The Foundation Recompression Chamber Bonaire
The recompression chamber has been initiated by medical director Dick van der Vaart. In the eighties the diving industry on Bonaire needed a recompression chamber on island, to avoid transportation of patients to Curacao for hyperbaric treatment in case of diving accidents. Dr. van der Vaart succeeded in getting one used chamber donated to the foundation through the Royal Dutch Navy. The Foundation Recompression Chamber Bonaire was founded on January 16, 1986.
The local island government provided the building, and the chamber has been located in that place for 25 years. Treatment happened under primitive circumstances, as Dr. van der Vaart recalled, in a space too small without air‐conditioning.
In 2006 the financial situation of the foundation was at a level, sufficient to purchase a new and modern chamber. It is a place where not only diving accidents are being treated but also patients with insufficiently healing wounds, for example in case of diabetes or amputations.
The goal of the foundation
The goal of the foundation is to take care of treatment of diving accidents and hyperbaric wound treatment.
The chamber is available for treatment after referral by the diving medical doctor on duty for diving accidents and by the hospital medical doctor for wound treatment.
On the symptoms page, you can find the procedure for emergencies in diving accidents.
Go always first to the Emergency Entry of the hospital
Bonaire Hospital:
Hospitaal San Francisco (Kaya Soeur Bartola #2, Kralendijk).
Phone: +599 715 8900
There is an ambulance plane on call for emergencies.
Bonaire Recompression Chamber:
The hyperbaric recompression chamber is located adjacent to the hospital; admittance is through the emergency room at the hospital. Do not go directly to the Chamber in a dive emergency; go to the hospital emergency room.
Bonaire Ambulance Emergency Number:
The emergency phone number for the ambulance is 114.
Bonaire Police Emergency Numbers:
Call 911 first. Not urgent call 717-8000.
STINAPA and Bonaire Marine Park:
To report vandalism on the reef, or marine park violations, please call 717-8444. After business hours call 786-8444.
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