Divers Alert Network

11/02/2026

Preparing capable first aid responders starts with well-trained instructors. 🤿

Over the last three days, DAN Instructors, Instructor Trainers, and Examiners came together for the Pre-DEMA Instructor Qualification Course (IQC) and Instructor Trainer Qualification Course (ITQC), strengthening their skills and confidence to train others to respond to dive-related emergencies.

Through Powered By DAN, dive training agencies incorporate the content, skills, and standards of DAN’s basic life support, CPR, oxygen administration, and other courses into their e-learning platforms. DAN’s goal is to have capable first aid providers at every dive site.

Thank you to everyone who trained with us.

To learn more about DAN’s courses and becoming a DAN Instructor, visit dan.org/instructor-led-courses.

10/30/2026

A fatal incident at Buford Sink in Florida highlights the importance of proper training, equipment configuration, and gas planning when diving at depth or in an overhead environment.

After completing their first dive, two divers discussed whether they had adequate gas for a second dive to approximately 140 feet. One diver was also overheard discussing a possible cylinder leak. They submerged for their second dive shortly afterward.

One diver was later found unresponsive at the surface. The second was recovered at a depth of 137 feet near the permanent cave line. Both divers had little to no gas remaining in their cylinders.

Post-incident examination found the scuba equipment to be functioning. A slight leak was identified where one diver’s yoke first-stage regulator met the cylinder valve, but the leak stopped after the yoke was readjusted.

Although it is difficult to determine exactly what triggered the accident on the second dive, the divers’ plan to explore beyond their limits increased the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome.

• KNOW YOUR CYLINDER CAPACITY. The divers were using 53- and 72-cubic-foot aluminum cylinders, considerably smaller than a standard aluminum 80. An SPG indicates cylinder pressure, not gas volume. A given pressure does not represent the same quantity of breathing gas across cylinders with different rated capacities.
• ESTABLISH TURN PRESSURES AND MINIMUM GAS RESERVES. Gas planning should be conducted on every dive, with adequate reserves available for sharing gas in an emergency. Turn pressures and minimum gas reserves should be agreed upon by all team members before the dive.
• RESPECT TRAINING LIMITS. Buford Sink has a large cavern area extending beyond the recreational limit of 130 feet, as well as a cave system. Diving in overhead environments or at depths beyond the recreational limit requires proper training, equipment, and gas supply.
• CONDUCT THOROUGH PRE-DIVE CHECKS. Buddies should check equipment before the dive and conduct a bubble check near the surface when possible.

Read the case summary at dan.org/buford-sink-dual-fatality.

10/29/2026

University students: Help shape the future of human undersea exploration. 🌊

The 2051 Sea Odyssey University Challenge, supported by the Office of Naval Research and developed in collaboration with DAN, DEEP, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and The University of Utah, is calling on undergraduate and graduate student teams to tackle a real-world challenge facing professional divers.

The theme, “Underwater Tools and Logistics Planning,” asks teams to design and/or prototype solutions that help divers work more safely and effectively underwater. Two finalist teams will pitch their solutions at DEEP in Florida in spring 2027, with DAN-sponsored travel.

📅 Apply by Nov. 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET (No registration fee)

Learn more and apply, or share this opportunity with an eligible student:
dan.org/research-reports/2051-sea-odyssey/university-challenge/

10/28/2026

Earlier this month, the dive community gathered in Cozumel, Mexico, for the Scuba Diving International Congress, with several days focused on dive safety, education, and emergency preparedness.

During the 18th DAN Diving Safety Seminar, Dr. Gustavo Mauvecin, Dr. Darío Gómez, and Dr. Cuauhtémoc Sánchez shared their expertise on topics including dyspnea prevention and myths and realities in diving. Dr. Gómez also presented “Technology and Safety in Diving.”

The congress included the DAN Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries course, providing divers and dive professionals with an additional opportunity to strengthen their emergency response knowledge and skills.

Thank you to the speakers, organizers, and participants for sharing their knowledge and experiences — and for their commitment to dive safety and continuing education.

¡Gracias, Cozumel! 🤿

10/26/2026

What does it mean to “dive” without getting wet?

Pressure changes aren’t limited to the underwater environment. Recompression chambers, decompression chambers, and saturation systems allow people to experience conditions similar to those encountered at depth while remaining dry, creating what we might think of as a “dry dive.”

