Think back to your last dive, what could have gone wrong?  If something did go wrong would you have known exactly what to do? When was the last time you practiced diving emergency drills – has it been since your open water class 10 years ago?   The point of the exercise is to get you to think about the unexpected, a diving emergency.

Sooner or later with enough dives something will happen, it probably will be something minor but are you prepared? Consider getting some training as a Rescue Diver.

Rescue training is sometimes referred to as the “ultimate dive buddy training” because you learn to become a self-reliant, and competent diver. The main focus of training is to learn how to deal another diver in the event something goes wrong.  Remember back to your basic scuba class you were taught to “stop, think and then act”.  Did really understand the “act” part?  Rescue training will teach you the “act”: locating a missing diver, surfacing an unconscious diver and providing in-water resuscitation, getting the victim back to the boat or shore and accident management.  You also learn to be prepared for other problems, how to plan for and how to prevent problems from occurring.

Many additional skills are gained that make you a better overall diver.  For example you will become more observant of other and your “global awareness” will improve.  Recognizing pre-dive stress in others and how to best handle those situations is a key skill on the prevention side of the equation.  As your awareness increases you will understand common causes of diving incidents and more importantly, how to properly deal with them correctly.

Every diver will benefit from this training for the simple fact of understanding physical demands of rescuing another diver, especially in the ocean.  Think of your regular dive buddy, could you tow them a couple hundred yards while simultaneously providing in-water resuscitation?  Now add a little current, get the picture?

Diving is a safe and fun activity.  Serious accidents are rare, but an underwater adventure can turn to tragedy in a flash. Rescue training helps you develop an awareness to anticipate potential problems before they strike. The ability to recognize and prevent problems is a very valuable skill, one that could save a life.

So as you think back to the beginning, put yourself in the picture and ask yourself ‘If something were to go wrong am I prepared, am I confident in my rescue abilities?  If your answer is anything but an enthusiastic “yes” contact your local dive shop and get into the next rescue course.

The old saying goes:

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”

To learn more about rescue training visit www.NAUI.org and learn more about the author visit www.scubajax.com

Popularity: 2% [?]