DAN’s FAST Guide to Neurological Assessment

According to the American Heart Association 2011 update, stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability. In diving, decompression illness (DCI) can result in neurological insult, signs of which are similar to that of a stroke. As a diver, you should be knowledgeable in how to identify the signs of a neurological injury and to conduct a neurological assessment, which can provide valuable information if you encounter an individual who may have experienced a stroke or a diving injury with neurological effects. These signs are often vague and can go unrecognized, resulting in delay to treatment. The mnemonic F-A-S-T can help you remember the common signs of neurological injury.

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DAN: Travelers’ Resources

Wherever your holiday travel plans may take you this season, make sure to take advantage of all of the resources DAN has available to help you travel safely.

Travel Prep

As you prepare for your trip, check out DAN Trip Tips, where you can find checklists and quick tips about weather considerations, research resources and what not to bring on your travels. You can access these resources on www.DAN.org/triptips or on DAN’s social media channels. Follow us on Twitter at DAN_America or like our Facebook page at Divers Alert Network.

DAN Members can also login to their online account and refer to the Worldcue® Planner Real-Time Travel Intelligence® Resource. This is a continually updated database of pertinent travel information on destinations around the globe and it is a benefit of DAN membership.

If you are planning dive travel for the holidays and have any dive-related medical questions, refer to the DAN Medical FAQs on www.DAN.org, call the DAN Medical Informational Line at
+1-919-684-2948 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Leave the Worries at Home

You can cover your travels with one of three tiers of per-trip travel insurance to handle unexpected situations that may arise during your travel. DAN Travel Insurance features coverage for cancellations and interruptions, medical expenses, baggage and more. DAN Travel Insurance lets you enjoy your vacation knowing you’re covered should an unforeseen event occur.
Explore the tiers of coverage available to you at www.DAN.org/trip.

NEW: For the Frequent Traveler

DAN has also added a new program designed for the frequent traveler. DAN Annual Travel insurance provides you year-round protection for all of your trips for one flat fee. This program is designed for the adventure traveler and leisure tourist alike and offers significant trip cancellation and interruption coverage, extensive equipment and baggage coverage as well as emergency medical and dental. It also features the coverage you’ve come to expect from DAN, such as emergency medical evacuation and access to around-the-clock travel assistance. Whether your travels take you diving, boating, golfing, hiking, skiing or relaxing at your favorite getaway, you can travel with confidence knowing you are covered any time you are 100 miles or more from home. Learn more at www.DAN.org/annual_travel.

On the Road

If you run into troubles on your travels, DAN Members can access DAN TravelAssist, which provides up to $100,000 of emergency medical evacuation assistance coverage when you’re more than 50 miles from home. TravelAssist also provides a whole range of services including prescription assistance, interpreter assistance, emergency message relays and a host of other travel benefits, all of which can be accessed by calling the DAN Emergency Hotline (+1-919-684-9111). This membership benefit is not part of an insurance plan and is not exclusive to diving. Whether you are diving or not over the holidays, you have a valuable resource through DAN.

Enjoy a happy and safe holiday season.

DAN: First Aid Essentials

Every diver should be trained and prepared to respond to an injury. One of the best ways to confirm you are prepared is to use a checklist.

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DAN Enhances Diver Education Resources

Continue your dive education and help improve dive safety with ease using DAN’s interactive educational resources. DAN has added even more resources offering you new ways to continue to learn.

Many of these opportunities are available online through www.DAN.org, www.AlertDiver.com or using our Alert Diver app on your tablet and mobile devices.

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Ears & Diving

Approximately 40 percent of all calls and emails received by DAN, annually, involve ear and sinus issues. The most common diving injury is middle ear barotrauma. Equalization is a skill that divers must master for safe and effective diving. It can take some time to refine this skill, and congestion can further complicate the matter.

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The Benefits of Mastering Buoyancy Control

Successful control of buoyancy affects all aspects of diving safety. Divers with poor buoyancy control are more likely to struggle throughout a dive. Inefficient buoyancy control can affect air consumption, exertion and risk of injury. Experts in dive medicine, training and research provide valid reasons for developing and maintaining good buoyancy skills.

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Continuing Education

Never stop learning. Continuing education will help you grow as a diver and enhance your safety. You can explore many routes of continuing education through advanced diving courses and specialties, helping you to learn and master new skillsets. DAN offers a suite of courses specifically designed to enhance your safety skills making you a more prepared diver.

These courses have recently been completely redesigned to feature comprehensive content updates including the 2010 Guidelines for Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Care and CPR administration. The core courses that DAN provides address the key skillsets divers may need to respond to an emergency.

Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries
Administration of emergency oxygen is the primary first aid for scuba diving and nonfatal drowning incidents. Its use enhances oxygen delivery to hypoxic tissues and enhances inert gas washout. Oxygen first aid can also help minimize or eliminate existing symptoms and reduce further injury.

DAN pioneered the course more than 20 years ago, when DAN Research discovered that although scientific evidence was emerging on the benefits of emergency oxygen in first aid treatments, less than one-third of injured divers received it.

Now, the DAN Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries course presents the most current information, equipping divers with the skills necessary to recognize and manage diving emergencies requiring oxygen first aid.

Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death worldwide and account for about one-third of deaths.  As the diving population ages, the prevalence of these diseases in the community is likely to increase. The Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid course is designed to prepare care givers to handle cardiovascular events and other life-threatening incidents.

Course participants learn essential up-to-date first aid skills for illness and injury assessments and basic wound care including single-rescuer adult-only CPR, AED, airway and choking management.

First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries
At some point, most divers experience an unintentional brush with fire coral, jellyfish or other hazardous marine life. These injuries are typically mild and require simple first aid. Occasionally, more advanced care is required to effectively manage the injury.

The DAN First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries course teaches participants how to identify and avoid potentially hazardous marine life as well as the skills needed to provide first aid when injuries occur.

Neurological Assessment
According to the American Heart Association 2011 update, stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability. In diving, decompression illness (DCI) can result in neurological incident.

This course teaches participants how to identify the signs of a neurological injury and to conduct a neurological assessment, which can provide valuable information if you encounter an individual who may have experienced a stroke or a diving injury with neurological effects. These signs are often vague and can go unrecognized, resulting in delay to treatment. Information gathered from a neurological assessment establishes a critical baseline to assist first aid providers in making informed decisions about care in the field for both diving injuries and possible strokes. This course is designed for divers and nondivers alike.

All of these provider courses are available in a variety of formats to meet your educational needs. To learn more about these programs, call DAN Education at 1-800-446-2671 x.555 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . To find an instructor near you, visit www.DAN.org.

You can also enhance your learning with DAN Medical FAQs, online seminars, articles and quizzes available on www.DAN.org.

DAN - Hand Signals

By Marty McCafferty

Early in my career as an instructor, I dived with two individuals who were hearing impaired. I remember feeling envious during the dive at the ease of communication they enjoyed underwater. The foreign environment did not affect their ability to converse, while those of us who are hearing dependent experience communication challenges while submerged. This is not to imply that every diver needs to be fluent in sign language, but the more proficient we are with nonverbal communication, the safer and more effective we can be.

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