Out of Air Emergencies
Emergency Buoyant Ascent
The emergency buoyant ascent is the procedure of last resort to use when you fear you will not be able to maintain consciousness during an emergency swimming ascent.
To make an emergency buoyant ascent, remove your weight belt to establish buoyancy and allow your body to rise to the surface. Like the emergency swimming ascent, you must exhale continuously during the ascent to avoid overexpansion injury. You can slow your ascent rate by lying on your back and flaring your arms and legs out to the side.
Due to the dangers of a rapid ascent, you should never consider the emergency buoyant ascent as your first option in the event you run out of air. Instead, begin your ascent using the emergency swimming ascent. If at any time during the ascent you fear you will not be able to make it to the surface, you should then drop your weight belt to make an emergency buoyant ascent.
To make an emergency buoyant ascent, remove your weight belt to establish buoyancy and allow your body to rise to the surface. Like the emergency swimming ascent, you must exhale continuously during the ascent to avoid overexpansion injury. You can slow your ascent rate by lying on your back and flaring your arms and legs out to the side.
Due to the dangers of a rapid ascent, you should never consider the emergency buoyant ascent as your first option in the event you run out of air. Instead, begin your ascent using the emergency swimming ascent. If at any time during the ascent you fear you will not be able to make it to the surface, you should then drop your weight belt to make an emergency buoyant ascent.
