Safety Operations:

An active certified Dive Professional, EMT-FR, EMT-B, or Paramedic will be on duty whenever Pennyroyal Scuba Center Blue Springs Park is open for diving to the public. These individuals are trained in oxygen administration, first-aid, AED & CPR procedures, as well as rescue breathing and airway obstruction. A long spine board is available for open water patrol & rescue. A first aid station is located adjacent to the changing rooms on the 2^nd level. In the event of any emergency, a staff member of the park MUST be notified. Staff members can be identified by their royal blue polo shirts or rash guard with Staff or Staff Member on the back. At that time the staff member shall enact the plan as listed below. A first aid kit & oxygen kit are also located on the tank shuttle for immediate access.

Emergency Evacuation:

In all emergencies, Christian County EOC “Emergency Operations Center” must be contacted immediately by calling 911. Give your name, detailed location and any other pertinent information that is required. Bring someone with you when making an emergency call so that someone can stay by the phone for at least 3 minutes for any return calls. In the event of a life-threatening emergency, request the following. (Listed by distance closest to park)

Air Evac 10 (Air Ambulance) located at 426 W 19^th St Hopkinsville Ky. Phone 270-881-5927

If unavailable

PHI Air Medical Greenville Ky. 1-888-807-0682

If unavailable

Vanderbilt Life Flight Clarksville TN.

(Air Evac 10 or 151 Primary, PHI Air Medical Secondary & Vanderbilt Life Flight Secondary)

Diving accidents including but not limited to.

1. Near Drowning with loss of consciousness

First call 911 and request EMS & Air Evac 10 while the victim is being removed from the water in an unconscious condition. Preform rescue breathing or CPR if the victim is not breathing or has no pulse until EMS arrives. Designate another staff member to take notes about victim from dive buddies or instructor if apart of a training class.

2. Arterial Gas Embolism

Although rare, this is a very serious diving injury. Whenever the victim is suspected of experiencing an AGE as it is commonly called, Air Evac 10 must be contacted. Sign & symptoms can include: all convulsions (seizure activity), unconsciousness, bloody froth at the mouth, partial or full paralysis, ect.

3. Trauma

Any trauma such as uncontrolled bleeding, deformities to limbs, ect requires immediate evacuation. Call Christian Co EOC and request EMS immediately. Air transport determination will be at EMS discretion of responding EMS unit.

4. Decompression Sickness or Illness (DSI / DCI)

This can be a very serious diving injury. A diver may ascend too quickly and get the bends (nitrogen bubbles formed in the blood stream). Sign & symptoms can include: Sever immobility, paralysis (full or partial), convulsions, itchy skin, sever joint pain, ect. First aid treatment prior to EMS arrival includes oxygen administration in all the above emergency situations, First Aid if required & CPR if required. Air ambulance must be notified for transport to hyperbaric chamber for evaluation and treatment.

5. Missing Diver Protocol

(If Buddy Team): The dive buddy that surfaces first must complete the Lost Buddy procedure that includes looking 360 degrees for their buddy for no more than a minute before surfacing and looking. After surfacing, the diver may allow time for lost buddy to surface. Recommended no more than 5 minutes after surfacing. If the lost buddy isn’t located, the diver must exit water and notify park staff of the lost dive buddy.

Park Protocol for Missing Buddy: Recall system shall be initiated and recalling all divers out of the water for count. After 10 minutes and missing diver is not found, activation of EMS & Rescue shall be made. Park operations shall cease and no admittance into the park during an emergency response. Staff shall be posted at main gate to ensure that only authorized personnel enter the park property.

Search divers shall be deployed to start searching the last known point of contact. Search shall continue until diver is found. If found responsive, the diver shall be escorted to the surface and exit the water to meet dive buddy and park management. If unresponsive, search divers shall bring the diver to the surface in a safe manner. Once at the surface first aid including CPR shall be initiated until EMS arrival.

