Chapter Town Hall 2026: Mid-West Chapter: Safety

Current UHMS Hyperbaric Facility Accreditation Director for the UHMS, Derall Garrett has been involved in the industry for more than 20 years, working with both multiplace and monoplace chambers in free-standing clinics and hospital-based centers. He is a graduate of the College of Oceaneering with a degree as a Commercial Diver with further specialization as a Diver Medic. He has also been certified by the National Board of Diving Hyperbaric Technologist as Hyperbaric Technician since 2000Garrett is factor- trained in both ETC and Perry Chambers. His areas of training include maintenance and repair for the ETC XD and Select monoplace chamber models and all Perry Sigma models. He has provided maintenance and repair services in the United States and for several companies overseas. When he was the Vice President of Hyperbaric Services for Innovative Healing Systems from 2006 – 2012, Garrett also helped conduct training programs for hyperbaric technicians and safety directors. He has written policy and procedures for the company as well as playing a part of many startup programs for hyperbaric and wound care centers in the United States, India and Dubai. He was involved in the planning, construction, and finishing stages of getting the facilities operational. Garrett has also participated in several UHMS survey teams as a UHMS accreditation surveyor for both monoplace and multiplace facilities since 2013. He has been a UHMS member since 2003.

 

Dr. Kirby focuses his practice on trauma, acute care surgery, wound healing, necrotizing fasciitis,  multisystem organ dysfunction, organ failure, sepsis, and shock. Dr. Kirby is the Medical Director of the Wound Care Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Hyperbaric Program Coordinator, Safety Director, CHT, AEMT

Employer Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center

Dr. Gesell is the System Director for Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care with Advocate Aurora Medical Group and Section Chair for Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine. She is board certified in Emergency Medicine and Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine. Dr. Gesell is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, as well as, the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. Dr. Gesell is a Past President of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Past Chair of the UHMS Board of Directors, and former Chair of the UHMS Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Committee. Dr. Gesell represents the medical specialty as the UHMS Delegate in the AMA House of Delegates and is the elected American Board of Preventive Medicine Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Sub-Board Chair.

 

Robert Sheffield, CHT-ADMIN is the Director of Education for International ATMO. He is a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committee on Hyperbaric and Hypobaric Facilities, and a former chairman of that committee. He is also a former chairman of the UHMS Safety Committee.

Dr. Alleman is board certified in undersea and hyperbaric medicine, occupational medicine, and addiction medicine.  He was the chairman of the committee that formulated the guidelines for work as an inside attendant and is the chairman of the committee that is revising these guidelines.  He is co-course director and teaches at the Medical Examiner of Diver course in New Orleans and the Physicians Training in Diving Medicine Course in San Diego.  He is currently the chairman of the Physicians Diving Advisory Committee (PDAC) of the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI).  He is currently a corresponding member for the Diving Medical Advisory Committee (DMAC) for the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA).