Certifications

[Benz543]

What is everyones level of training? I have PADI Rescue Diver training but I am wondering if thats actually worth anything these days. Can someome point me to a website that offers Advanced Rescue Diver training in California? Thanks

[ADSN/WFLD]

NFPA has a standard on specialty rescue qualifications (1670 ?) I would expect most states to begin to develop a program that mirrors or complies with NFPA and the levels of Awareness, Operations, and Tech. Keep your eyes open for new classes being developed. As for other agencies I've found that Dive Rescue has a good program for public safety divers.

[Benz543]

Thanks for the reply. I went to Dive Rescue Int, and was surprised to find that there is no training session scheduled for California. Maybe California has its own rescue training. If anyone else has any ideas or suggestions please chip in.

[Firediver]

If DRI doesn't offer a class, try the Santa Barbara City College. They offer some Public Safety Diving courses, not sure which ones. As a recreational scuba Instructor, as well as a certified public safety diver, the recreational rescue cert is good for regular diving , but Public Safety Diving is a breed all by itself. You need special training, to many public safety agencies out there have dive teams that have rec certs only, and many make fatal mistakes. Also Lifeguard Systems puts on classes also and are pretty intense.

Remember, a recreational rescue cert is for helping your dive buddy out in case they are distressed, injured, or out of air. PSD, you are usually in zero viz and diving alone, with your back up on shore. Totally different. Good Luck.

Craig Walker
Training Coordinator,
Crowley Fire Dept. URRT

[LHVFD]

Our divers are certified thru Dive Rescue International as Dive Rescue @ Recovery Specialists. There is another route you may look at, International Associatin of Dive Rescue Specialists. They have a web page that i beleve is IADRS.com. Another site is MANTA96.com. Sorry that these are east coast sites but they might be of some help. IADRS has a real good publication called Searchlines dedicated to just our own type of crazy people who like to grope around on the bottom of a river in total darkness.

------------------
Lt. Homer

[FireRSQR]

If Dive Rescue Intl. does not have a class going in your area, your agency can host a class. Their Dive Rescue 1 is a great class, it is like a Firefighter 1 class for divers. Their Dive Rescue 2 classes have a lot of topics to choose from. And they all meet curent NFPA 1670 standards.