Park Protocol for Solo Diver (Missing):

All divers that are Solo certified are required to file a dive plan for each dive they plan to make. This plan must include planned time of entry, direction of travel (dive sites visiting) starting pressure, planned ending pressure & planned exit time. Solo divers will be allowed no more than 10 minutes past planned exit time before the recall system shall be deployed. After 10 Minutes with no contact, search divers will be deployed to follow the divers plan in attempt to locate. EMS & Rescue will also be activated at that time. If the missing solo diver hears the recall, they shall surface safely if they can or deploy their SMB (Safety Marker Bouy) to alert staff of their location underwater. Park operations shall cease and no admittance into the park during an emergency response. Staff shall be posted at main gate to ensure that only authorized personnel enter the park property

Both missing buddy/solo diver protocol must be initiated by park staff no more than 10 minutes after the deployment of the recall system.

Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)

The GPS coordinates for air ambulances to land at the park is:

N 36’51.676 Longitude. W 087’28.050 Latitude

To designate the area for a landing site (LZ) the site is located on the 3^rd level just below the RV camper area. Optionally EMS may choose to transport to the hospital landing pad which Air Evac is based at. As well, the Hopkinsville Christian Co Airport is another optional LZ.

Victim Preparation for Air Ambulance:

The victim after receiving first aid treatment must be prepared for air evacuation and brought to the LZ via EMS for transfer of care. The victim must be placed on the Long Spine Board and secured with safety straps while waiting to transport.

Air Evacuation Procedures:

Dive related accidents: First call Christian Co EOC (911) or at 270-890-1300 to request that EMS and Air Evac be dispatched Immediately to Pennyroyal Scuba Center 602 Christian Quarry Rd, Hopkinsville Ky if you suspect the injury was diving related i.e. AGE or Bends. The next call is to Divers Alert Network (DAN) at 1-919-684-8111 to report the nature of the accident, location and any other information requested. For immediate life threats, victims will be transported to Jennie Stuart Medical Center Hopkinsville as the closest hospital.

Hyperbaric Chambers that can treat divers:

Regional One Health Medical Center Memphis, TN (901) 545-8999 Diver Chamber

(185 Miles)

St Vincent Evansville In. 3801 Bellemeade Ave Suite 110 (812)485-7330 (77 Miles)

(Not Available on Weekends)

Tri-Star Skyline Medical Center Nashville TN (59 Miles)

Quick Reference Contact Information: (Bold contacts MUST be contacted in an emergency)

Christian Co Emergency Operations Center (911 Emergency or 270-890-1300 Non-Emergency Line)

Air Evac 10 Hopkinsville Base (270-881-9527) 1-800-247-3822 Emergency Transport)

Air Evac 151 Clarksville TN Base (1-800-247-3822 Emergency Transport)

Vanderbilt Life Flight 3 Clarksville TN (1-800-288-8111 Emergency Transport)

PHI 6 Greenville KY (1-888-807-0682 Emergency Dispatch)

Jennie Stuart Medical Center (270-887-0100 Main Hospital Number)

Tri-Star Skyline Medical Center (615-769-2000 Main Hospital Number)

Divers Alert Network DAN (1-919-684-9111 Emergency Hotline)

Directions To Jennie Stuart Medical Center from the Park

Turn left at the 1st cross street onto McLean Ave 0.7 mi

Turn right onto E 9th St 0.6 mi

Turn left onto S Main St 0.2 mi

Turn right onto W 14th St 0.2 mi

Continue onto Canton St 0.2 mi

Turn left at Kenton St

Destination will be on the right

Medical/Accident/Diver Emergency Flow Chart

For all Medical or Trauma incidents, Park Staff MUST be notified

Trained personnel should use the current American Heart Assn (AHA) Algorithms or their First Aid/CPR training. Park medical staff shall be current EMT-FR, EMT-B, EMT-A or EMT-Paramedic licensed by the State of Kentucky for Pre Hospital Care.

All staff members are a minimum trained to FA/CPR level

1-919-684- 9111 For Diving Emergencies Only