[Boatanchors] Medical Emergency Interrupts Global Glow

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Last evening the finest hour of Amateur Radio once again shone through the
minority of misfits and malcontents that have infiltrated our ranks over the
past several decades. If you have listened around to the ethnic slurs, vulgar
language and assorted personality disorders that populate certain frequencies,
than you know of what I am speaking. As I said, these are the minority, and last
evening on 14.320 Mhz usb the greatness and glory of Ham Radio shone as bright
as old Sol does when he flings a flare.	
	
I had moved the Global Glow up to 14.322 Mhz usb to avoid the psychotic comedy
hour that seems to have taken root on 14.313 Mhz. Things were progressing
normally, although the band was quite long and then went into spasms of not sure
whether it was going to be short, long or somewhere in between. I was chatting
with 2E0PJT when a station broke in and asked if I would suspennd operations
because I was interfering with emergency medical assistance being conducted on
14.320 Mhz usb. I immediately shut down and asked all stations to remain silent
until we were told the emergency had been resolved and it was all right to
resume operating. Everyone cooperated, immediately. I switched to monitor 14.320
Mhz usb. 	
	
A woman named Marsha was on a boat off the coastal waters of Mexico, I think.
Coral Island was mentioned, I am not sure where it is. A Texas Ham K5SIV had a
phone patch to a medical doctor in operation. Another doctor who was on a boat
in the vicinity, was also helping via Ham radio. 	
	
The woman had been diving. She had come up rather abruptly about 77 feet, but
not to the surface. Apparently someone spotted sharks and tapped her on the
scuba gear tanks as a signal of possible danger. The danger passed and she went
back down to whatever depth she had been at. When she surfaced later, the
medical problems began.	
	
Not exactly the 'bends', Nitrogen Narcosis, but similar. The situation was six
hours old when I tuned in. The doctor thought the symptoms were as bad as they
were going to become, due to the elapsed time. Hence he did not suggest an air
rescue. They gave her boat coordinates for Coral Island. it was night, but the
boat did have radar aboard. No obstacles in the course were known and a journey
through these waters in the dark should be uneventful. Other boats were
switching to marine frequencies to assist as needed in getting the She Wolf to
Coral Island, some six hours distant. 	
	
This marine medical emergency was extremely well handled by Robert K5SIV, who
was the source of the phone patch to the physician and key information relay
station. All participating parties did an outstanding job of getting Marsha the
help she needed. This is what Amateur Radio is supposed to be about, brothers
and sisters helping each other with whatever it is that is needed. I was very
proud to be a Ham Radio operator as I listened to this real life drama unfold
and being resolved through very professional conduct and mutual cooperation. 	
	
Duane Fischer, W8DBF