Belize — SSS Recompression Chamber Network

SSS Network · Belize Hyperbaric Chamber

24-Hour Emergency: 501-226-2851 Hyperbaric chamber & clinic · San Pedro Town, Belize

History About Staff Equipment Dive Shops Contact

OUR HISTORY

The SSS Network / Belize Hyperbaric Facility (owned and operated by Subaquatic Safety of Belize, LTD) first opened its doors to the diving community of Belize in 1989. It started its operations with the support of about 8 dive operators and the equipment was first installed on a slab of concrete created by the dive operators themselves! This became the foundation of the first chamber building built by the SSS Network, but it was a self-assembled aircraft hangar!

In 2002, we designed an entirely new facility, and broke ground in early 2002. The new facility was fully operational and was inaugurated in August 2002. Our modern clinic today consists of a reception and waiting room area, chamber area, patient recovery area, technical area, private patient ward and an X-Ray unit to convenience patients with suspected lung injuries.

We now count on the support of nearly 50 affiliated dive operators through our Belize Access Program. This represents more than 90% of all dive operators of Belize. Without their support, the chamber would not be able to service the medical needs of the Belize diving community.

To date, more than 400 patients have been treated for diving related injuries alone. Without the chamber many of these injuries may have been life threatening or have caused serious permanent damage.

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ABOUT US

Chamber Tours

If you are visiting Ambergris Caye and Belize and would like to tour our facility, you are welcome! Chamber tours are free, but we do ask that you contact us during normal business hours by phone to arrange an appropriate time to ensure patient treatments are not being conducted.

Professional Affiliations

The SSS Network / Belize Chamber Facility is an International Divers Alert Network (IDAN) Referral Center, and a member of the Undersea And Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS).

UHMS: www.uhms.org

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OUR STAFF

We maintain our clinic on a 24 Hour Emergency Basis, with regularly scheduled daily hours. Our staff consists of trained Hyperbaric Physicians, Dive Medical Technicians (DMT's), trained Chamber Operators and Attendants, and support and administrative staff. We also offer ongoing training and education to the Dive Operators and Health Care Providers throughout Belize. The clinic is part of the international SSS Network, a global hyperbaric medicine provider, and operated by Subaquatics of Belize, Ltd.

Listed below are some of our Belize key staff:

Antonia Guerrero — EMT, Assistant Manager
Dr. Miguel Allison, Physician

Antonia Guerrero, EMT and Assistant Manager

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OUR CHAMBER & EQUIPMENT

At the heart of any facility specializing in Hyperbaric Medicine is the chamber itself. Our chamber here in Belize is a "multiplace" chamber (60" diameter multilock chamber), which means that staff and physicians can enter / exit the chamber at any time during a treatment without changing the pressure inside the main lock of the chamber.

Our chamber is equipped to provide all hyperbaric treatments as outlined by U.S. Navy protocols and may be pressurized up to an equivalent of 165 feet (fsw) / 50 meters. The chamber can accommodate up to 3 people at one time, and voice communication between the chamber and the operators is maintained at all times. The interior of the chamber is also monitored via video cameras. It is worth noting that we are the only chamber in Central America with the infrastructure and training to apply COMEX mixed gas tables for the most severe kind of pressure-related accidents.

Additional Facilities

In addition to treating Decompression Illness (DCI) in recreational divers, we also offer a range of Clinic services for diagnosing and treating NON-DCI ailments in divers (ear trauma and infections, and minor injuries sustained while diving). The SSS Network / Belize Chamber also has the only X-Ray Facility on the island.

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AFFILIATED DIVE OPERATORS

The SSS Network/Belize Chamber Facility would not be possible without the generous support from the SCUBA Diving Community in Belize. Through our special ACCESS PROGRAM, these operators are able to contribute a small nominal fee to help support the overhead of the chamber and help us defray the cost of our 24 hour on-call status.

Diving in Belize is done along our world famous Belize Barrier Reef (which stretches the entire length of the country), and on our equally famous offshore atolls known as the Turneffe Islands, Lighthouse Reef, and Glover's Reef. Lighthouse Reef is also home to the famous BLUE HOLE, popularized by Capt. Jacques Cousteau as one of the most unique dives in the entire world.

The Dive Operators listed below have shown a strong commitment to our chamber and emergency medical facility, and to diving safety in Belize. They are also committed to showing visitors some of the most exciting diving in the world while maintaining high safety standards. The operators are listed in alphabetical order below within each separate diving area of Belize.

Note: "N.A." means that web or email contact information was unavailable at time of publication.