Divers Conduct Recompression Chamber Exercise during RIMPAC (USA)

Divers Conduct Recompression Chamber Exercise during RIMPAC (USA)

Divers assigned to Mobile Underwater Diving Salvage Unit (MUDSU) 1 and divers from coalition partners conducted a recompression chamber exercise during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012 July 18.

The exercise was conducted as part of the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) scenario within RIMPAC.

The scenario consisted of a diver becoming unconscious due to an arterial gas embolism while conducting a search and rescue mission.

“An arterial gas embolism is usually the result of an injury to the lungs that causes bubbles to leak into the bloodstream,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Dennis Kypros, MUDSU 1 Training Officer. “A bubble that leaks into the bloodstream acts like a blood clot and can cause a stroke for a diver.”

During the exercise, members of MUDSU 1 pulled a simulated unconscious diver out of the water, and by using small boats, the team transported the diver to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force minesweeper tender JS Bungo (MST-464).

“It is very beneficial for our Navy to continue participating in RIMPAC scenarios such as these,” said Cmdr. Hiroki Yokozawa, Bungo commanding officer. “Our presence here now and in the past, has helped us immensely in our efforts to aid Japan during the earthquake last year.”

Once on board Bungo, the team simulated treating the diver by using a recompression chamber, an emergency hyperbaric chamber that operates as a total-life support system that can treat a diver suffering from an arterial gas embolism.

Able Seaman Matthew Johnston, a Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diver played the role of the unconscious diver that was treated by the recompression chamber.

“Even though the recompression chamber portion of the exercise was simulated,” said Johnston, “It was great to see what Japan’s capabilities are. The chamber on the Bungo was of a larger scale, but it still provided the same functions as what I’m used to.”

Kypros added that, “Due to the relationships that we’ve built and the training that we’ve conducted during RIMPAC with Japan and other allied nations, when we are forward deployed, this will allow us to be familiar with their chamber and use it in the case of emergencies.”

Six Australian divers and six U.S. Coast Guard divers are assigned to MUDSU 1, Company 16 for the RIMPAC exercise.

This year’s RIMPAC exercise includes units or personnel from Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

[mappress]
Subsea World News Staff , July 23, 2012