Scuba Diving Safety Equipment

While most dives you do are uneventful, there are occasions when things go wrong. You can never predict when this will happen, so be on the safe side and always carry a dive knife, safety sausage, whistle and compass. Make it a habit to do it on every dive. In case of emergency, these pieces of gear will greatly increase your chances of getting free from something underwater, or being found on the surface in you're lost for some reason. Safe diving in the future!

Underwater, a scuba diving compass can help you keep track of where you are, so you can surface at the correct location. Or, you can avoid some possibly dangerous currents.

On the surface, a compass can be very helpful if you are lost and the boat does not pick you up for some reason. If you know land is in a certain direction, put on your mask and snorkel, set a compass heading and start swimming in that direction. Before you start your dive, make it a point to know which direction land is from your dive spot.

To Fend off the Man-Eating Sharks!

Just joking. A diving knife can be life-saving if you get caught in some kelp or a fishing line or net or a piece of your gear, such as a strap gets stuck on something. Simple get your dive buddy to use a knife to cut you free, either by cutting the kelp or fishing line or cutting off the piece of your gear that is stuck.

A safety sausage is one of the most useful pieces of scuba diving safety equipment. You can deploy it underwater, from about 6 or 7m, as you're doing your safety stop to signal boats that you are underneath it and about to surface. It also helps alert your boat to your location so they can come pick you up.

If you're on the surface, and your boat is nowhere to be found you can deploy the sausage to alert the searchers. This also applies if you're doing shore dives, but get swept out to sea for some reason.

All divers should keep a safety sausage in their BCD pocket at all times.

You obviously can't use a whistle when scuba diving, but it's necessary if you have an emergency on the surface. Maybe someone gets injured underwater and you surface quickly. You need immediate pick-up from the boat, but they are busy with other people. Blow your whistle to get their attention.

Or, perhaps you surface at the wrong spot and can't immediately see the boat. You're getting pulled away from the site by the current. Blow your whistle, inflate your safety sausage and the boat (or any other searchers) should be able to find you.