As some of you know, GUE has been doing a great deal of work in the last nine months to enhance and develop its membership, education, and services. The website now has a VERY large amount of resources for members, including training videos, course manuals, and other documents designed to keep divers up to date with changes and advancements.
If you are not a current GUE member, I hope you will consider joining or re-joining GUE. Membership support is the primary income for the organization and obviously critical to operation. If your join/renew, please use my Ed Gabe’s instructor number, 1848, as a reference. Yes, this is a shameless plug 
, but I believe in the mission of the organization and believe you are probably on the same page. The instructor corp is simply working harder to encourage people to join.
Now on to the stuff for your benefit: whether you are a current GUE member or not, I feel there are some key items that you should be aware of. This is just a preview of some of the things you will find on the GUE website as a member. As an instructor, these questions come up often, so I thought I would pass them on:
1. With regard to the pre-dive sequence GUE-EDGE:
Effective immediately the GUE‐EDGE and pre‐dive drill will be conducted as follows:
Goals – No Change
Unified Team – No Change
Equipment – During the head-to-toe Equipment Check students check regulator function by breathing their second stages. During this gas function check students should conduct the modified valve drill. Where feasible the bubble check may also be conducted at this time. Once the equipment check is completed, the modified ‘S’ drill will be conducted as a final step.
Exposure – No Change
Decompression – No Change
Gas Management – No Change
Environment – No Change
Discussion:
It has been decided to make the above change to the GUE‐EDGE as it is more logical to deal with gas related items, (regulator checks/modified valve check) at the same time during the process. The ‘S’ drill is conducted as the last item of the Equipment check, in order to confirm that no equipment manipulation has trapped the long hose. The original intent of the GUE‐EDGE was to be a flexible tool providing structure to pre‐dive planning. The situation or environment may be such that the equipment and environment items are interchanged such as during boat diving operations. In keeping with this intention, instructors should teach the GUE‐EDGE as outlined but retain the flexibility to apply it as the environment demands. Of primary importance is the notion that all items be covered in a logical manner.
2. With regard to pocket contents and placement:
The lack of standardized placement for equipment stowed in a diver’s pockets continues to create confusion among dive teams and may be considered a hazard during emergencies in which a dive buddy needs to assist an incapacitated or troubled diver. Therefore, GUE has agreed to standardize the placement of equipment in a diver’s pockets. While it is understood that arguments might be made on all sides it has been agreed that the diver’s left pocket will hold “utility” equipment while the right pocket should hold “safety” equipment. This convention allows divers to become familiar with placement which will best serve them in all diving scenarios. For example, a diver using a scooter can access “utility” items while scootering. Utility items include but are not limited to a primary SMB, double end clips, stage carry loops, jump spools etc.; safety items include a reserve SMB, spare mask, safety spool, wet notes etc.
3. With regard to gas analysis tape on cylinders:
In order to create a standardized placement for analysis tape the following
placements should be used as a guideline:
Note: Doubles orientation refers to placement while on the diver’s back.
• Doubles configuration – Clearly visible on the tank neck, on the right, inside.
• Singles configuration – Clearly visible on the tank neck, centered, inside.
• Stage/Deco Configuration – Clearly visible, on the tank neck, right hand side
of the stage strap.
Discussion:
While this has not presented a huge issue in the past, it was noted that analysis tape
that is placed on the outside areas of the cylinders, was getting
rubbed/scraped/soaked off during longer duration, more aggressive dives. While it
is as recognized that the analysis tape is of limited value once the dive has
commenced, standardized placement will protect the tape and make it available
easy visual verification.
There is a whole lot more useful information and updates like this on the GUE website for those who are members.
Dive Safe,
Duane Johnson
Precision Diving
About Duane Johnson
