Read Aloud the Text Content

This audio was created by Woord's Text to Speech service by content creators from all around the world.

Text Content or SSML code:

By the end of this topic, you should be able to answer these questions: 1 What is the procedure for putting on a deco/bailout cylinder? 2 What is the procedure for removing and staging a deco/bailout cylinder? Donning Cylinders Where you put on your cylinders depends on your configuration, the dive site and dive conditions. If possible, many divers prefer to put on their sidemount, bailout and deco cylinders in the water. If it's not possible to put on your cylinders in the water, you'll have to don them before entering the water. Follow these steps for donning a deco/bailout cylinder. Confirm all hoses are still secured to avoid entanglement. To attach a deco/bailout cylinder on your left side (the most common configuration), hold the bottom clip with your left hand and clip it to the left hip D-ring. Pull the cylinder up and secure the upper clip to the chest D-ring. You can choose to reverse this sequence. Confirm that the cylinder hasn’t trapped any gear you need to access. Confirm that the valve is closed, although the regulator should be pressurized. image placeholder for 730x365 Wearing Cylinders As just mentioned, it's most common to wear deco/bailout cylinders on the left to avoid entanglement with the long hose and leave easy access to equipment from one side. If wearing a deco/bailout cylinder on the right, be sure the long hose ends up outside the clips and D-rings so the cylinder does not trap it. Image place holder for images that are 365x365 Photo credit Jon Milnes Multiple Cylinders At Tec 40 Diver level, you'll only use one deco cylinder. However, even with multiple deco/stage cylinders it's most common to wear them all on the left, for the reasons just explained. Sidemount divers or divers using stainless steel deco cylinders may prefer to put one on each side. You can learn more about using multiple cylinders in the PADI Tec 50 Diver course. Staging and Retrieving After you’re comfortable removing and replacing a deco cylinder stationary, you learn to do so while swimming. This is often easier because, although there are several ways to do it, you’ll have a plan agreed with your team mates to drop and pick up cylinders in the right place, without getting in each other’s way, but staying together as a team. It also saves time, which may be important in a gas sharing emergency situation. To stage a cylinder while swimming: Begin by removing the cylinder while swimming as you approach the staging point – you’ll work out how long this takes with a bit of experience – so that it is ready to drop when you reach the point. Remember to confirm that the valve is closed and regulator pressurized. Stage your cylinder, remembering you’ll need to reduce your buoyancy slightly when you let it go. Use a dump valve that allows you to stay horizontal. Secure the cylinder to something as appropriate, then move on so the next team member can follow. When retrieving a cylinder: As you approach your cylinder, remember that you’ll need to increase your buoyancy as you pick up the cylinder. Release the cylinder from where it's secured and continue swimming (assuming you're not at a decompression stop) while putting it on. You’ll start learning to do this on Tec 40 Dive Two. Guidelines If you stage cylinders, you must be certain that you can return to where you can retrieve them. Do not leave cylinders if getting disoriented and being unable to find them, or having them swept into current, are realistic possibilities – open ocean, wreck dives, etc. Sometimes it’s reasonable to run a line from your staged cylinders to where you’re diving.