Is Rescue training a turning point in diving perspective?

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jagfish

The man behind the fish
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Rescue training as a turning point in diving perspective?

I have a personal observation that rescue by virtue of the training and stage of a diver's career is a natural turning point where a diver's training evolves from inward attention (self-skills, knowledge), toward attention directed outward (to other divers, procedures, potential hazards, etc). By virtue of looking outward, it becomes an assumed case that your sh#t has to be wired tight if you are taking the step to (potentially) care for others. This has a positive effect, I feel. Now, there are definite stages to "wired tight", it's all relative, but my observation is the rescue course often causes an attitudinal and confidence-boosting transformation in divers that is very positive in net effect.

Anyone have pertinent thoughts that reflect on this topic?
 
Absolutely. I had trouble sleeping for three days after Rescue because I was methodico-compulsively reevaluating every decision I had ever made in the water. I think both the class skills and the ongoing reflections made me a better diver in a hurry.
 
I think it depends. I learned to dive in 1987, and was supervising scientific divers with just open water certification through 2000. I was already outwardly focused when I did AOW and Rescue in rapid succession. On the other hand, for folks who go straight to AOW from OW and straight to Rescue from from AOW, I can definitely see your point.
 
I was a
I think it depends. I learned to dive in 1987, and was supervising scientific divers with just open water certification through 2000. I was already outwardly focused when I did AOW and Rescue in rapid succession. On the other hand, for folks who go straight to AOW from OW and straight to Rescue from from AOW, I can definitely see your point.
I was a life guard before I was a diver. I too was already an outward focused diver. I had my AOW for a bit before joining the dive team, then I got my advanced resq cert. cart just slightly before the horse
 
I don't really think it was a big turning point for me. I think the decision to do the DM course was probably that. I took Rescue after only 26 dives (including the OW & AOW course dives). I did well on some things, not so well on others.
Nevertheless, I think it is important to take it as early on as realistically possible. You then have all the knowledge in the course and have performed the skills with instructor guidance.
A problem with Rescue is that unless you are a very active instructor, it may be a long while before you ever need the skills.
In 4 years assisting OW courses the only thing I did (once) was a tired diver tow. Though most of my diving has been solo last few years, I have still to come upon a serious situation that would call on the rescue skills. I have over 800 dives.
So, for the non-instructor, rec. diver, it could be you never run into that situation. So, a constant review of the inwater skills would be the way to go if you really wanted to stay sharp. A show of hands as to how many actually do that? Or my other pet peeve--who reviews CPR procedures other than maybe taking the course every 2 years?

But, at least you are aware of the skills and have done them at one point. Not much better, but better than nothing.
 
I have done the course over 20 yrs ago. Never ever required to use the knowledge/skill that I learnt from it.
Does it make me a better or safer diver? Hopefully.
Practice makes perfect? Couldn't answer that.
But I was more aware of the situation after I had done the tec course.
 
But I was more aware of the situation after I had done the tec course.
Never done the Stress and Rescue course myself, but watched quite some S&R courses given. Did the GUE Fundamentals myself. I do not feel having missed out on something. Even more, I think a Tec course, even intro, makes better divers than S&R from what I have seen. Could be a lack of skills of the Rec instructors, don't know, but I was not impressed at all.
 
Not necessarily, it really depends on the individual and where they are at mentally. I took rescue at 22 years old in college. It did not shift my mentality, I was young, brash and cocky. At the time is was just another set of skills in my kit bag. Time and experience were more important factors in changing my outlook.
 
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