Dilemma

[enigma]

First of all let me say I am new to the board. I have been reading it for a while and just got the nerve to sign on.

I am faced with a real delima and this board looks like a good place for serious information. For obvious reasons I will not state names until I find out what to do.

Last November I was at a lake with the (shop A) that I used to dive with. The (instructor #1) was on vacation. Before that he had been sick and hospitalized. In haste the shop owner (only PADI Open Water Certified) sent 2 of the divemasters to IDC. Now shop has 3 instructors.

At the lake 1 of the new instructors along with (shop A owner), who said he has his DM cert. now, are conducting an O/W class. Class goes OK, except for usual cold water problems in this area, and the DM has been drinking.

This week, talking to new instructor,(friend of mine) he said he and primary (instructor #1) had a falling out & he was looking for a new shop. Invited him to my new shop & set up interview with (shop B) owner. Advised my friend of this, the he let the cat out of the bag. He said he wasn't an instructor. Asked him what he meant by that. Advised me (shop A) owner had rigged it so he taught the class then when the (instructor #1) (on vacation) got back he would sign off on the cards.

Several questions come to mind,
1) What needs to be done about the instructor?
2) What needs to be done about the shop?
3) What will happen to the DM posing as an instructor?
4) How can this be reported to PADI without me becoming visible? I have lots of friends in this area.

I was reading the "UnderSea Journal" and there are 2 instructors in the United States under suspension.
These are not the ones I am talking about, but close.

All of the above can be documented by witnesses other than myself.

E

 

[Dee]

Report them all to PADI. Mario, Submariner and the other Pro's can tell you exactly how to do that. This is wrong and should be stopped immediately. People ask where the bad instructors come from...this is a prime example.

I'm too mad to even form intelligent sentences but I'm sure others will have plenty to say about it. I hope you take the next step, take the responsibility and report it.

Oh, BTW...Welcome to the board!

 

[Warhammer]

is report them. PADI has a Quality Assurance Program just for situations like this and others. You can find it on their website at http://www.padi.com. I'd think that they'd keep your name out of it, but one of the instructors here could better answer that. And that of course doesn't mean your friend won't know who reported them. Tuff situation and I feel for you.

I had a similar incident when I got my AOW certification. Went through the course with one instructor and made all the dives with him. When I got my PIC on the last day I was there, I noticed it had been signed by the head instructor instead of my instructor. That threw up red flags and I went back to the shop and was told that my instructor was off that day and it was either that or let them mail it for me in a month or so when they had enough to send in(they were in another country). So I reluctanly accepted the PIC and didn't report the incident to PADI.

 

[Mario S Caner]

enigma, first of all welcome to the boards. It's great to have someone here who so openly tells such a delicate story. You definitely have taken the correct first step in addressing this blatent disregard for human life.

Not to toot my own horn but I have 'very extensive' contacts at PADI headquarters which is a stones throw from here. I would be glad to, in fact I feel obligated to follow-up on this matter personally and immediately.

It's just a matter of time before someone loses their lives because of these so-called 'professionals' It's schmucks like those guys who give all of us a bad name.

I say let's take the necessary steps in order to begin a PADI Quality Assurance Investigation. Beleive me I've heard some bad one's before but this one is a major doosey! I can honestly say that I am still in shock over this one. Please contact me privately as soon as you can, and I in turn promise to keep you out of it, if that is your wish. One other promise I can make is that these jerks will get dealt with. I apoligize if I seam as though I'm losing my cool, I'm just highly peeved right now! :fire: Otherwise I'm really not a bad guy, I just want to help.

 

[King_Neptune]

Peeps,

I can understand that when and if something like this happens that you may not want to "Blow the whistle" on the shop or individual due to fear of repercussions.

I want to let you all know here and now that you may publicly or privately email or message one of the SSN or Associates staff such as LadyDiver, Mario, Rainreg, myself, etc. and we will be more than willing to work with you privately, leaving you completely anonymous, while we notify the proper contact to correct the situation. Especially in small towns or close knit diving groups you could become an outcast and we understand this. This is where there is protection or safety in numbers. As those of you that have been hanging around here for awhile know, our goals are to UNITE divers within the Industry and to provide a vehicle for a collective voice. I will tell you right now, I don't care what someone says to me about it! Call me a "tattle-tale", or a "nark" or whatever else but stuff like this IS NOT FUNNY and could lead to the loss of human life and a step backwards for the diving Industry in general.

Please, if you have questions or are concerned, at least feel free to ask one of us. If we don't know the right person to talk to directly at the "TOP", we know someone that does!

=-)

 

[gozumutti]

I have just started diving, but this false instructor phenomenon is something I had given thought to before starting. It was exactly for these reasons that I chose a PADI course, assuming that the instructors would be properly qualified and that a certain amount of quality control would be present.

Now I read with no little shock that there are no guarantees...

gozumutti

 

[o2diver]

Had a simular problem with an instructor who was not in good standing with PADI but was still training people. When are C cards did not arrive we started asking questions and all we got was that they are in the mail. Well it took two years and lots of emails and almost court action before we got our C cards. We also found out that he was doing the teaching and having another instuctor sign the cards. Because of us going and reporting them, they no longer teach for PADI. I have to say that it was worth the fight to get these two out of the business.
So please report these individuals to make it safer and rewarding for all students and Instructors.
Thanks in advance.
o2diver

 

[SubMariner]

Enigma, you've already gotten much good advice about what to do. Like Dee said, if you have any problems reporting to PADI Quality Assurance, I'm sure that one of us PADI-types would be happy to assist you.

I know you are reluctant to make yourself "known" to QA, but the only they will only take your complaint under advisement if you submit something to them in writing. That way they can be sure the person is SERIOUS about their complaint, and not just mudslinging.

Gozumutti, what you found is (unfortunately) true in many professions, not just in scuba. And it's NOT just PADI who has people masquerading as Pros, it's ALL AGENCIES.

The only thing someone can do in a situation like this with a PADI person is to ask to see their Instructor card. EVERY YEAR an Instructor MUST renew their membership & insurance in order to be an "in status" Instructor or DM. When they do this PADI sends them a sticker with the date on it for their card. For example, my sticker says "PADI 2001 Teaching Status" and indicates that it is good through till Dec 31/01, when it expires.

The only exception to this is a newly certified DM or Instructor. But their card will still have a date on it.

I'm sure that other agencies have similar things in place.

Meawhile, if you ever have a question about whether or not someone is actually who/what they say they are, call PADI. A *real* Pro will have given you an ID number and that will allow you to verify with PADI what their status is. No number, not a PADI Pro.

~SubMariner~

 

[Remora]

:fire:

Please Report this to PADI QA. I'am so mad I can't put a logical sentence together. PADI QA will keep your name anoymous to avoid any reprocussions(Arghh can't think to spell correctly either). The so called pro's should be permantley expelled from PADI and the "Shop" should lose it's priviledge of being able to conduct scuba courses for ANY affiliation and be relegated to selling toilet brushes only. On the first night of every course I briefly give my diving experience background and pass around my instructor card so everyone can see the "Teaching Status" decal. I aso tell them if they should take courses from other shops/instructors they should ask to see their card. I could go on here for quite awhile but only to amplify what has already been said by more composed people like Subby.

Please report this it could help to save someone's life. It is painfully clear these people have a flagrant disregard for the results of their actions.

 

[Rick Murchison]

There really is no dilemma at all. This thing must - not should - must be reported. You owe that to yourself and to the rest of us in the industry. If remaining anon is important, and you don't trust PADI to keep it so, send me the names, dates and details and I'll report it for you. PADI will investigate and clean up the cesspool.
Rick