Is Scuba Diving Safe?

Is Scuba Diving Safe?- By Natalie Gibb

Link: http://scuba.about.com/od/divemedicinesafety/p/Is-Scuba-Diving-Safe-Or-Dangerous.htm

Rate: 4 Stars: I gave it 4 stars because even though the article effectively explained the risks of scuba diving and how to be safe i found there was some bias in the article towards scuba diving being extremely safe and i feel that there could of been more ways on how to be safe listed in this article.

When people think of "Scuba Diving" they think of going underwater, being unsafe and being worried that your air will run out but truly thats not the case in Scuba diving and it is not only proven in the article "Is Scuba Diving Safe?" but it is explained and shows how to be safe and what not to be worried about in the sport of scuba diving!

In the article "Is Scuba Diving Safe by Natalie Gibb" the writer talks about the factors in and deciding and preforming scuba diving and how to be safe. She explains the risk and non risk factors in the sport of scuba diving and explains the facts of death in the sport which is actually not that high and is proven when she says that "a diving fatality occurs in 1 out of every 211,864 dives" with the most common causes of death being a pre-existing disease, poor buoyancy control and rapid assent. Car accidents, pregnancy complications, skydiving and marathon runners dying of sudden cardiac arrest all have high death risks than scuba diving.She also outlines that even though the death rate is not through the roof there is still risks going below the water because "Humans are not built to breathe underwater" and that along as we use the proper equipment, guidelines and dive within our experience level that scuba diving isn't dangerous. Overall she tries to explain that scuba diving is not a dangerous sport and activity along as you prepare to be safe, follow the rules and NOT WORRY!

This article has affected me because now i have realized that scuba diving is actually a more safe sport and activity then i thought and that the death rate is quite lower then i had first imagined which makes feel much better when i plan and preform my next dive in the future. The article has also made me think about the equipment i have used in the past when i have dived and think about if it was safe and was the depth that i have dove to in my limits? In one case no i actually dove 100 feet below the ocean in Honolulu, Hawaii in which my licence only permits me to go down 60 feet which was behond my experience level for sure considering i just had got my licence a few days before the dive. In another case in Honolulu, Hawaii my own personal regulator was giving too much air out so i had to have a shorter dive and surface quicker which could of been dangerous if i have even farther than 60 feet. This has inspired me to change my behaviour to be more aware and now to dive within my limits and always check and double check all the equipment i use in the water right before i go down.

Overall i feel this article was a very good educational article for me but also potentially everyone that ever feels that they want to or are interested in scuba diving because it lists and explains the dangerous in diving and how to keep safe so i would easily recommend this article to anyone and everyone!