Quickest Path to Rescue Cert

Lopez116 · Nov 10, 2013

I have my O/W cert with about 55ish dives under my belt. About half of those were in SoCal and the other half in the Caribbean. I want to take Rescue, but I don't really have a desire to get my Advanced O/W cert. The PADI website seems to indicate you only have to have your Adventure Diver cert and EFR. Shops are telling me different things. Some say you need Advanced to do rescue, other say Adventure is enough.

1. Can I do Rescue without Advanced?

2. How many dives are required for Adventure? Padi website looks like 2, shops tell me 3.

Thanks,

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Hawkwood · Nov 10, 2013

Adventure Diver, which requires three Adventure dives, is sufficient. However, one of those Adventure dives must include the Navigation Adventure dive.

Bob DBF · Nov 10, 2013

PADI is not the only place to get Rescue, check around and see what else is available. With 55 dives and looking at other options, check with your PADI instructor and find out exactly what he needs to train you, what is on the website may not be the whole story.

Bob

tursiops · Nov 10, 2013

Hawkwood:
Adventure Diver, which requires three Adventure dives, is sufficient. However, one of those Adventure dives must include the Navigation Adventure dive.

Concur. The OP may be confused by the chart on the PADI site, which lists two dives where it says Adventure, but these are actually two Specialties (Deep and Wreck) that you can take IF you have the Adventure cert.

I would strongly advise taking the full AOW, however, which would only be two more dives, namely Deep, and one elective. The reason is that AOW is required by some boat/resort operators to be able to go on some of their dives, unless you hire a DM to go with you as your buddy. They want to know you have at least some minimal training below 60 ft.

Jim Lapenta · Nov 10, 2013

You do not need "adventure" or "AOW" to do the rescue class with SEI. Nor with NAUI. Personally I think Rescue should be the first class after OW and definitely should be done before anyone decides to do deep, drift, low vis, or colder water dives. Taking divers on deep dives without rescue skills is, IMO, nuts. Not providing some rescue skills in the OW class for that matter is risky. What if the instructor with 4 students has a heart attack at depth? What are they supposed to do. Try and find a "rescue diver" while the instructor disappears? All of my OW students are capable of assisting me in an emergency. If they were not we would still be in the pool.

---------- Post added November 10th, 2013 at 05:55 PM ----------

And just to be clear - the diver who does not want to do AOW is the one more than any who should be able to take a rescue class as soon as possible. I had an older couple who were firm in that they would never do deep or night dives. What right does anyone have to deny them a rescue class. To deny them is even more crazy just because they don't want to spend money getting "adventure" (read "follow like a mindless little sheep") dives.

eponym · Nov 10, 2013

Jim, good post!

Jim Lapenta:
You do not need "adventure" or "AOW" to do the rescue class with SEI. Nor with NAUI.

SSI as well. One can do Diver Stress & Rescue at any point after OWD. I do require prospective candidates to demonstrate some minimum proficiency that isn't part of our written standards, but that's meant to guarantee they have enough core skills integration to profit from the in-water training.

Jim Lapenta:
Taking divers on deep dives without rescue skills is, IMO, nuts.

You make an excellent point, considering the lousy conditions in which we usually do local deep diver training. However, I never teach a combined "Advanced" course but teach only separate specialty courses. I have a one-on-one limit for deep training dives. Still, point taken, and I will be re-evaluating my course content. Thanks.

Jim Lapenta:
Not providing some rescue skills in the OW class for that matter is risky. What if the instructor with 4 students has a heart attack at depth? What are they supposed to do. Try and find a "rescue diver" while the instructor disappears? All of my OW students are capable of assisting me in an emergency. If they were not we would still be in the pool.

Again, good point.

-Bryan

Frosty · Nov 10, 2013

Lopez I agree almost entirely with Jim ^^^
Having though completed my rescue course within the last few months I feel I need to add that there MAY be a reason that Padi require AAW before rescue.
That being there are some skills you are assumed to have before completing rescue.
Good Navigation -beyond the basic out n back with a compass that OW requires.-you need to be able to navigate both woith a compass and using local landmarks.
Self sufficiency -Ie good boyancy control,good situational awareness(air etc). etc etc. -Guts is you don't NEED the DM to lead you around.
Those are the skills you need going into a rescue

Lopez116 · Nov 10, 2013

Jim Lapenta:
You do not need "adventure" or "AOW" to do the rescue class with SEI. Nor with NAUI. Personally I think Rescue should be the first class after OW and definitely should be done before anyone decides to do deep, drift, low vis, or colder water dives. Taking divers on deep dives without rescue skills is, IMO, nuts. Not providing some rescue skills in the OW class for that matter is risky. What if the instructor with 4 students has a heart attack at depth? What are they supposed to do. Try and find a "rescue diver" while the instructor disappears? All of my OW students are capable of assisting me in an emergency. If they were not we would still be in the pool.

---------- Post added November 10th, 2013 at 05:55 PM ----------

And just to be clear - the diver who does not want to do AOW is the one more than any who should be able to take a rescue class as soon as possible. I had an older couple who were firm in that they would never do deep or night dives. What right does anyone have to deny them a rescue class. To deny them is even more crazy just because they don't want to spend money getting "adventure" (read "follow like a mindless little sheep") dives.

I think you basically hit the nail on the head...I don't have any interest in deep or night (or the vast majority of the others), but I want to take Rescue. If given the choice, ideally I'd like a course with navigation, maybe additional buoyancy skills, and Rescue. I feel like I'm forced to pay for things I have no interest in just so I can get to the class I want to take - a class which I understand is much more substantial.

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Crowley · Nov 11, 2013

Just for info

If PADI is the only available option - you can commence Rescue training straight after Open Water certification - but you're limited to the knowledge development and confined water (swimming pool or similar environment). To participate in the full course which must be conducted in Open Water you have to be certified as an Adventure diver which is 3 Adventure dives, and one of them must be navigation if you wish to join the Rescue class. You also need to have a qualifying certificate in Primary and Secondary care (the PADI version is Emergency First Response).

I would normally recommend completing the Advanced Open Water course. It tends to work out not much more expensive as a package (depends on the centre, of course), it can be done in 2 days and then off you go - and with a good instructor it can be a great course, actually.

Good luck and enjoy, whichever path you end up taking.

Cheers

C.

Goodtime Adventures · Nov 11, 2013

Hi there,

It really depends which agency you train with. We teach PADI and SSI so I can only really speak for them:

The PADI Rescue course requires you to be at least Adventure Diver with one of those dives being Navigation. You must also have current (within the last 24 months) CPR and first aid training.

The SSI Stress & Rescue is classed as a specialty, rather than the next rung up the ladder towards DM, as is the case with the PADI Rescue course. Therefore it can be taken right after OW without any additional courses required. Obviously for buoyancy and confidence levels this doesn't happen often, but with over 50 dives under your belt already this will not be an issue.

Don't worry about switching between agencies. Most of the major ones - including PADI and SSI are governed by the WRSTC (World Recreational Scuba Training Council) so they all recognise eachother's certifications. Its not until pro level that you need to make a decision about a specific agency affiliation.

Hope this helps - enjoy whatever course you choose. Rescue is so much fun!

Quickest Path to Rescue Cert

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Lopez116

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Hawkwood

MSDT

Bob DBF

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tursiops

Marine Scientist and Master Instructor (retired)

Jim Lapenta

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eponym

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Frosty

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Lopez116

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Crowley

Master Instructor

Goodtime Adventures

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