Creating an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

An Emergency Action Plan is a simple, site-specific outline of what to do if something goes wrong. You may never need it, but the act of building one clarifies roles, exposes assumptions, and strengthens team communication before a dive where decisions will matter.

At a Glance

• Purpose: Give a team clear direction in the first minutes of an emergency
• Applies to: Self-organized teams, local site dives, and remote locations
• Core value: The planning discussion, not the document itself
• Key elements: Roles, contacts, access points, equipment, communication
• Outcome: Faster decisions and fewer assumptions under stress

Emergencies in recreational diving are rare. When they happen, confusion and hesitation often cause more harm than the initial problem. A simple written EAP gives a dive team a shared plan for the critical first steps. You do not need to be a professional to create one. You only need to think ahead, write clearly, and make sure the team reviews it before the dive.

The real benefit is not having a document to read during an emergency. The benefit is the discussion that happens while building it. That conversation exposes assumptions, clarifies ownership, and reinforces the communication habits described in Human Factors in Diving and Psychological Safety.

Why Every Team Needs an EAP

High-stress situations narrow focus. Small uncertainties become delays. People assume someone else is making the call. Even experienced divers fall into this when the plan changes abruptly.

A good EAP helps the team:

• Know who is doing what instead of negotiating roles during the incident
• Call for help faster because contact details are already known
• Guide responders accurately with site access, coordinates, and landmarks
• Support the team leader with clear structure during a chaotic moment
• Prevent avoidable mistakes caused by stress, noise, or cognitive overload

If you are already using structured checklists or team briefs, an EAP is the next logical step. It aligns directly with situational awareness by reducing the mental load required to respond when something goes wrong.

Who Creates the EAP?

When someone else should handle it

• Charter boats, dive shops, or guided operations
• Organized classes or training programs
• Commercial or professionally staffed dives

Professional operations often have internal emergency protocols. They do not always provide them to divers, but it is reasonable to ask simple questions that clarify expectations:

• Who is the point of contact if an incident occurs
• Where the oxygen kit is located
• How emergency communication will be handled on this site

These questions are not challenges to authority. They are part of responsible diving.

When you should create your own

• Self-organized buddy dives
• Local quarries, lakes, or private-access sites
• Dives in remote or lightly trafficked areas
• Team-led or club dives without professional staff
• Returning to sites you know well but have never documented

Dives without professional oversight benefit greatly from clear, written expectations. Without that clarity, teams rely on assumptions that often break under stress.

What a Good EAP Contains

Your EAP only needs to accomplish one thing: make the first ten minutes of an emergency organized and predictable. Keep it short, readable, and site-specific.

Site Details

• Site name and description
• GPS coordinates or nearest address
• Entry and exit points
• Landmarks for emergency responders
• Any gates, codes, or access constraints

Emergency Contacts

• Local EMS or 911 equivalent
• Nearest hospital: address, phone, estimated travel time
• Nearest hyperbaric chamber: location, contact, travel time
• DAN Emergency Hotline: +1 919 684 9111
• Landowner, park ranger, or site manager (if relevant)

Evacuation Routes

• Fastest path to the road or parking area
• Where EMS vehicles can stage safely
• How to move an injured diver from the water to land

Communication Plan

• Primary phone numbers for all divers
• Backup communication options: VHF radio, satellite device, or GPS beacon
• Radio or channel information if operating in marine or park environments

Team Roles

• Who calls EMS
• Who manages the injured diver
• Who controls the scene and coordinates responders
• Who gathers equipment, forms, or logs

These roles are flexible. The goal is not rigidity but clarity.

How to Make an EAP Useful

• Keep it short enough that anyone can use it
• Review it during your pre-dive briefing
• Make sure everyone knows the plan, not just the person who wrote it
• Carry a laminated copy with your surface gear
• Update it when access points, roads, or site management change

The value comes from alignment, not paperwork. Building the EAP is a structured conversation about responsibility and response, which is why it works even if it never leaves your backpack.