Level of fitness/strength needed for rescue course

[KevinNM]

Far more important is the ability to recognize a diver in distress, and what to do about it. Truly distressed divers don't splash and flail like the scenario postulates, they are quiet, unresponsive, and slip quietly under.

See this article http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg534/On Scene/OSFall06.pdf See page 14 (16 in the acrobat numbering)
“It Doesn’t Look Like They’re Drowning”

How To Recognize the Instinctive Drowning Response

 

[jimbeeler]

I echo what everyone else says... If there's any doubts about you taking the course, the previous messages should have alleviated them. To me, it was the best course I took and through the different scenarios they make you mentally prepared to assist in an emergency. Physically, I was exhausted at the end (and then we had to sit down and take the written exam). But as a 60 year old out of shape IT desk jockey I did fine and I'm sure you will too.

Jim

 

[TMHeimer]

I found it to be more mentally exhausting than physically. Sure, the rescue tows, extraction from water, etc. were demanding, but all the "heightened awareness" is what took a toll on me during the "practical" portion. Likely the first time I didn't enjoy myself diving because the instructor kept throwing curve balls at me for an entire 50+ minute drift dive in strong current....

No drift diving here and no curve balls really. But as I said, I agree about the mental part being toughest. When you think of it, how out of shape does one have to be to have a real problem with removing equipment while towing a diver? Bringing an unconscious diver to the surface properly is not really physical at all because you're in water. Extraction of course depends on the weight of the victim vs. your weight--some extractions may be just impossible. But I can see where an instructor could put you in very difficult situations depending on the environment at the OW scenarios.

 

[Patoux01]

There's no major issue with strength in the course. Except for dragging a diver out of the water.
The rest, if you're "smart" enough (ie if you get the technique) is done by the gear. Floating on surface, gear removal, dragging someone can be a bit annoying.
I have to admit, during a scenario where we had not 1, not 2, but 3 divers in trouble, it got a bit tricky. But that was mainly endurance and not strength.

edit: I'll just explain that last bit. We were 3 people taking the course, had 2 DMs with us and the instructor. The last 3 were the victims, we had to make a plan to get them. So I noticed the one farthest away struggling to stay on surface, we had nothing to throw, so grabbed a tank and went to her (my rig stays on whatever happens). I came too close to the instructor (which was already being rescued and had a 2m inflated buoy to rest on), and she decided to jump me, at that moment I hadn't clipped on my tank yet and still had to manage my way down to get past her. I ascended only to realise the one I was trying to rescue sank to the bottom, asked the guy on shore where she was, raced down in 1m vis, found her, took her up, did the rest of the drill. It did take me a few minutes to catch my breath at the end of the scenario, because when fighting the instructor off it made my backup reg freeflow, and it went once again when I got to the unconscious diver. So there'd been quite a bit of stress, going up and down, doing things quickly and "neatly". It was all in 3m of water, but it's still exhausting imho.

 

[DavidRDiver]

I've done two stress and rescue courses. Our shop offers a 2 day SSI course and a month long course geared towards Dive professionals, taught by an exceptional instructor. I learned how to protect myself in the regular SSI class, I learned how to deal with any situation in my month long class. Probably the best classes I've taken in my road to becoming a better diver.

 

[Iralub]

Well, that looks pretty unanimous! It will likely take me a few months to get the chance to do a course, but it may give me the opportunity to get my fitness levels up a bit too (it's a work in progress).

Thanks for the advice everyone who responded, much appreciated.