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Globe Pboto/MIKE GULLETT ,Crews from the TV show Rescue: 911 on Tuesday re-created a rescue at an Oronogo quarry. vTelevision showre-creates rescue at Oronogo quarryBy Jim Suhr Glob* Stan WriterORONOGO, Mo. — Coincidence saved Mike Robertson’s life when he nearly drowned in June while scuba diving with four fellow Kansans in a water-filled quarry near this Jasper County town.When the Wichita man rocketed unconscious to the surface after his air tanks went empty at 130 feet below, witnesses said he already had drowned.He was clinically dead when he reached the top,” said Don Miller, one of three certified divers for Newton County Ambulance Service who were practicing nearby when they spotted Robertson and revived him.He would have died had we not beenthere exactly when we were. He was very lucky.”So think producers of Rescue: 911,” a nationally televised CBS program that on Tuesday had crews at the quarry filming what should be a threelt;iay effort to re-create the rescue for airing within the next three months.It’s a great story and one worth doing,” said Dennie Gordon, director of the program’s segment. Had certain things not happened as fortunately as they did, it would have been a body recovery.”According to witnesses and creators of the television show’s segment, Robertson was at the pit June 1 with four coworkers of a Wichita aircraft plant for what was their first dive of the season.Although they were certified divers who planned to use their varying skill levels to descend only to 80 to 90 feet below, Robertson set his sights on a personal goal of plunging beyond 100 feet. Once submerged, the dive leader signaled Robertson to pursue his quest.Regrettably, witnesses said, Robertson’s failure to properly check the levels of his air reserves beforehand left him ill-prepared for what awaited him at 130 feet below. He also did not have a clear view of the gauge telling him that his oxygen tanks were empty.Inhaling water that was about 50 degrees, Robertson reached his diving partner and indicated his air supply was drained. When Robertson’s buddy tried to give him air from his tanks, Robertson was so panicky and exhausted that he had no energy to purge water from the intake devise. His lungs took in more water.He didn’t have the strength to breath out,” said Ms. Gordon. He suckedvwater and drowned at 130 feet.”Robertson lost consciousness, then was t being guided upward by his partner s when air he had not released from his buoyancy control device” as he dove ti sent him blasting toward the surface. vBy the time they reached 40 feet, they were moving. They were smoking,” b said Troy Masher, a Newton County a emergency worker diving above with n Miller and Mitch Randels. He shot out of the water waist-high. He was ashen tlt; and blue, unconscious and not breath- y ing.”Robertson emerged about 15 feet from F the three ambulance workers, who only c weeks before studied rescue diving techniques that went into play. ^The scenario was just exactly the same as in our books,” Masher said.Randels grabbed Robertson, revived him in the water with a few resuscita-tive breaths and swam ashore to his , truck, which was equipped with emer- J gency equipment. Miller towed Robertson to the bank. lt;We all just worked so good together. r It was a team effort,” Masher said. It f was really neat the way things worked out.” £In the re-enactment on the Rescue: t 911” television show, the three Newton 1 Countians will appear on the show, t Actors will portray the Kansans’ roles.The near-tragedy was selected for re- g enactment because of the sheer coinci- r dence of what happened” and will be used to teach safety lessons, said James /Cohen, the show’s field coordinator. §You can’t be too safe as a diver,” Cohen said. What happened here was t supposed to be a planned dive, but they r deviated from it It caused confusion and 1 nearly a life.” c
Newspaper Details
Joplin Globe
Joplin, Missouri, US
Wed, Oct 09, 1991
Page 30
Full Page
Clipped by
Wikimedia F.
California, DZ 24 Nov 2023
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