Cave Diving FatalitiesCave Diving FatalitiesA SummaryA Summary

By Jeffrey BozanicBy Jeffrey BozanicRebekah HalpernRebekah Halpern

Cave Diving FatalitiesCave Diving Fatalities

nn The PastThe Pastnn Summary of Current DataSummary of Current Datann The FutureThe Future

–– Data CollectionData Collection–– Incident RateIncident Rate–– Non-Fatal IncidentsNon-Fatal Incidents

The PastThe Past

nn Originally to learn why cave divingOriginally to learn why cave divingfatalities occurringfatalities occurring

nn Demonstrate how “safe” cave divingDemonstrate how “safe” cave divingcould becould be

nn Data collection “uneven” at bestData collection “uneven” at best–– Thanks to past coordinators, especiallyThanks to past coordinators, especially

David David DesautelsDesautels

Source DataSource Data

19971997nn 429 cases429 casesnn SourcesSources

–– NSS-NSS-CDSCDS: 258: 258–– NACD: 361NACD: 361–– Other: 87Other: 87

nn Cave Trained: 40Cave Trained: 40

19991999nn 478 cases478 casesnn SourcesSources

–– CombinedCombined–– 14 “new” cases14 “new” cases–– 35 “old” cases35 “old” cases

nn Cave Trained: 47Cave Trained: 47

Summary of Current DataSummary of Current Data

nn Overall reviewOverall reviewnn Open water Open water vs vs cave trainingcave trainingnn Trends?Trends?

Fatalities by YearFatalities by Year

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1950

1962

1965

1968

1971

1974

1977

1980

1983

1986

1989

1992

1995

1998

# F

atal

itie

s

n=475

Geographic LocationGeographic Location

74

401

0

50

100

150

200250

300

350

400

450

Foreign USA

# F

ata

liti

es

n=475

Foreign FatalitiesForeign Fatalities

02468

101214161820

# F

ata

liti

es

Mex

ico

New Z

ealan

d

Puerto

Rico

Rhodes

ia

South

Afri

ca

USSRW

ales

Yugosla

via

Australi

a

Baham

as

Belize

Canad

a

Germ

any

Hondura

s

Jam

aica

n=74

Fatalities by GenderFatalities by Gender

439

21

0

100

200

300

400

500

Male Female

Nu

mb

er

n=460

Age of DecedentsAge of Decedents

05

1015202530

3540

10 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 51 64

# F

atal

itie

s

n=427

Multiple FatalitiesMultiple Fatalities

n=475

146%

239%

311%

44%

Number of IncidentsNumber of Incidents

220

92

17 5

1

2

3

4

Fatalities perIncident

n=334

Open WaterOpen WaterCertification LevelCertification Level

9

1

828

12

168

5

1

15

0 50 100 150 200

ADV

Basic

Inst

OW

TEMP

Asst InstAsst Inst

DMDM

NoneNone

RescueRescue

n=247

Cave CertificationCave Certification

3

1

31

4

143

7

1

0 50 100 150 200

Basic

Cavern

Inst

Yes

n=190

NoNo

FullFull

Category 2Category 2

Guideline UseGuideline Use

256170

NoneUsed

Line Used

n=426

Final Cylinder GasFinal Cylinder GasPressuresPressures

31 111

1314

337

40

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

0 1-500 501-1000

1001-1500

1501-2000

2001-2500

2501-3000

# F

ata

liti

es

n=411

Dive DepthsDive Depths

2918

95

93

158

60 55

020406080

100120140

160180

0 1-50 51-100

101-150

151-200

201-250

250-300

>300

# F

ata

liti

es

fsw n=427

Number of LightsNumber of LightsCarried by VictimsCarried by Victims

036%

149%

29%

35%

40% 5

1%

198

144

36 20

(2)

3

n=403

Number of Divers in TeamNumber of Divers in Team

55

315

106

30

3 7 8 7 20

20

40

60

80

100

120

1

# F

ata

liti

es

11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 1010n=236

Fatalities Involving DiversFatalities Involving DiversCertified Full Cave or AboveCertified Full Cave or Above

