DAN’s FAST Guide to Neurological Assessment

According to the American Heart Association 2011 update, stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability. In diving, decompression illness (DCI) can result in neurological insult, signs of which are similar to that of a stroke. As a diver, you should be knowledgeable in how to identify the signs of a neurological injury and to conduct a neurological assessment, which can provide valuable information if you encounter an individual who may have experienced a stroke or a diving injury with neurological effects. These signs are often vague and can go unrecognized, resulting in delay to treatment. The mnemonic F-A-S-T can help you remember the common signs of neurological injury.

Read more...

Be Prepared to Take Action

It is every diver’s duty to be prepared to manage a dive emergency effectively. Establishing a comprehensive emergency action plan and acquiring the skills to implement it are dive safety essentials.

Read more...

DAN: First Aid Essentials

Every diver should be trained and prepared to respond to an injury. One of the best ways to confirm you are prepared is to use a checklist.

Read more...

Dive Safety and Travel Resources

Fins? Check.
Mask? Check.
Snorkel? Check.
BCD? Check.
Dive computer? Check.
Thermal protection? Check.

Read more...

Ears & Diving

Approximately 40 percent of all calls and emails received by DAN, annually, involve ear and sinus issues. The most common diving injury is middle ear barotrauma. Equalization is a skill that divers must master for safe and effective diving. It can take some time to refine this skill, and congestion can further complicate the matter.

Read more...

Five Mistakes Divers Make

By Dan Orr, President
Divers Alert Network

As every diver knows, recreational scuba diving is a very safe sport. Divers Alert Network® (DAN®) has been collecting and publishing data on diving accidents for more than 25 years to help the recreational diving community and individual divers identify and mitigate risks. Let’s address the mistakes divers make and see what we can do to reduce our risks in diving.

Read more...

Continuing Education

Never stop learning. Continuing education will help you grow as a diver and enhance your safety. You can explore many routes of continuing education through advanced diving courses and specialties, helping you to learn and master new skillsets. DAN offers a suite of courses specifically designed to enhance your safety skills making you a more prepared diver.

These courses have recently been completely redesigned to feature comprehensive content updates including the 2010 Guidelines for Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Care and CPR administration. The core courses that DAN provides address the key skillsets divers may need to respond to an emergency.

Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries
Administration of emergency oxygen is the primary first aid for scuba diving and nonfatal drowning incidents. Its use enhances oxygen delivery to hypoxic tissues and enhances inert gas washout. Oxygen first aid can also help minimize or eliminate existing symptoms and reduce further injury.

DAN pioneered the course more than 20 years ago, when DAN Research discovered that although scientific evidence was emerging on the benefits of emergency oxygen in first aid treatments, less than one-third of injured divers received it.

Now, the DAN Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries course presents the most current information, equipping divers with the skills necessary to recognize and manage diving emergencies requiring oxygen first aid.

Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death worldwide and account for about one-third of deaths.  As the diving population ages, the prevalence of these diseases in the community is likely to increase. The Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid course is designed to prepare care givers to handle cardiovascular events and other life-threatening incidents.

Course participants learn essential up-to-date first aid skills for illness and injury assessments and basic wound care including single-rescuer adult-only CPR, AED, airway and choking management.

First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries
At some point, most divers experience an unintentional brush with fire coral, jellyfish or other hazardous marine life. These injuries are typically mild and require simple first aid. Occasionally, more advanced care is required to effectively manage the injury.

The DAN First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries course teaches participants how to identify and avoid potentially hazardous marine life as well as the skills needed to provide first aid when injuries occur.

Neurological Assessment
According to the American Heart Association 2011 update, stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability. In diving, decompression illness (DCI) can result in neurological incident.

This course teaches participants how to identify the signs of a neurological injury and to conduct a neurological assessment, which can provide valuable information if you encounter an individual who may have experienced a stroke or a diving injury with neurological effects. These signs are often vague and can go unrecognized, resulting in delay to treatment. Information gathered from a neurological assessment establishes a critical baseline to assist first aid providers in making informed decisions about care in the field for both diving injuries and possible strokes. This course is designed for divers and nondivers alike.

All of these provider courses are available in a variety of formats to meet your educational needs. To learn more about these programs, call DAN Education at 1-800-446-2671 x.555 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . To find an instructor near you, visit www.DAN.org.

You can also enhance your learning with DAN Medical FAQs, online seminars, articles and quizzes available on www.DAN.org.

