. As he recovers from the out of air scenario he will express anger 😡 to you and blame you for the incident. 

Please describe your confidence level. Are you ok to challenge your ability to act appropriately when your buddy becomes panicked, unpredictable or unreasonable?
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(RVT) Tank closed and mask ripped off: response video

If you choose to train remotely then train together with a buddy and get yourself filmed while your tank get's closed and your mask ripped off.

Upload your video link here. 
(RVT) Blind folded and entangled in a net: response video

If you choose to train remotely then train together with a buddy and get yourself filmed while you get blindfolded and entangled in a net. Calmly untangle yourself till you can leave the net beside you. 

Upload your video link here. 
(RVT) Surfacing an unconscious diver while blind folded. 

If you choose to train remotely then train together with a buddy and get yourself filmed while surfacing an unconscious diver while blindfolded.

Upload your video link here. 
(RVT) Attempt to bubble catch vision: performance video

If you choose to train remotely then train together with a buddy and get yourself filmed while you read your dive computer using bubble catch vision. You don't have to master it because it does not work for everybody, but you should give it a shot. 

Upload your video link here. 
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