ntroduction
This work examined the possibility of performing effective basic life support (BLS) on small rescue boats at sea. Within the UK Offshore Oil Industry, as in many other organisations, the recovery and rescue of survivors immersed in the sea is largely undertaken by dedicated personnel operating from fast rescue craft (FRC) – open semi-rigid inflatables – and daughter craft (DC). DC may differ from standard FRCs in being larger and having a facility that provides shelter from the elements for the crew of three and a limited number of survivors. DC are normally carried on board, and work in conjunction with, a standby vessel (mother ship known as emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV). DC are designed to operate independently at some distance from the ERRV, rather than only being launched in an emergency. The estimated time for rescue of a casualty and return to the ERRV ranges between 6.6 and 46.6 min depending on the nature of the incident and the conditions prevailing at the time.1 FRC/DC have a crew of three comprising a Coxswain and two Boatmen.
Inherent in their role is the expectation that DC crew should be capable of providing first aid care, including BLS, if required. However, it is reported that many crew believe their only real role is to return casualties to the ERRV as fast as possible, and that survivor care is not practical.2 Golden et al. 3 consider that the likelihood of correctly detecting a cardiac arrest and performing effective and sustained chest compression (CC) in the conditions that prevail onboard a DC is poor and do not recommend it. This advice is opinion, rather than evidence-based, as no previous work has examined chest compression performance in a small boat at sea. The aim of the present work was to examine the hypothesis that the ability to perform BLS on a small boat at sea would be impaired significantly when compared with that seen in the medical facilities onboard the much larger ERRV.