Kayla Samimi
Copy Editor
Senior Aaron Kissel spent his summer vacation in the oceans treating other vacationers.
Kissel has always been a lover of the ocean and the beach, he said. This summer, he completed a training program on Catalina Island so that he would be able to work on the island for several days throughout the summer. By the end of his training, Kissel became Emergency Accident Dive Management Certified and Rescue Diver Certified.
“I really love Catalina and the thought of working there was so exciting,” Kissel said. “It’s such a beautiful island to spend my summer at.”
Kissel lived on the island for 10 days throughout the summer, treating patients with the bends, a disease that occurs when nitrogen builds up in the body. Kissel’s main job was to transport patients with bends to a Hyperbaric Chamber, a device which helps return the body’s nitrogen levels back to normal.
“Along with treating patients with the bends, I have also treated seizures, asphyxiation, and air embolism,” Kissel said. “It’s really great being able to help people on the island.”
The University of Southern California and Los Angeles Fire Department funded the chamber. As a part of his training, he learned how to operate the Hyperbaric Chamber. Kissel was able to use the biology, calculus, and physics that he has learned at Costa in his work, he said.
“We used biology and physics to determine the amount of excess nitrogen built up in a patient and calculus for controlling the rate of ascent/descent of the chamber,” Kissel said. “Chemistry is also used for determining how pressure and temperature changes in the ocean and the chamber. The job requires more difficult mental math than any other activity I have participated in.”
According to Kissel, Catalina Island has been a favorite vacation spot for him since middle school and therefore, he was excited when he found out that he could apply to work there for the summer.
“It’s always challenging since we never know the condition of a patient until they come in,” Kissel said. “We never know how deep or how long they will need to be in the chamber until their symptoms subside.”
In correspondence with his summer job, the University of Southern California Research Center provided Kissel with a free apartment in Catalina. He lives in a building with 100 other workers, of which Kissel was the youngest, who also treat patients with the bends. During the school year, Kissel is hoping to spend at least 30 days on the island and because of his job, he is considering becoming a diving physician in his future.
“I’m able to learn about this new field of medicine and give back to the diving community at the same time,” Kissel said. “I also live at the USC research center and when I’m there I can hike, snorkel, and kayak whenever I have free time.”
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