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If you all know about this already great. If not here you go...
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060128/military_safetygear_060128/20060128?hub=Canada
OTTAWA A dramatic rescue on New Brunswick's swollen Saint John River last year has prompted the military to provide better safety equipment to an elite diving unit, newly released documents show.
The incident occurred during a night army exercise as a group of stealth divers staged a mock attack on a cable ferry bobbing in the middle of flood-choked waters near Gagetown, N.B.
The four divers, wearing dry suits but no tanks or masks, entered the river upstream from the Scoville Island ferry, which was out of commission because of the flooding. A heavy cable strung across the river held the vessel in place as a light rain beat down.
The current was so strong, however, that it swept two of the divers past the ferry. The pair were successfully plucked from the raging waters by the crew of a small Zodiac inflatable boat positioned downstream.
But the other two men were slammed against the ferry hull by the turbulent waters, and needed both hands to hang on to keep from being sucked under.
The divers were "unable to extricate themselves until a safety boat came to their aid," says a report on the incident obtained under the Access to Information Act.
"They needed both hands to stop themselves from being swept under the ferry and couldn't use their distress flares which require both hands to fire."
The pair, Cpl. Mike Maynard and Master Cpl. Stephane Ruton, were eventually rescued by Zodiac and suffered no injuries.
"They were more pissed off than anything else," said Maj. Joe Gale, who was in charge of the training, part of an annual army exercise called Roguish Buoy. The divers were angry that the mock assault was not better planned.
The incident highlighted equipment safety lapses even though the men were successfully rescued, says the report.
For one, Maynard and Ruton could not turn on the strobe lights attached to their chests because they had to cling with both hands to the ferry hull.
Also, their safety flares were taped to their diving knives, which are strapped to their legs - too far to reach to ignite even if the men had both hands free, says Gale.
The army has since acquired infrared strobe lights for divers' chests that can be turned on before an exercise or operation begins. The infrared light cannot be detected by the human eye but can be seen clearly through military night-vision goggles, which amplify light.
Night operations can therefore still be conducted in secret. "Stealth is a significant part of what we try to do," Gale said.
The safety flares are now attached to the chest for easy access, and the military is investigating whether to use a simpler flare that requires only one hand to ignite.
Gale says the next major Roguish Buoy exercise is planned this May, though flooding will not be a problem because it's scheduled to take place along the Nova Scotia coast, near Halifax.
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Is Cpl Maynard from 2 CER? name seems familiar.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060128/military_safetygear_060128/20060128?hub=Canada
OTTAWA A dramatic rescue on New Brunswick's swollen Saint John River last year has prompted the military to provide better safety equipment to an elite diving unit, newly released documents show.
The incident occurred during a night army exercise as a group of stealth divers staged a mock attack on a cable ferry bobbing in the middle of flood-choked waters near Gagetown, N.B.
The four divers, wearing dry suits but no tanks or masks, entered the river upstream from the Scoville Island ferry, which was out of commission because of the flooding. A heavy cable strung across the river held the vessel in place as a light rain beat down.
The current was so strong, however, that it swept two of the divers past the ferry. The pair were successfully plucked from the raging waters by the crew of a small Zodiac inflatable boat positioned downstream.
But the other two men were slammed against the ferry hull by the turbulent waters, and needed both hands to hang on to keep from being sucked under.
The divers were "unable to extricate themselves until a safety boat came to their aid," says a report on the incident obtained under the Access to Information Act.
"They needed both hands to stop themselves from being swept under the ferry and couldn't use their distress flares which require both hands to fire."
The pair, Cpl. Mike Maynard and Master Cpl. Stephane Ruton, were eventually rescued by Zodiac and suffered no injuries.
"They were more pissed off than anything else," said Maj. Joe Gale, who was in charge of the training, part of an annual army exercise called Roguish Buoy. The divers were angry that the mock assault was not better planned.
The incident highlighted equipment safety lapses even though the men were successfully rescued, says the report.
For one, Maynard and Ruton could not turn on the strobe lights attached to their chests because they had to cling with both hands to the ferry hull.
Also, their safety flares were taped to their diving knives, which are strapped to their legs - too far to reach to ignite even if the men had both hands free, says Gale.
The army has since acquired infrared strobe lights for divers' chests that can be turned on before an exercise or operation begins. The infrared light cannot be detected by the human eye but can be seen clearly through military night-vision goggles, which amplify light.
Night operations can therefore still be conducted in secret. "Stealth is a significant part of what we try to do," Gale said.
The safety flares are now attached to the chest for easy access, and the military is investigating whether to use a simpler flare that requires only one hand to ignite.
Gale says the next major Roguish Buoy exercise is planned this May, though flooding will not be a problem because it's scheduled to take place along the Nova Scotia coast, near Halifax.
*************
Is Cpl Maynard from 2 CER? name seems familiar.
During the exercises one guy wrapped his safety float line around the rod for the valve, which popped his tank latch open and his tank fell out and yanked his regulator out of his mouth, luckily his buddy was beside him. That was the last time they used the J valve and rod. 