back in early September, Judi Bedard's accident at Eagle's Nest
got us all thinking about diving safety.
there were rumours that the problem stemmed from the mix
on her double tanks. investigators confirmed that her trimix
was improperly blended and contained almost no oxygen,
not enough of it, at any rate, to support life:
Fish and Wildlife investigator Stephen Farmer agreed
... that three elements contributed to Bedard becoming
injured that day at Eagle's Nest:
The gas was not properly mixed in her tri-mix tanks.
The tanks were not properly analyzed to ensure the right
proportions of gases.
The isolation valve - an attachment to the manifold that
connects the two tanks - was incorrectly left closed and
never checked to ensure it was open.
another issue that has come up since is the delay (probably
greater than 30 minutes) in getting professional help to
Bedard due to the conditions of the area:
Because [Eagle's Nest] is in such a remote area, rescuers
had to use a sport utility vehicle to pick her up and take her
to a spot where the Bayflite medical helicopter could land.
An ambulance apparently cannot traverse the dirt road that
leads only about half way to the water's edge. That meant
Bedard did not receive the lifesaving care she needed for
"a good 30 minutes - probably more," according to a report
by two diving safety experts who witnessed the rescue.
St. Petersburg Times
as of October 4, 2005, Judi Bedard remains in critical condition
at Shands Gainesville.
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