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Beachgoing
ADMINISTERING EMERGENCY OXYGEN
Respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, drowning and many dive-related injuries interrupt or impair the cardiovascular system’s ability to supply oxygen to the body’s tissues. In such cases, it is important to administer supplemental oxygen. Victims of dive injuries should receive the highest possible oxygen concentration available. Providing emergency oxygen first aid for injured divers is one of the most important measures to take before professional medical care and hyperbaric treatment are available.
The first step is to assess the diver’s breathing status and then determine the oxygen delivery device that will provide the highest concentration of oxygen possible in the circumstances.
• For breathing injured divers, use one of the following devices: — a nonrebreather mask with a minimum oxygen flow rate of 15 liters per minute (L/min) — a demand inhalator valve with an oronasal mask or intraoral mask (Recent research shows that a demand valve with an intraoral mask provides the highest tissue and inspired oxygen levels and is easiest to use.62,63,64) — any other oxygen delivery device capable of providing high concentrations of oxygen, such as a closed-circuit oxygen rebreather • For nonbreathing injured divers, use an oronasal resuscitation mask (also referred to as a DAN mask) with a minimum oxygen flow rate of 15 L/min.
