Posted by MHK on April 09, 2001 at 10:01:15:
In Reply to: how I understand it posted by mdfixitman on April 09, 2001 at 08:45:55:
By in large you have it right. I would add without getting into any nonsensical definitions about *proven*, the answer is that OBVIOUSLY we test our regs before we get in the water, however many use those *octo* holders, or worse yet, nothing at all to retain there *octo*..
It is always possible in that situation for the *octo* to collect some contaminents during a dive.. Furthermore, if diving strong currents or high flow caves it is possible for the reg to get purged and freeflow, if the diver doesn't *purge* the reg prior to use the 1st breath will be water, that may be a minor inconvience in a perfectly normal situation, but when a paniced OOA diver needs air the last thing you want to do is hand off a reg that *may* have some problems that occured during the dive. By donating the primary it is PROVEN to be working because at that very moment you are breathing from it.. How much more PROOF does someone want?????
The donor is not paniced, the donor most likley just had a breath of air, and even a reasonably fit diver should be able to go 30 seconds or so without a breath, this added time allows for the donor to hand off a PROVEN, known working regulator, switch to his/her back up, and to the extent the back up has a problem the donor is in a much better position to fix it, hold off for a few seconds and/or buddy breathe if need be..
The whole idea is to get the OOA diver air ASAP because it may very well be his/her last breathe..
Later