116 | Injured Scuba Divers now have a portable hyperbaric treatment chamber!

This new breakthrough version of a hyperbaric chamber is making it much safer to dive! The technology has been around for a while, but making it THIS lightweight, compact, easy to transport and setup (with just two people!) is a big deal in my book. This allows dive operators to bring along hyperbaric chamber treatment almost anywhere in the world (it can fit in the back of a pickup truck). It is called the “Hyperlite 1” Portable Hyperbaric Chamber.

And the fact that two guys can set it up in 15 minutes is wild.

When divers get “the bends” underwater (decompression sickness), they need to quickly be transported to a hyperbaric chamber for treatment. This often involves a long time between the emergency call, EMS, and the drive (or quite often, a life flight) to a hyperbaric treatment facility. It also requires the facility to be open, unoccupied, and ready.

Having a portable hyperbaric chamber that can pack up and deploy is a big deal. While the price tag is high for an individual diver, the cost-benefit for a busy dive center or remote tourist destination seems worth it.

Follow the Dive 1st Aid YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Dive1stAid

www.dive1staid.com

Special Thanks:

SOS Group

Underwater scooter video footage supplied by Rotinor GmbH

Rebreather footage provided by SIEL srl

Photo Credits:

Original Hyperlite 1 Prototype - By John Selby

Hyperlite 1 in Aircraft - By Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey, USAF

Hyperlite 1 in Stryker INF - By Bradley Peterson, Former USN

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Kenny Dyal is the host of The Scuba Diving Podcast

www.sweetwaterscuba.com