Any diving conducted under the auspices of the University of Miami/RSMAS Scientific Diving Program must be conducted within the provisions of a dive plan approved by the University’s diving safety officer or his/her designee.

For dive operations aboard RSMAS student boats or day trips a dive plan must be submitted by the diver-in-charge to the diving safety officer at least two days prior to the dive operation for single-day trips.

1. A qualified boat operator must be aboard the boat at all times unless (all conditions must exist):
• The boat is within one mile of the ship or land, and
• The sea state is less than three feet, and
• There is no current, and
• The divers are at least RD-A status or higher, and
• The depth of the dive is less than 30 feet, and
• The dive is a daylight dive.
2. A qualified boat operator must always be aboard for night dives, dusk dives (within 30 minutes of sunset), and blue-water dives.
3. A floating trail line (with a buoy) of at least 50 feet behind the boat must be used.
4. When climbing a dive ladder it is highly recommended the diver will keep his/her fins on or carry them in hand and keep his/her mask and regulator in place until safely aboard.
5. Spear fishing may be conducted for approved scientific purposes only and must have special approval from the Diving Safety Office (see the diving safety officer or vessel’s captain for special rules outside the U.S.).
6. The boat shall be of adequate size and seaworthiness to accommodate divers, surface support personnel, and equipment.
7. The boat must be well maintained, in satisfactory operating condition, and equipped with standard safety equipment as required by the Coast Guard and other applicable federal, state, or local laws.
8. An adequate means of safely exiting the water shall be provided.
9. A VHF marine radio or cellular telephone shall be aboard during dive operations.
10. All tenders, boat operators, and other surface support personnel shall possess the necessary qualification, experience, and/or training to effectively and safely assist the diving operation and shall be thoroughly briefed by the diver-in-charge regarding the operational and emergency procedures.
11. Emergency medical training (CPR, etc.) is strongly recommended for all surface support personnel and may be required for approval of the dive plan at the discretion of the diving safety officer.

1. First Aid Supplies:
• First aid kit appropriate for the diving operation.
• An approved oxygen delivery system is strongly recommended on all diving operations with at least a one-hour supply of 100% oxygen.
2. Warning Signals (one or more of the following is required depending on the location of the site):
• U.S. sport diving flag (red with diagonal white stripe) displayed at least three feet above the surface for inland and inshore diving.
• Alpha flag in international waters or areas frequented by international ship traffic.
• Shapes or lights as required by law.
3. Communication (for summoning emergency assistance):
• A VHF marine radio is required onboard during all diving operations from ships/boats. Emergency aid may be contacted on Channel 16 which is monitored by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 24 hours a day.
• Flares, lights or whistles may also be required.
• Emergency Assistance List (page 30 of the RSMAS Diving Safety Manual). All divers on site must have on hand, as part of the dive plan, an emergency plan complete with methods of contacting appropriate assistance and the location of the nearest recompression chamber. Included in this plan should be numbers for available means of transportation, the Divers Alert Network (DAN) at Duke University Medical Center (919-684-8111), the South Florida Hyperbaric Medical Center at Mercy Hospital (800-NO-BENDS) in Miami and/or the Hyperbaric Department at Jackson Memorial Hospital (305-585-3483).

1. Student boats in the Miami area should radio USCG on VHF Channel 16 or local EMS by cellular phone (911) and indicate that you have a "scuba diving emergency and need a recompression chamber."
2. Inform the USCG/EMS that you are evacuating the victim to the nearest accessible dock, where that dock is, and that they should contact the South Florida Hyperbaric Medical Center (800-NO-BENDS) or Jackson Memorial Hospital (305-585-3483) to activate the recompression chamber.
3. Monitor your VHF or keep your cellular phone on and stay in contact with the USCG/EMS for the duration of the emergency.
4. The USCG/EMS may direct you to take the victim somewhere besides the place you indicated. Cooperate with them.
5. Attempt to contact the RSMAS Diving Safety Office via VHF or cellular phone.
6. If unable to contact USCG on VHF or cellular phone, use the VHF marine operator on Channel 24 or 25 to place a telephone call to South Florida Hyperbaric Medical Center (800-662-3637), Jackson Memorial Hospital (305-585-3483) or Dade County Fire Rescue (911).

1. Follow Accident Management Flow Chart (Appendix D of the UM/RSMAS Diving Safety Manual).
2. If time and circumstances permit, perform an initial neurological examination (Appendix D of the UM/RSMAS Diving Safety Manual).
3. If an asymptomatic emergency is managed at the scene and hospitalization or professional medical attention are not required, provide the victim with emergency numbers for diving physician, local medical facility, etc. Do not let the victim drive or be alone for the next six hours.
4. Any person resuscitated at the dive site MUST be transported to a medical facility for follow-up examination/treatment preferably by a hyperbaric physician.

1. Recall all divers in the water, terminate all diving operations, secure equipment, be certain all dive team members are accounted for.
2. Non-involved dive team members shall stand by and not interfere with emergency efforts.
3. Diving operations shall not resume until the appropriate emergency equipment and personnel are back at the dive site.

Rick Riera-Gomez
Diving Safety Officer
University of Miami/RSMAS
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, FL 33149
(305) 361-4107 (voice)
(305) 361-4174 (fax)
rgomez@rsmas.miami.edu