



| CONTINUING EDUCATION IS MANDATORY FOR ALL OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS. IN KEEPING WITH THIS PHILOSOPHY, WE RECENTLY HAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING THE MULTIPLACE HYPERBARIC / DECOMPRESSION CHAMBER AT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER IN FORT MYERS FLORIDA. THE LEE MEMORIAL HYPERBARIC CHAMBER IS AN INDISPENSABLE TOOL IN LESSENING THE OFTEN CRIPPLING AND DEADLY AFFECTS OF DECOMPRESSION RELATED EMERGENCIES. IF TRANSPORTED BY EMS QUICKLY, A PATIENT CAN TAKE A "RIDE" IN THE HYPERBARIC CHAMBER WHICH SIMULATES UNDERWATER PRESSURE AND DEPTH, WHICH SLOWLY AIDS IN RELEASING TRAPPED GASES FROM A DIVER'S TISSUES. BY SLOWLY LESSENING THE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, PHYSICIANS AND TECHNICIANS CAN " BRING " A DIVER BACK TO AMBIENT PRESSURE WHILE LESSENING THE LONG TERM AFFECTS OF DCS. THE HELPFUL AND ACCOMODATING MEDICAL STAFF LED US ON AN INFORMATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL OVERVIEW OF THE HYPERBARIC CHAMBER AND IT'S MANY USES AS THEY PERTAIN TO SCUBA DIVERS AND SCUBA ASSOCIATED MALADIES. WE REVIEWED THE SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND CAUSES OF SCUBA RELATED ACCIDENTS INVOLVING AIR EMBOLUS, DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS OR DCS, ( THE BENDS ) AND A PLETHORA OF OTHER POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATIONS ENCOUNTERED BY DIVERS. WE EXPLORED THE MANY TREATMENT OPTIONS THAT THE HYPERBARIC CHAMBER PROVIDED, AND DEVISED A PLAN OF ACTION FOR OUR TEAM IN CASE OF ANY DCS RELATED PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN THE FUTURE BY OUR STAFF. WE REVIEWED STRATEGIES FOR LESSENING THE POSSIBILITY OF ENCOUNTERING DCS RELATED MALADIES, AND FORMATTED OUR EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS AND AVAILABILITY OF THE HYPERBARIC CHAMBER STAFF. AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE N.A.U.I. ADVANCED RESCUE- DIVER TRAINING PROGRAM, ALL TEAM DIVERS ENROLLED IN THE RESCUE DIVER PROGRAM , HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE TO ATTEND THE AFORE MENTIONED HYPERBARIC CHAMBER OVERVIEW. WE HAD THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GET HANDS-ON TRAINING IN THE CHAMBER, AND SEE FIRST HAND PRECISELY WHAT WAS ENTAILED IN HYPERBARIC THERAPY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE STAFF OF THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER HYPERBARIC CHAMBER TREATMENT CENTER. FOR THE INFORMATIVE TOUR! |

| ABOVE: THE CONTROL-COMMAND CENTER OF THE HTPERBARIC CHAMBER BELOW: ADVANCED RESCUE DIVERS -GEORGE, DENNIS, SHANE , AND LEE, JOIN N.A.U.I. INSTRUCTOR, PARANORMAL DIVER RED-TEAM LEADER, MATT ANGELO FOR A MOCK RIDE IN " THE CHAMBER " |
| FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE HYPERBARIC CHAMBER PLEASE VISIT THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER WEBSITE AT: www.LeeMemorial.org |
