Divers Alert Network

09/16/2026

As you ascend to altitude, the surrounding atmospheric pressure drops. This reduction in pressure can cause residual nitrogen dissolved in your tissues from diving to form bubbles, increasing the risk of decompression sickness (DCS).

Keep these recommended minimum preflight surface intervals in mind when planning dive travel:
• Single-day, no-decompression dive → 12 hours minimum
• Multiple days of diving or repetitive no-decompression dives → 18 hours minimum
• Dives requiring mandatory decompression stops or using heliox or trimix → 24 hours minimum

Extending your surface interval before flying provides an additional safety margin and may further reduce your risk of DCS.

✈️🔗 For guidelines on flying after diving, visit dan.org/flying-after-diving/.

Note: These recommendations apply to divers who are not experiencing DCS symptoms and who will be flying at typical commercial aircraft cabin altitudes of 2,000–8,000 feet (610–2,438 m). If you experience any signs or symptoms of DCS, avoid flying and seek medical evaluation immediately.

09/14/2026

The DANcast recently welcomed NAUI Worldwide representatives Beth Postell and Victoria Gonzalez. Together, they discuss NAUI’s history as the oldest recreational scuba training agency and its mission of "Dive Safety Through Education.”

Beth and Victoria explain the agency’s "Loved One Concept,” a philosophy that encourages instructors to train divers to a standard they would trust with their own family members. They also discuss skill mastery, effective communication, NAUI’s collaborations with DAN, and practical advice for new and returning divers.

▶️ Watch the full episode at https://youtu.be/w2Q1aQ_Ebfg. (Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.)

The DANcast welcomes NAUI Worldwide representatives Beth Postell, v...

09/13/2026

Running out of air is rarely about air alone.

Gas management is a fundamental skill, and every diver is trained to understand air consumption, monitor tank pressure, know the limits of their available supply, and maintain adequate reserves. Yet running out of breathing gas remains a surprisingly common dive incident and a leading cause of diving fatalities. Out-of-air emergencies rarely stem from a single cause.

📉 Take depth, for example: Gas consumption increases dramatically as a diver descends, reducing available bottom time and increasing the gas needed for a safe ascent. Combined with exertion, extended dive times, or missed pressure checks, a manageable dive can become an out-of-air emergency faster than many divers realize.

Often, an emergency results from the accumulation of small factors, such as depth, exertion, anxiety, procedural oversights, and equipment issues that increase gas consumption, rather than one critical mistake. Even experienced divers can find themselves in these situations.

Review the most common causes of out-of-air emergencies at dan.org/most-common-causes-of-out-of-air-emergencies.

09/12/2026

The AUAS/DAN Dive Medicine Research Scholarship supports student researchers whose work can improve dive safety worldwide. The scholarship encourages early-career investigators to explore critical questions in diver health and expand our understanding of human physiology in the underwater environment.

Applications are open through September 30, 2026. For more information, visit dan.org/auas-dan-dive-medicine-research-scholarship/.

Explore the AUAS/DAN Dive Medicine Research Scholarship and its role in advancing diver health and safety through innovative research.

09/10/2026

DAN and Garmin have announced the integration of the DAN Emergency Hotline with Garmin’s inReach® emergency response pathway for DAN members.

The new integration connects Garmin’s global satellite-based emergency coordination capabilities* with DAN’s dive medicine expertise, strengthening support for divers in remote environments.

🛰️🤿 For more information, visit dan.org/dan-garmin-collaboration.

*Active satellite subscription required. Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit satellite communication devices; it is the user’s responsibility to know and follow all applicable laws.

DAN and Garmin announced the integration of the DAN Emergency Hotline into Garmin’s inReach® emergency response pathway for DAN members, strengthening support for divers in remote environments.

09/09/2026

After completing 11 dives over seven days, a diver began experiencing dizziness 40 minutes after surfacing.

At first, the symptoms seemed easy to explain away as fatigue and exertion.

The diver initially declined an ambulance and was reluctant to go to the hospital, saying they felt much better. But when they attempted to leave the boat, they could not walk without assistance.

The diver's condition worsened as hours passed, leading to seizures and admission to the ICU. The diver was not diagnosed with decompression sickness (DCS) until two days after the last dive.

The diver ultimately recovered after three hyperbaric chamber treatments, but this incident is a reminder that delays in recognizing DCS can significantly affect outcomes.

When DCS is suspected:
✔ Administer 100% oxygen immediately.
✔ Seek prompt medical evaluation.
✔ Call the 24/7 DAN Emergency Hotline (+1-919-684-9111) as soon as possible for assistance with your care.

When it comes to DCS, time matters. Don't dismiss symptoms after a dive.

Read the full story at dan.org/denial-and-delayed-treatment.

09/08/2026

From the first exploratory scuba dives on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald to expeditions at the bottom of Belize's Great Blue Hole, Terrence Tysall has spent more than four decades exploring some of the world's most remote underwater environments.

On this episode of The DANcast, the NAUI Worldwide Director of Training discusses deep cave systems, historic shipwreck exploration, scientific expeditions, and the mission of the Cambrian Foundation.

▶️ Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/wPGgWQLEJwQ

The conversation also examines the importance of conservation and why thoughtful, comprehensive training remains one of the most important investments divers can make in their safety underwater.

Terrence Tysall has spent more than four decades exploring some of ...

09/03/2026

A dive trip filled with unforgettable wildlife sightings took an unexpected turn when diver Mary McCombie suffered a severe facial injury in Magdalena Bay.

While snorkeling during a baitball encounter, striped bonitos bit through her lower lip and into her chin.

Through coordination between the liveaboard crew, Los Cabos medical providers, and DAN, Mary received evacuation assistance, urgent medical care, and reconstructive surgery.

"What I had hoped for and can now confirm is how good DAN insurance is and how well DAN partners with dive operators and medical facilities. I now have a nearly invisible pair of scars and one heck of a story."
— Mary McCombie, DAN Member

🐟🪡 Read her full story in Alert Diver magazine at dan.org/bitten-by-bonitos/.

08/31/2026

What’s behind a safe tank fill?

DAN staff visited a local dive shop to ask about their fill station safety practices and the actions they take to help maintain breathing gas quality.

Questions to ask the next time you get a fill:
• How often do you test your air quality?
• Can I see your latest air-quality test certificate?
• How often is the compressor serviced?
• Do you test for carbon monoxide (CO)?

Divers have a role to play, too. Conduct a predive gas check on every cylinder and analyze your gas. If the gas smells or tastes off, or if testing detects carbon monoxide (CO), don’t dive it.

Learn more about breathing gas safety at DAN.org/breathing-gas-safety-basics.

08/28/2026

“In the end, I want to tell a good story. I need the technical dive skills to do it safely, and I want to be visually creative to communicate differently.”

Throughout her career, Jill Heinerth has ventured into underwater environments few people will ever see. Driven by curiosity and supported by the preparation and technical skills such dives demand, she has spent decades in underwater caves and other remote environments, sharing discoveries made along the way.

Through photography, film, and writing, Heinerth brings audiences into these hidden places, illuminating the science, conservation, and human stories beneath the surface.

Revisit this 2020 Alert Diver profile of Jill Heinerth: dan.org/shooter-jill-heinerth/

📷 Jill Heinerth
✍️ Stephen Frink