14 



EMERGENCY DEVICES AND 

 PROCEDURES 



There are three basic categories of emer- 

 gency-related devices and procedures: 1) 

 Those designed to avoid emergency situa- 

 tions; 2) those designed to extricate the vehi- 

 cle from a submerged emergency and to as- 

 sist in resolving a surfaced emergency; and 

 3) those designed to assist rescue operations 

 when the vehicle's own emergency alterna- 

 tives fail. 



Table 14.1 presents the variety of re- 

 sponses each vehicle has at its disposal, and 

 it is accurate insofar as built-in systems 

 (weight-drops, ballast blow, hull release, 

 emergency breathing, etc.) are concerned. It 

 seems reasonable to assume that flashlights 

 and fire extinguishers are carried by all; the 

 same assumption may be incorrect where 



anchors and flares are concerned. The U.S. 

 Coast Guard requires that life preservers, 

 running lights, an anchor light and fire ex- 

 tinguisher be carried; this may be considered 

 as the minimal safety/emergency equipment 

 on all U.S. submersibles. 



EMERGENCY AVOIDANCE 

 SYSTEMS 



Devices and instruments carried on sub- 

 mersibles to avoid and warn of potential 

 emergency situations are presented in Table 

 14.2. Two factors critical to avoiding emer- 

 gencies are not included: a pre-dive checkoff 

 list and sound judgement. The former, if 

 thorough and followed, can prevent a great 



651 



