Rescue Dive team training

[mrobinson]

Hello. I was wondering waht kind of training a rescue dive team member needs. (I realize this will likely change from state/country.) There must be a regulating agency in this field, eh? (BTW- In my area, it's usually the local fire hall that has one...)
Anyone know?

 

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

There are some agencies that offer "recovery dive training" or a public safety diver course. There isn't an national regulating body for PSD. Most of the dive teams you will find are volunteer organizations. I've read differing statistics from 85% or more are volunteer. The team I am a part of: SMART In 1988 SMART Divers was organized to assist public service agencies and organizations with underwater search, recovery, and crime scene investigations. SMART became a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization in 1997 and was incorporated into the South Hays Fire Department in June 2004. SMART combines the unique skills of police officers, fire-rescue, and EMS trained personnel with the field of search and recovery diving to form a specialty team of underwater investigators. SMART specializes in evidence recovery and documentation of the underwater scene with advanced video technology. This is a highly trained dive team that includes dive instructors, dive masters, underwater archeologist, specialty-advanced divers, haz-mat specialist, swift water rescue, deep technical, topside technicians, and cave divers. We primarilly do our own training for recovery diving operations.

 

[mrobinson]

I've seen a public safety diver course that a civie could go on under the condition there wasn't enough firefighters to fill it. I didn't get the name of the agency offering it... The team you're referring to, SMART, must be constantly training with that list. When you list the instructors, dive masters - are these PADI divers that you're referring to?

 

[BigJetDriver]

The International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD) recognizes the fact that 98% of all recovery diving in the U.S. is done by volunteer organizations.

It's course structure is set up with this recognition in mind, and teaches the proper procedures and tactics needed by the small teams to get the job done safely, and to work with all agencies concerned in the most effective manner.

It is nice to work on a standing team, and to get paid for it, but most do not have that luxury. Thank God for the volunteers of America!

 

[Under H2O]

I've seen a public safety diver course that a civie could go on under the condition there wasn't enough firefighters to fill it. I didn't get the name of the agency offering it... The team you're referring to, SMART, must be constantly training with that list. When you list the instructors, dive masters - are these PADI divers that you're referring to?

Dive Rescue International (www.diverescueintl.com) is a pretty well-known PSD training agency. I've taken their Dive Rescue Specialist I course. Our department has 12 divers who have the DRI certification. It's a great course for PSD work.

Dive Rescue International is not the only PSD agency out there, it's just the one I happen to be more familiar with.

-Gerry

 

[Gary D.]

I can't say much more than what has been said already. The important thing is to get PSD training that fits your needs.

I think that when it comes down to it all teams are volunteer. Even mine, being paid at the humungus rate of $.40 an hour, is a volunteer team. It is not a requirment to be on it. We volunteer for it and we all just happen to work for the same place that allows us to go anytime we are needed.

I don't know what all the other training agency's require but DRI requires you to be with a PSD team first. Also the certifications are not good for life like DIVER training is. It requires recertifications every few years or it's gone.

Happy hunting

Gary D.

 

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

Our team recently was absorbed into a volunteer fire department due to mainly funding issues, due to this recent transition there was a great influx of "new" divers, with primarily just an open water cert and very few dives. I have been taking it upon myself to get these new "guppies" into the water as much as possible by hosting a dive a week in the local lakes. My suggestion to anyone who is interested in getting into a Recovery Dive Team, have some background in public service and take at least an Advanced Open Water course for the Search and Recovery and Night/Limited Visibility training, and a Stress and Rescue Course. You need to be comfortable diving in normal conditions before you jump off into higher stess recovery diving. Dropping a fresh OW diver into a river current with one foot visibility to run into a body could produce less than favorable results.

 

[mrobinson]

I appreciate all the responses. I've been very curious about this industry since my husband and I certified O/W students who were all firefighters, starting their own dive team. Obviously they had to start somewhere but I've always been curious where they go from there. I guess our Province has some very set standards, but until about two years ago, it was a little more a grey area. I've been curious in wondering about other states/provinces/countries standards, in light of a recent training death. If I was widowed, I'd want to have a basic understanding - let alone what actually happened that day.

As well, I think there are alot of curious student who would like to know.

If you all can think of something else you'd like to add, please do.

Cheers.