Nitrox Safety

Nitrox has gained widespread acceptance since its adoption by recreational divers and has proved itself a valuable tool with benefits for those appropriately trained in its use.

Read more...

DAN: Travelers’ Resources

Wherever your holiday travel plans may take you this season, make sure to take advantage of all of the resources DAN has available to help you travel safely.

Travel Prep

As you prepare for your trip, check out DAN Trip Tips, where you can find checklists and quick tips about weather considerations, research resources and what not to bring on your travels. You can access these resources on www.DAN.org/triptips or on DAN’s social media channels. Follow us on Twitter at DAN_America or like our Facebook page at Divers Alert Network.

DAN Members can also login to their online account and refer to the Worldcue® Planner Real-Time Travel Intelligence® Resource. This is a continually updated database of pertinent travel information on destinations around the globe and it is a benefit of DAN membership.

If you are planning dive travel for the holidays and have any dive-related medical questions, refer to the DAN Medical FAQs on www.DAN.org, call the DAN Medical Informational Line at
+1-919-684-2948 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Leave the Worries at Home

You can cover your travels with one of three tiers of per-trip travel insurance to handle unexpected situations that may arise during your travel. DAN Travel Insurance features coverage for cancellations and interruptions, medical expenses, baggage and more. DAN Travel Insurance lets you enjoy your vacation knowing you’re covered should an unforeseen event occur.
Explore the tiers of coverage available to you at www.DAN.org/trip.

NEW: For the Frequent Traveler

DAN has also added a new program designed for the frequent traveler. DAN Annual Travel insurance provides you year-round protection for all of your trips for one flat fee. This program is designed for the adventure traveler and leisure tourist alike and offers significant trip cancellation and interruption coverage, extensive equipment and baggage coverage as well as emergency medical and dental. It also features the coverage you’ve come to expect from DAN, such as emergency medical evacuation and access to around-the-clock travel assistance. Whether your travels take you diving, boating, golfing, hiking, skiing or relaxing at your favorite getaway, you can travel with confidence knowing you are covered any time you are 100 miles or more from home. Learn more at www.DAN.org/annual_travel.

On the Road

If you run into troubles on your travels, DAN Members can access DAN TravelAssist, which provides up to $100,000 of emergency medical evacuation assistance coverage when you’re more than 50 miles from home. TravelAssist also provides a whole range of services including prescription assistance, interpreter assistance, emergency message relays and a host of other travel benefits, all of which can be accessed by calling the DAN Emergency Hotline (+1-919-684-9111). This membership benefit is not part of an insurance plan and is not exclusive to diving. Whether you are diving or not over the holidays, you have a valuable resource through DAN.

Enjoy a happy and safe holiday season.

Understanding PFO

Approximately 25 percent of the population has it, but many are unaware. Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a cardiac defect that forms a passage in the wall which should separate the left and right upper chambers of the heart. When in the womb, the PFO enables proper circulation while the fetus’ lungs are closed. After birth this passage closes naturally, but in some individuals it does not seal completely; if this occurs, the PFO may still open when the pressure in the right atrium is greater than the pressure in the left.

Read more...

DAN Enhances Diver Education Resources

Continue your dive education and help improve dive safety with ease using DAN’s interactive educational resources. DAN has added even more resources offering you new ways to continue to learn.

Many of these opportunities are available online through www.DAN.org, www.AlertDiver.com or using our Alert Diver app on your tablet and mobile devices.

Read more...

DCI: Are you prepared?

Every diver should be prepared to recognize symptoms decompression illness (DCI). Are you?

Read more...

The Benefits of Mastering Buoyancy Control

Successful control of buoyancy affects all aspects of diving safety. Divers with poor buoyancy control are more likely to struggle throughout a dive. Inefficient buoyancy control can affect air consumption, exertion and risk of injury. Experts in dive medicine, training and research provide valid reasons for developing and maintaining good buoyancy skills.

Read more...

DAN: New Year, New You!

If you’re looking to shed some pounds from your weight belt, slip into that slimmer wetsuit and take a giant stride into more challenging dive environments, it’s time to commit to some changes. Make 2012 the year to improve your dive fitness.

Read more...

DAN - Hand Signals

By Marty McCafferty

Early in my career as an instructor, I dived with two individuals who were hearing impaired. I remember feeling envious during the dive at the ease of communication they enjoyed underwater. The foreign environment did not affect their ability to converse, while those of us who are hearing dependent experience communication challenges while submerged. This is not to imply that every diver needs to be fluent in sign language, but the more proficient we are with nonverbal communication, the safer and more effective we can be.

