New
Millennium Dive Expeditions
Pre
Dive Equipment Check
It all begins with a safety check prior to each dive. This can be remembered by the acronym:
Every Big Bubble Vents Slowly
This is a basic equipment check from head to toe looking at the obvious pieces of equipment needed to do a dive.
1) Mask
2) Long Hose Second Stage – Inhalation/Exhalation Test
3) Short Hose Second Stage – Inhalation/Exhalation Test
4) Gauges – Pressure, Timer, Depth, Compass
5) Back-up Lights – Pressure Test
6) Primary cutting device
7) Light cable under waist-strap (if needed)
8) Long Hose under waist-strap (if needed)
9) Discuss what is in utility pockets
10) Reel and Lift Bag
11) Fins
12) General look-over to see if all looks proper
This is a check that only needs be completed one time if you are diving the same environment, equipment configuration and weighting. If you change environment, equipment configuration or weighting then this check must be done prior to the dive. This check insures that a diver can descend and that the diver can swim his rig to the surface with the buoyancy control system completely empty thus demonstrating that the diver is not over-weighted . A diver with the proper configuration will not be using a weight belt. If weights are needed they should be either a V-weight, or a piggy-back weight system attached to the tank or some sort of weight pouch on the waist belt of the harness to the divers right side (in lieu of a canister light).
This is a check where each diver rolls on their back submerging the regulator set-up on their tank system and the buddy visually checks for any bubbles. Second stages are checked during the initial equipment check (the EVERY step). Stage bottles are checked as they are put in place. A diver should not begin a dive with any bubbling from their life support system.
In this check a diver, while his buddy observes and maintains eye contact, demonstrates the ability to:
1. first close his right post valve, signal OK
2. insert and breathe from the short hose second stage, signal OK
3. remove and clip off the long hose second stage, signal OK
4. turn on the right post valve, signal OK
5. turn off the isolation valve, signal OK
6. turn on the isolation valve, signal OK
7. turn off the left post regulator, signal OK
8. remove short hose second stage (still attached to the necklace), signal OK
9. insert and breathe from the long hose second stage, signal OK
10. unclip the long hose second stage, signal OK
11. and finally turn on the left post valve. signal OK
This is done in about 5-10 feet of water and the observing buddy returns the OK in a manner which can be seen by the diver doing the valve management check without the need to come out of the trim position.