Divemaster Stress Test!

[RJP]

If you want to give a DMC stress and a problem to solve, have a diver surface spit out his reg, splash around, then silently drop back down without a regulator and see what the DMC does.

flots.

That scenario is covered in Rescue Diver.

I agree that the gear exchange is a largely artificial, but what would you suggest to replace it with? Keep in mind that the goal is to be able to asses whether a DMC can work comfortably and methodically, through a series of tasks, underwater, with another diver, while ensuring that both have access to a single air source.

I'm interested to see what you come up with.

 

[aprivetera]

Thanks, again, for all your suggestions. I think it is an interesting exercise that allows you to really see how comfortable you are with your skills and if you are really prepared to handle the complex situations you will face as a divemaster. I admit it seems a little extreme to me and seems to have a slight disconnect with the logical progression of skills (nothing like this in the rescue diver, atleast that felt SO complex).

I feel I have learned more about what OW students need and how they react, and in general how people react during dives, what they need, what they look for, etc. This is way more important to me than the equipment switch. Maybe it is just my individual experience and how I was trained over the years (definately nice to hear some of you others that go above and beyond what the courses require) but it did make me want to work on my skills a bit more even though I felt very comfortable before the exercise.

 

[flots am]

That scenario is covered in Rescue Diver.

Not really.

I don't mean telling the student that "today they get to practice rescues" and "yell pizza!", I mean have them out for a dive somewhere and have an accomplice surface, then panic and drown. (obviously not a real drowning). If they're going to get training, it might as well be training for things that will actually happen.

In fact, DMs shouldn't be learning problem solving underwater. These aren't overhead dives. They should be learning how to exercise good judgement, prevent problems in the first place, monitor their divers for issues and stress, and to end the dive safely with minimal risk when necessary.

flots.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've never heard of the Equipment Exchange referred to as the Stress Test. The Equip. Exch. was one I figured I'd screw up on, but it went smoothly, as we started off in each other's gear and we were the same size.

 

[RJP]

In fact, DMs shouldn't be learning problem solving underwater.

Right... we'll have none of that! All problems will either be averted or discussed on the surface after the dive.

 

[Imla]

This thread had me smiling when thinking back to my own test. Me and my fellow dmc at the time had the test sprung on us while under water. We had casually discussed it before, but in no way made any plans other than to always smile... NO MATTER WHAT...
My specific challenge was that we normally use steel tanks. Also while in the pool, so there is no need to wear any extra weight. However, being slightly "buoyantly" challenged... (I.e. so positive in freshwater, I can lay in the pool reading the paper while others would sink...) Taking off my unit would also mean losing what kept me down.

However, at the time, I guess I had about 70 dives or so with my buddy.. so we knew eachother well, and with no signals, I took two breaths for his one, and we just kept grinning! This annoyed the H*** out of our instructor who kept handing us challenges. I.e. flooding mask, removing bcd hose, flooding mask again, unclipping releases and so on. We just came up laughing we had so much fun.

But I was really glad I didn't knew in advance. I would have just worried myself sick. This way we just dealt with it.

 

[gekodivebali]

Sorry for the off topic detour!

Please don't yell pizza! Makes me hungry... And it kills some of the point of training rescue scenarios! Saying: "call the emergencies. We have a non-breathing diver" is part of the practice. That way when a real accident surfaces you don't end up screaming pizza.
Might sound silly but it does happen quite often to see Instructor Candidates scream "diver, diver, inflate your weightbelt, drop your Bcd". In stressful situations, like examinations or rescue situations, your training should kick in and you should perform in the way you learnt...

 

[RJP]

Sorry for the off topic detour!

Please don't yell pizza! Makes me hungry... And it kills some of the point of training rescue scenarios! Saying: "call the emergencies. We have a non-breathing diver" is part of the practice. That way when a real accident surfaces you don't end up screaming pizza.
Might sound silly but it does happen quite often to see Instructor Candidates scream "diver, diver, inflate your weightbelt, drop your Bcd". In stressful situations, like examinations or rescue situations, your training should kick in and you should perform in the way you learnt...

Becomes a major problem at our local training quarry when you have people calling for help that don't actually need help. You can imagine it would created some confusion.

 

[gekodivebali]

Same at some of the crowded shore entry dive sites here. Can signal that a rescue course is in progress, have the instructor remain in control and indicate to real life rescuers that this is a drill. I would just hate for my student to end up screaming pizza when the crap gets blown onto the ventilation. In a way it would be better to have rescuers throw themselves in the water and understand they need to review their scene assessment abilities and think before they act. My 2 cents worth anyway... Sorry again for the diversion

 

[waterpirate]

That scenario is covered in Rescue Diver.

I agree that the gear exchange is a largely artificial, but what would you suggest to replace it with? Keep in mind that the goal is to be able to asses whether a DMC can work comfortably and methodically, through a series of tasks, underwater, with another diver, while ensuring that both have access to a single air source.

I'm interested to see what you come up with.

I am going to show my age here and wonder why gear exchange/ doff and don is only a DM skill now???? lol, sarcasm alert. I would suggest that the DM candidate be given a fouled up dive rite clasic reel, that is wrapped up in his fins, and his buddys valve and reg, whilst buddy breathing. Now that would be entertaing to watch, and let them demonstrate comfort and problem solving.
Eric
P.S. no cutting of the line will be alowed