Read more...

Gifts Ideas From Your Dive Safety Specialists

The wetsuits are thicker, or perhaps you’ve switched to dry; the air is chillier and the holidays are just around the corner. If you are still trying to figure out what to give your dive buddy, consider some of these gifts.

Add safety essentials to your buddy’s gear bag. Equip your buddy with the tools he needs to ensure his safety. The new and improved surface signal kit helps make sure your buddy is seen, heard and never stranded. It comes with a six-foot orange signaling sausage featuring a 2-inch reflective strip on both sides and a radar-reflective panel located on the inside of the tube as well as a Wind Storm whistle, signal mirror and safety light all incorporated into the sausage’s base. The kit clips to your buddy’s BCD so he can stow it during a dive and access it easily in an emergency.

Or give him a basic personal first aid kit, complete with first aid supplies and waterproof zipper pockets. Accidents can happen; help your buddy be prepared to respond to them.

It’s the little things. Fin straps snap, d-rings break, batteries die and defogger runs out; these simple facts of a diver’s life are often overlooked. Make sure your buddy never misses a dive; give him a complete “oops” kit. Throw in some extra clips, first aid reference guides, a dive slate and some sunscreen. Pack it all up in a waterproof case or drybag, and your buddy is ready to go.

Continue your education. Diving is full of opportunities to continue to learn and enhance your skills. Enroll you and your buddy in a course and develop your skills together whether it’s underwater navigation, drysuit diving or rescue skills. Become better divers together!

Deck your buddy in dive apparel. If your buddy’s gear bag is brimming with delights, perhaps you should help him don some topside styles. Equip your buddy with long-sleeve or short-sleeve tees. Help him stay warm during his surface intervals with fleece hats or jackets. Or get him some dive-themed apparel from his favorite dive destination or his favorite marine-themed artist.

Give the gift that keeps on giving: A DAN membership comes complete with great benefits for both above and below the surface. With a DAN membership, your buddy will get DAN TravelAssist; a subscription to Alert Diver; access to DAN’s online seminars, presentations and workshop proceedings; access to the Worldcue^® Planner Real-Time Travel Intelligence^® Resource; and the option to buy dive accident insurance. In addition, when you purchase your buddy’s membership, you help support DAN’s nonprofit efforts, including the DAN Emergency Hotline and the Medical Information Line.

Happy holidays, and as always, dive safely.

Divers Alert Network (DAN) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the safety and health of scuba divers. DAN operates a 24-hour emergency hotline (+1-919-684-9111) to help divers in need of medical emergency assistance for diving or nondiving incidents.

Cardiac Health

A healthy heart is an integral component of your dive safety. A diver must be in good cardiovascular condition to meet the physical demands diving requires, such as carrying heavy equipment, climbing ladders and handling unforeseen conditions like strong currents or unexpected events like long surface swims.

Read more...

CELEBRATING 20 YRS OF OXYGEN

In a dive emergency, first aid oxygen plays an integral role in first response. DAN strives to educate divers to help prevent problems and be ready to assist when the unavoidable occurs. 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of the DAN oxygen training program, which trains divers in how to recognize injury, take a leadership role in a diving emergency and safely administer oxygen first aid to injured divers.

Read more...

Broken Rules, No Definitive Symptoms Oxygen or No Oxygen?

Chris broke the rules: his computer alerted him that he had a decompression obligation he hadn't planned on, but he forgot to make his stop. Back on the boat, he stows his kit and sits down; he's concerned. He and his buddy keenly evaluate Chris for symptoms of decompression sickness, but everything seems to be alright. The rules were broken; his computer confirms that, but he feels okay.

Read more...

Don't Panic!

Heart palpitations, nervousness, shortness of breath and the desire to bolt to the surface—enter a panicked diver. Panic is a sudden, overwhelming, intense reaction to a perceived threat or stressor. There are a lot of conditions that can set the stage for diver panic: poor visibility, overhead environments, hazardous marine life, difficult sea conditions, physical challenges, equipment malfunctions, entanglements and disorientation, and diving outside your comfort zone, among others. Recognizing symptoms of stress in yourself and in fellow divers is an important skill to help avoid panic and potentially dangerous situations.

Read more...