Author: Louise Short
On Saturday 17 October 2026 two of our members took part in BSACs Practical Rescue Management (PRM) course in Wraysbury in order to complete part of their Dive Leader qualification (LP1).
The day was well attended, with Dive Leader students from a number of branches attending, and started with a short theory lesson followed by a number of rescue scenarios.
Each student had the opportunity to act as Rescue Manager as well as being part of a buddy pair who had been involved in an incident.
The rescue scenarios covered included:
A diver surfacing with a burst lung following a rapid ascent
A diver surfacing from a 45m dive on 50% Nitrox and suffering from oxygen toxicity
A contaminated gas situation where one buddy had had a full fill whilst the other only had a top-up
A missing diver where the buddy had surfaced from 35m up a shot line and realised that the other buddy was no longer there
Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO)
Leg injury on surfacing from boat propeller
Delayed onset of DCI following missed deco stops (staggered onset between the buddy pair)
The scenarios also had to deal with members of the public, family, the media, and emergency services who were slow to respond.
The course was really well run and the students engaged well with each other. Camaraderie and team collaboration improved over the day, and in each scenario the incident was successfully identified and treated.
We were fortunate that we had fellow students and instructors who shared real-life emergency response experiences from their current and previous careers. Their practical insights provided invaluable context to the rescue scenarios, strongly reinforcing the need for confidence and situational control in a crisis.
Key takeaways from the course were:
Regular practice of rescue skills, particularly Controlled Buoyant Lifts (CBL), are essential
Only use a tourniquet if properly trained, as we can do more damage than good by applying one incorrectly. Instead, pack the wound by whatever means necessary. However, there is also the argument of save the limb or save the life
Ensure the O2 kit is clear when using an AED
Take charge, be firm and compassionate, and work as a team
Be prepared to continue Basic Life Support (BLS) when emergency services arrive. They rarely take over, especially if you are doing a good job
Denial is prevalent in all scenarios. If in doubt, administer O2, making use of a Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR) or Nitrox cylinders if there are not enough O2 kits available
Congratulations to the three students who are now Dive Leaders following successful completion of the course, and a massive thanks to our four instructors who gave up their Saturday to run the course.
I cannot recommend this course enough!
