Kategorie: News
Obituary for Peter Bennett
Peter Bennett, (PhD, DSc), passed away on Tuesday surrounded by his family, wife Margaret and son Chris, in Chapel Hill. Bennett was a passionate researcher and entrepreneur who founded Divers Alert Network in 1980 and led the organisation for 23 years.
Bennett was born on 12 June 1931 in Portsmouth, England, and studied chemistry and biology at the University of London, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1951. After graduating, he worked at the Royal Navy Physiological Laboratory and obtained a PhD in physiology and biochemistry from the University of Southampton in 1964.
Passionate about diving medicine and physiology, Bennett was a founder member of the Undersea Medical Society when it was founded in 1967, and later served as its president (1975-1976), the editor of its journal (1976-1979) and its chief executive (since 2007).
As a researcher, Bennett has conducted studies on nitrogen narcosis, oxygen toxicity, submarine crew rescue (underwater escape in case of accident), decompression sickness, ascent rates and the effects of flying after diving. Bennett was the first to describe high pressure nervous syndrome (HPNS), a problem caused by breathing a high pressure mixture containing helium for too long. Bennett was also a consultant for James Cameron's underwater science fiction film The Abyss, in which a character experiences severe HPNS symptoms.
A professor emeritus of anaesthesiology at Duke University, Bennett has published more than 100 journal publications, 31 book chapters and several books, including Physiology and Medicine of Diving, a standard work in the field. He also published numerous reports, workshop proceedings and abstracts.
Over the years, Bennett received numerous awards, including the 1980 NOGI Award for Sciences from the Underwater Society of America. He has also received awards from DEMA, SSI, the Underwater Society of America, the National Academy of Scuba Educators, NAUI, the British Historical Diving Society, the Russian Academy of Sciences and many others.
Founding of the Diver Alert Network (DAN)
In 1972, Bennett moved to the United States, where he was appointed first deputy director and later director of the hyperbaric chamber of the F.G. Hall Laboratory at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. In 1980, Bennett submitted a grant application to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to fund an emergency hotline for injured divers. So Bennett and his colleagues at Duke took responsibility for the hotline, which eventually became the Divers Alert Network.
During his 23 years at the helm of DAN, Bennett oversaw the launch of the organisation's membership programme, diving accident insurance programme, research department, continuing medical education programme, education department and more.
"In founding DAN, Dr. Bennett has accomplished something truly remarkable," said DAN President and CEO Bill Ziefle. "It is because of his vision and actions that divers around the world today have access to an organisation that is ready to help in an emergency. Dr Bennett's inquisitive mind and drive to make a difference has been a gift to divers around the world."
"Peter Bennett dedicated his life to promoting diving," said DAN Medical Director Jim Chimiak, MD. "There are few who surpass his accomplishments as a researcher, organiser and leader in diving medicine. He will have a profound impact on all who work in this increasingly important field of human endeavour. He displayed an infectious pioneering spirit that brought together experts and global collaborations that regularly achieved the impossible. He was a great mentor and friend who will be greatly missed."