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

# F

atal

itie

s

n=42

Dive Depths of CaveDive Depths of CaveCertified VictimsCertified Victims

65

9

2

5

12

7

0123456789

10

0 1-50 51-100

101-150

151-200

201-250

250-300

>300

# F

ata

liti

es

fswn=37

02468

101214

# F

atal

itie

sCauses of Fatalities AmongCauses of Fatalities Among

Trained Cave DiversTrained Cave Divers

n=40

Adv Adv E

quip

Equip

Air Rule

Air Rule

Cave I

n

Cave I

nDep

th

Depth

Entan

glem

ent

Entan

glem

ent

Gas

Mix

Gas

Mix

Pro

bPro

b

Hea

rt A

ttack

?

Hea

rt A

ttack

?

Hyp

othe

rmia

Hyp

othe

rmia

Line G

ap

Line G

ap

Mai

nten

ance

Mai

nten

ance

Solo

Solo

Train

ing

Train

ing

Drugs

Drugs

Gea

r Rem

oval

Gea

r Rem

oval

The FutureThe Future

nn Data CollectionData Collectionnn Incident RateIncident Ratenn Non-Fatal IncidentsNon-Fatal Incidents

Data CollectionData Collection

nn IUCRR EffortsIUCRR Efforts–– Spearheaded by Henry NicholsonSpearheaded by Henry Nicholson–– Coordination of all groups collecting dataCoordination of all groups collecting data–– Information cleared through Annette LongInformation cleared through Annette Long

nn New Accident Reporting FormNew Accident Reporting Formnn Past InformationPast Information

–– “Completion” of files“Completion” of files–– Documentation filedDocumentation filed

nn Web Site Reporting and PresentationWeb Site Reporting and Presentation

Incident RatesIncident Rates

nn What are they?What are they?nn Quantification of activity levelsQuantification of activity levels

–– Voluntary reporting by divers of annual activityVoluntary reporting by divers of annual activity–– Site activity reportingSite activity reporting–– Database of combined cave(Database of combined cave(rnrn) training) training–– Summarization of award data (Abe Davis, etc)Summarization of award data (Abe Davis, etc)–– “Specialized” equipment, techniques“Specialized” equipment, techniques

nn Importance to diving communityImportance to diving communitynn Importance to cave diving communityImportance to cave diving community

Non-Fatal IncidentsNon-Fatal Incidents

nn Should we collect them?Should we collect them?nn TypesTypes

–– Air management problemsAir management problems–– Equipment/maintenance problemsEquipment/maintenance problems–– Events related to “advanced” equip/techniquesEvents related to “advanced” equip/techniques–– OtherOther

nn Importance to cave diving communityImportance to cave diving community–– Pro-active development of the recreationPro-active development of the recreation–– Texts and training concernsTexts and training concerns–– TrendsTrends

IssuesIssuesnn By collecting non-fatal incident data, wouldBy collecting non-fatal incident data, would

we be compromising our perceived safetywe be compromising our perceived safetyrecord?record?

nn Should we include “marginal” cases?Should we include “marginal” cases?–– Cave diver who died at entrance at start of diveCave diver who died at entrance at start of dive

because he forgot to turn air onbecause he forgot to turn air on–– 2 ffw on steps2 ffw on steps–– Rebreather in spring poolRebreather in spring pool

nn Availability of source dataAvailability of source datann Extension to other “technical” penetrationExtension to other “technical” penetration

diving activitiesdiving activities

WE NEEDWE NEEDYOURYOURHELP!!HELP!!

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

nn NSS-NSS-CDSCDSnn NACDNACDnn IndividualsIndividuals

–– David David DesautelsDesautels–– Steve Steve GerrardGerrard–– Henry NicholsonHenry Nicholson–– Lamar HiresLamar Hires–– Pat WatsonPat Watson–– Jim Jim FishbackFishback

–– Peter Peter HorneHorne–– Juergen BohnertJuergen Bohnert–– Grant GravesGrant Graves–– LeeAnn LeeAnn HiresHires–– Waitomo Waitomo CavesCaves–– Recovery DiversRecovery Divers