DM's/ instructors on vacation.

[DailyLunatic]

if there is one available..If no one is available...I will dive solo..sign what ever they want and go from there.

Guess I didn't know, or pay that much attention. Will they let you do this? Dive solo I mean. Are there restrictions or things they typically look for such as Rescue/DM/Instructor training, or is it open to anyone willing to take the risk and 'sign what ever they want'?

Just curious, I'm too cowardly to dive w/o a buddy, just attempting to expand my education...

 

[scarefaceDM]

Diving with a buddy is my rule of thumb...never consider yourself a coward by any means. Many are not comfortable diving solo....it is not for everyone. I do not dive deep solo I stay within comfortable depths and distances from shore or drop line. I fi am going deep..I am with a team of like minded divers...

Technically they do not allow solo diving. Insurance and such. I stated that I would sing what ever they wanted if I found that there were no competent buddies to hook up with. I usually get the no no we will get one of the instructors to be your buddy..usually gets the message across.

However If I take my camera with me I am usually solo anyways. Photographers will tell you this fact. When they are in picture taking mode they are solo. Having a buddy that understands this is key. This is where my rule one comes into effect. Follow the plan I set forth. and dive the plan. Once I tke my pictures we continue the dive. and have fun...

Solo diving is more that just hitting the water by yourself. You have to have a plan. You have to be able to bail yourself out. Have redundancy. carry extra gear. extra air, safety gear and what not. And dive your plan. Have lots of dives under your belt. Have equal amounts of training.

 

[ZzzKing]

Just curious, I'm too cowardly to dive w/o a buddy

Not feeling comfortable diving solo shouldn't be a sign of cowardace. I bet there are dives that even the DM/Instructors that have chimed in here would feel uncomfortable or untrained to do. There are a lot of very experienced divers that are not comfortable soloing. I wouldn't consider them cowards, however.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

If I have a chance of buddying up with the unattached hottie by divulging my instructor status, I just might. If I see a quick money making opportunity I just might. If I'm looking for a job I just might. I'm a dive instructor; can you get blood from a turnip?

 

[RJP]

While on vacation, Do any Divemasters / instructors (no students in their charge) hide the fact they are indeed DMs?

Don't hide it per se...

I usually show my Tec card when traveling as it includes Nitrox/0₂ certification on it as well - fewer cards to carry around and show.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

It seems to me that what is at issue here is: what circumstances constitute negligence. I realize that there are several different flavors of negligence, but I always thought that, in order for negligence to exist, several conditions must be met:
1. Duty - a recognized relationship (paying customer/student) exists between the victim and the professional
2. Breach - failure of the professional to exhibit behavior in accordance with his/her qualifying agency
3. Proximate cause - injury is reasonably connected to the actions (or inaction) of the professional

If no specific duty exists, e.g., the victim is not a student or paying customer of the professional, then the professional should be held to the same standard as any other OW certified diver (get medical help in the case of an emergency). This seems reasonable to me. Of course, regardless of whether true negligence occurred, any dive professional can be sued if he/she is involved in an incident. That's just the litigious nature of the society in which we live.

Analogous scenarios occur with off-duty medical professionals. How many physicians out there use their medical title in reserving a plane ticket?

 

[joker31]

As a certified rescue diver you have no legal obligation to help anyone in trouble. Moral obligation maybe, but not legal. I am a rescue diver, instructor, firefighter, and a paramedic. Even if someone drops dead in front of me on a dive boat, legally I can just sit there and watch. I don't have to do a thing..... The only diference is if you are being PAID to act in an emergency response capacity. So if you are being paid as a rescue diver, DM, instructor, etc then yes you have to act accordingly. However, remember rule one "Rescuer safety first". If it is too dangerous for you to help, don't. There is no law that says you have to risk your life to help someone. Hate to say it, but it's better to have one dead diver and the end of the day then two or more.

 

[TMHeimer]

There has been a lot of discussion on this topic. Can a lawyer out there answer this: If you are a DM on a boat on vacation, someone gets injured and you do absolutely nothing to help him (of course, I would do something, as most people would), can you be SUCCESSFULLY sued? Is there a specific law saying one way or another?

 

[Splash-X]

Excellent topic. Different agencies have different rules. As an SSI Dive Con I am unable to perform the role of a "Dive Master" when I'm not leading the trip for the dive shop that I'm affiliated with. My certification level is sort of "void" and my insurance does not cover me when not working for the shop directly.

That said, I do have a moral and legal obligation to ensure that the boat operator isn't putting the passengers at risk IF I should notice anything. You as a Dive Master or equal have an advanced knowledge between right and wrong and were trained to recognize it. You can bet that if something goes wrong and you simply looked the other way even though you were NOT leading the trip you're going to get dragged in to a lawsuit because your capacity as a Dive Master or equal puts you in a position of authority.

 

[Steve50]

There has been a lot of discussion on this topic. Can a lawyer out there answer this: If you are a DM on a boat on vacation, someone gets injured and you do absolutely nothing to help him (of course, I would do something, as most people would), can you be SUCCESSFULLY sued? Is there a specific law saying one way or another?

which country ?