For scuba divers, recompression chambers are especially relevant. When treating decompression illness, an injured diver is returned to pressure and receives oxygen according to an appropriate treatment protocol.

However, not every hyperbaric chamber is the same, and not every chamber is ready or appropriate for emergency recompression. Even if a chamber can reach a suitable pressure, the facility may not be available, appropriately staffed, medically prepared, or willing to provide treatment.

DAN maintains a global Recompression Chamber Network, a database of hyperbaric chambers with the capability and willingness to treat injured divers, helping DAN’s dive medicine team identify suitable facilities during dive emergencies.

Read “Dry Diving in a Hyperbaric System” in Alert Diver: dan.org/dry-diving-in-a-hyperbaric-system

✍️ Francois Burman
📷 Stephen Frink

10/26/2026

Join PADI, DAN, and industry leaders at DEMA Show 2026 for Women in Diving: Insights, Action & Community.

On Wednesday, November 4, this interactive event will bring together dive professionals to explore the future of women in diving through live audience polling, industry insights, collaborative workshops, and networking opportunities.

Together, attendees will explore ways to strengthen and grow the diving community. Hosted by PADI and sponsored by DAN, this event offers a chance to connect with industry peers, share perspectives, and help shape the future of diving. All are welcome to attend.

📍 New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Room 294
🗓️ Wednesday, November 4
⏰ 2–6 p.m.

Register here:

Join us at DEMA for an interactive experience bringing together dive professionals and leaders to explore the future of women in diving,

10/23/2026

Bring your perspective to the conversation. Women in Diving: Insights, Action & Community brings dive professionals together for industry insights, interactive workshops and networking at DEMA.

Join us Wednesday, November 4, from 2:00–6:00 p.m. in Room 294 at the New Orleans Convention Center.

Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2001400244006?aff=oddtdtcreator

Join us at DEMA for an interactive experience bringing together dive professionals and leaders to explore the future of women in diving,

10/21/2026

Can you tell the difference between these two scuba cylinder valves? 🔍 (See the bottom of this post for the answer.)

“Almost fits” is not the same as “compatible” when it comes to cylinder valves. A common mismatch occurs between M25 × 2 metric valves and 3/4-inch National Pipe Straight Mechanical (NPSM) cylinder threads, which are the most common in the U.S.

Although the valves may appear compatible initially, differences in thread dimensions and pitch can cause an M25 valve to begin threading into a 3/4-inch NPSM cylinder before binding.

Forcing the valve through this resistance can cross-thread the cylinder, cause galling and thread damage, compromise the seal, and potentially lead to catastrophic consequences. Never force a valve-cylinder connection that doesn’t thread smoothly by hand.

When it comes to life-support equipment, proper parts and servicing matter.

Read the article at DAN.org/mismatched-scuba-valves-to-cylinder-outlets.

✍️ Mark A. Gresham and Francois Burman

Answer: The valve on the left is a 3/4-inch NPSM valve designed for use with 3/4-inch NPSM cylinder threads. The valve on the right is an M25 × 2 metric valve that can erroneously thread into a 3/4-inch NPSM cylinder neck for about three to five turns before it begins to bind.

10/20/2026

🩺 Are you due for a fitness-to-dive evaluation?

DAN’s Guidelines for Lifelong Medical Fitness to Dive outline when divers should complete medical questionnaires and physical evaluations based on age and other factors. Built on DAN’s injury and incident data, the guidelines help divers make informed decisions about their health and better understand when a fitness-to-dive evaluation may be appropriate.

📞 Questions about medical fitness to dive? Contact the DAN Medical Information Line at +1-919-684-2948 (Option 4), weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

View the guidelines, designed for divers, dive professionals, and physicians: dan.org/schedule-for-lifelong-medical-fitness-to-dive-evaluation/

10/20/2026

The DANcast welcomed Barry Lipsky, president of the Long Island Divers Association (LIDA), public safety diving instructor, firefighter, and EMT. Barry shares how his early love of diving evolved into a lifelong commitment to dive safety and advocacy.

In the episode, he discusses LIDA's efforts to protect access to dive sites on Long Island, including the successful campaign to save the Old Ponquogue Bridge dive site and work that helped create the 12-Mile Reef.

Barry also reflects on more than 50 years of diving experience and decades in public safety diving and emergency response, offering his perspective on liveaboard safety, emergency preparedness, and evaluating dive operators before a trip.

▶️ Watch the full episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf33DJnXxUE.

Barry Lipsky is the president of the Long Island Divers Association...