Divers Alert Network has published its 30th annual report on diving accidents and fatalities.
Over the years, the reports have evolved as DAN and the diving community have learned and improved reporting procedures. Additionally, overall diving incident knowledge has also improved.
According to DAN President and CEO Bill Ziefle:
“The incidents and issues we identify through these reports have changed a lot over the past 30 years, although some of what we’re seeing isn’t new.”
With the current issue being an anniversary report, DAN included a list of its activities from 1981 through 2016. These show that DAN staff have answered 86,336 emergency calls and 64,830 emails amongst the nearly half-a-million medical inquiries they have received over the years.
The report casts an interesting glance on how diving and diving incidents have evolved over the last 30 years.
Ziefle says:
“The first reports were important because they defined the types of injuries that divers could incur. At the time, interest in diving was exploding, and there were record numbers of both divers and injuries. Diver training was still evolving, and knowledge of the injuries and proper first aid for them was not yet widespread.”
DAN members can download the annual report here.
