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2002-03-09 Incident
Date of Accident – 3/9/02
Date of Recovery – 3/9/02
Accident Site – Devils Ear Spring, Gilcrest County, Florida
Victim: Female
On March 9, 2002, Victim, along with two dive buddies (Buddy 1) and (Buddy 2) entered Devil’s Ear Spring at apprx. 1:10 p.m. for a single stage dive. The dive plan was for the team to go up the Main Line and jump to Hill 400, then jumped to Double Lines, and go to the Ice Room. The victim called the dive after apprx. 45 minutes on thirds. They proceeded to exit the cave the same way they entered. After Buddy 1 and Buddy 2 made it through the keyhole, they noticed that the victim had her back-up regulator in her mouth. Buddy 1 assumed that the victim needed air and several times attempted to give the victim his primary regulator. Buddy 1 reported that she stopped moving and at this time Buddy 1 put one hand on the back of her head, and the other on the victims harnass, and proceeded out of the cave, along with Buddy 2. They surfaced at apprx. 2:35 p.m. and screamed for help. The victim was pulled from the water at 2:39 p.m., assisting with this was Terry Burgess and Josh Dolan (Ginnie Springs Employees).
Terry Burgess, Josh Dolan, Rick Crawford and Craig Roberts assisted with CPR procedures until they were relieved by the Springs Ridge Volunteer Fire Department apprx. 20 minutes later. Rescue efforts continued for apprx. ½ hour at which time the victim had expired.
According to Rose Meadows (Ginnie Springs Staff), the victims gas was analyzed three times on three different analyzers. The first two times, the gas analyzed at 36% oxygen. The third time the gas analyzed at 37.6%.
The victim was full cave certified in 1999 and had apprx. 500 total dives. The victim wore a dry suit, back mounted double 100’s with an 80 cu ft stage bottle. Maximum depth victim recorded was 102′.
There were no representatives of the IUCRR at the accident scene. I was called after the fact and was supplied with the above information. This is the only information the IUCRR has available.
Larry Green
IUCRR Asst. Director/
Florida Regional Coordinator
The details below were provided by Steve Poll, NACD Int’l Safety Officer.
RescueOrRecoveryOrNearMiss = Recovery
TodaysDate = 3/9/2002
TimeOfAccident = 14:40
DateOfAccident = 3/9/2002
County/State/Country = Gilcrest County, FL
NameOfAccidentSite = Ginnie Springs
DateRecoveryStarted = performed at time of incident (3/9/2002)
TimeRecoveryStarted = 14:40
AgeOfVictim = 31
SexOfVictim = Female
VictimsHighestCertLevel = Full Cave
CertAgency =
DateOfTraining = 1999
YrsExperienceDiving =
TotalNumberOfDives = 500+
NumberOfDivesThisYear =
TrainedInCaveDiving = Yes
CaveDivingTrainingAgency =
DateOfCaveDivingTraining =
YearsExperienceCaveDiving =
TotalNumberOfCaveDives =
NumberOfCaveDivesInLastYear =
NumberOfDivesAtThisLocation =
DatesOfDivesAtThisLocation =
MaximumDepthAtLocation = 112′
DivePartnersExperience =
OriginalDivePlan
A single stage nitrox dive into the Devil’s Ear, dropping stage bottles at the Hill 400 Tunnel. Divers breathed on back mounted doubles all the way out.
MaximumKnownDepth = 102′
WaterTemp = 72
DepthBodyFound = victim was at the Keyhole and bolted upright with clenched jaw
DistanceToNearestExit = 400′
DescriptionOfSiltInArea = none
NormalVizDistance = 150′
VizDuringRecovery = 150′
WeatherConditionsAtTimeOfAccident = good
EntryConditionsAtSite = good
WetOrDrySuit = dry
FullOrShorty =
ConditionOfSuit = good
Hood =
Gloves =
Booties =
WeightBelt =
PoundsKilosOfWeight =
BuoyancyCompensator =
BCType =
DegreeOfBCInflation =
Mask =
LocationOfMask = face
ContentsOfMask = frothy blood in mask and mouth (when on surface)
Fins =
TypeOfFins =
TapedFins =
Snorkel =
Knife =
LocationOfKnife =
NumberOfTanks = 3
SizeOfTanks = 100s, 80 stage
TankMaterial = steel, Al
TankPosition = back
FillPressureAtStartOfDive =
PressureAtRecovery =
TankValveConfiguration =
PositionOfIsolationValve =
NumberOfRegulators =
BrandOfRegulators =
Octopus =
LongHose =
RegsFunctionalAtScene =
GeneralConditionOfRegulators =
StatusOfValveOpening =
PressureGauge =
PSIReadingOnGauge =
NumberOfLights =
TypeOfLights =
LightsOperational =
LocationOfLights =
NumberOfReels =
TypeOfReels =
ReelsDeployed =
LocationOfReels =
DistanceFromGuideline =
GuidelineCondition =
DepthGaugeType =
VictimsDepthGaugeReading =
Slate =
Tables =
NumberOfComputers =
TypeOfComputers =
ComputerData =
AddtionalDescriptionOfEquipment
Doubles mixture was tested at the scene and contained 37.8% nitrox. Stage mixture was tested at the scene and contained 37.6% nitrox.
EquipmentLoaned =
LoanedFromWho =
OverallConditionOfEquipment =
BodyState
Victim was at the Keyhole and bolted upright with clenched jaw. Length of time from onset to surface was about 10 minutes.
ReportPreparedBy = Bruce Campbell, NACD Regional Safety Officer
PreparersAddress
RecoveryTeamMembers
Allen Williams
Renee Erdman, Knoxville, TN
Kevin Vallinga
Bruce Campbell
OfficerInCharge