5th SFR organized the first annual conference on the medical issues of diving

       Underwater operations form a significant part of the unique activities of the 5th Special Forces Regiment (5th SFR). Naturally, various opinions arise concerning the safety of divers underwater, particularly under the extremely challenging conditions faced by the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (AF SR), addressing issues such as physical strain, potential failures, and more. To clarify essential medical issues related to service diving, the 5th SFR divers organized a professional conference on the medical aspects of diving within the military context on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at the regiment’s facilities. The invitation was accepted by members of the AF SR, the police force, the Fire and Rescue Corps, the Training Center Lešť, and a representative from the NATO Centre of Excellence for Explosive Ordnance Disposal in Trenčín. Most attendees were divers or personnel closely associated with aquatic environments.
      The keynote speaker, Prof. MUDr. František Novomeský, PhD., DAN Europe (Slovakia) Diving Medicine Officer, forensic expert in diving and hyperbaric medicine, and author of scientific books and dozens of scientific publications on diving medicine, is also a member of the British Society of Diving Historians. Professor Novomeský has extensive experience in diving medicine, gathered over decades as an active diver both domestically and abroad. Another speaker was MUDr. Veronika Rybárová, PhD., DAN Europe (Slovakia) Diving Medical Officer, a diving doctor at the University Hospital in Martin, and an active diver. Both guests are also forensic doctors, providing them with insight into the darker aspects of the diving profession. At the conference, our guests presented information on the history of combat divers, diving accidents, and particularly the death of a diver at the Čierna Voda site in 2021. The conference fittingly began with the history of combat divers, which is rich and extends to the present day. The topic of diving accidents is very pertinent to us, as every service diver must prioritize the prevention of such often tragic situations.
      The conference was attended by the commander of the 5th SFR, Colonel Peter Žochňák, who later invited the speakers to an informal meeting. Being an active diver himself, the commander engaged in ongoing discussions on various topics. Future cooperation was also addressed, with Prof. MUDr. Novomeský, PhD., proposing to continue such highly significant events and establish a tradition of meetings between representatives of diving medical science and AF SR service divers at the 5th SFR.
      The professional meeting of diving science and practice took place in an atmosphere of mutual respect and a desire for new knowledge, with both sides expressing satisfaction and the importance of further collaboration at the conclusion.