Rescue Diver Course - I can't recommend it based on my recent experience

[blandmc]

wow - tons of great response on this thread. I really appreciate all the different opinions, especially those of instructors. Thank you, guys.

As for my title, I thought it was pretty clear and very fair. I would not recommend this course based on my recent experience.... at least not to anyone who is not pursuing a professional license. Now that is very different from how I felt before taking the open water portion of my course. Before that I felt it was every diver's responsibility to take this course if they wish to continue diving and that's specifically why I took it.

As I stated in my original post, I am quite sure every instructor and shop teaches it differently, and that has been clearly evidenced by the many great replied from instructors here. My point was that if the course was that overdone and so much of the hazing element present, then I see no reason for the average recreational diver to put themselves through that experience. I believe learning should be both challenging AND fun. I guarantee you there was nothing fun about the open water portion of my course.

As for me exaggerating, I am not. You don't know me, but what I can remember of the course 2.5 weeks ago that 3rd dive included:
1. lost a fin
2. emergency ascent
3. went the wrong way from the group FAST in low viz
4. emergency descent
5. out of air/pulled out my reg
6. emergency ascent again
7. went the wrong way from the group again fast
8. fast hyperventilating /calm down diver
9. went wrong way from the group again
10. out of air and trying to claw at my face
11. swimming by me smiling and then suddenly pulled my reg out

I can't remember everything else but I know he did more... these are just what I logged... So my estimate of about 15 things is not an exaggeration. plus I had 2 other divers also doing things... and this was all in one 50min dive. I don't feel it was a realistic rescue scenario. I think I rather would have had all those things thrown at me over 3 different dives throughout the day to space them out so that I could experience more the suddenness of an emergency and needing to react in a calm/thoughtful but decisive manner quickly. To me that would be more realistic than having a constant barrage of everything in one dive.

 

[Lorenzoid]

wow - tons of great response on this thread. I really appreciate all the different opinions, especially those of instructors. Thank you, guys.

As for my title, I thought it was pretty clear and very fair. I would not recommend this course based on my recent experience....

As I stated in my original post, I am quite sure every instructor and shop teaches it differently, and that has been clearly evidenced by the many great replied from instructors here....

The wouldn't it have been more accurate to title it:

________ Dive Center's Rescue Diver Course - I can't recommend it based on my recent experience

 

[Bogtrotter]

Well it was described to me by my instructor as a course that is somewhat pivotal in the sense that it does provide a stepping-stone to going pro or into more challenging diving. We did much of what you described but I guess it was throughout the course rather than front loaded. I think the more divers who take the course the safer the sport will be, so personally I would recommend it to your average rec diver.

 

[supergaijin]

.....this was all in one 50min dive. I don't feel it was a realistic rescue scenario. I think I rather would have had all those things thrown at me over 3 different dives throughout the day to space them out so that I could experience more the suddenness of an emergency and needing to react in a calm/thoughtful but decisive manner quickly. To me that would be more realistic than having a constant barrage of everything in one dive.

This is a valid criticism IMO. If there were 3 training dives, it makes sense to me to split these skills up and keep the student on their toes for all three.

A constant barrage like the one the OP has described is more of a 50 minute assault than a meaningful training course.

 

[letterboy]

What if the guy was just trying to rush you through the check out dives so you could enjoy the rest of your vacation dives?

 

[DaleC]

I'm afraid I am going to have to side on the belief that basic rescue training (which is what these courses are) should not involve undue stress. Perhaps one scenario, to illustrate its effects, but that's all. You are taking a diver with 0 skills and trying to teach them the very basics - the ABC's. Adding stress and harassment just undermines the process and decreases the ability to retain what is taught.

Is an emergency stressful? Yes. How do you reduce stress? By feeling competent in your skills. But if you stress a student out before they gain the skills they only feel less competent and more stressed.

At the basic rescuer level one should be taught a few simple techniques and strategies and then be drilled with them repeatedly. Not given a buffet to sample poorly. You may feel you've been exposed to more, but have actually digested less.

Undue stress at the beginning, defeats education. It's application should come at an advanced level when basic competency has been achieved. At that point, the stress serves to test the divers capacity to employ what they know in a realistic setting. But if you don't have competency, what are you demonstrating?

A simulated stress event may be used to illustrate to the diver "what they don't know" so as to stimulate a desire to learn, but after that, one should revert to skills training to provide those very skills they have seen they lack.

I think harassment training at this level generally produces two kinds of products:

Those who have low confidence because they could not cope with stress (and did not acquire skills). They may stop diving sooner because they feel it is too dangerous.

Those who have a false sense of high confidence because they coped with the stress (but did not acquire skills). Unfortunately, it becomes an ego stroke.

An initial rescue course should give one a basic understanding of a small handful of basic skills and the ability to improve on these with self study, along with the opportunity to test these in simulated stress settings when core competency is attained.

A better training model would be for a dive center/instructor to run basic rescue courses and every one, two or three months, offer a simulated rescue day workshop; in which previous students can come out and apply their skills. New students, old, refreshers - it would provide a win/win opportunity by keeping post course students involved in developing skills and allowing yet another income source to the instructor. Cyclic training as opposed to linear.

 

[Bogtrotter]

An initial rescue course should give one a basic understanding of a small handful of basic skills and the ability to improve on these with self study, along with the opportunity to test these in simulated stress settings when core competency is attained.

A better training model would be for a dive center/instructor to run basic rescue courses and every one, two or three months, offer a simulated rescue day workshop; in which previous students can come out and apply their skills. New students, old, refreshers - it would provide a win/win opportunity by keeping post course students involved in developing skills and allowing yet another income source to the instructor. Cyclic training as opposed to linear.

I don't think the majority of people in my course were overburdened though, and I thought the numerous scenarios we did were integral to the course. Maybe they should have an 'Intro to Rescue specialty that is a prerequisite for the full Rescue, that way students would have a few skills already in hand? Better yet have more rescue skills integrated into the initial cert or advanced classes. I recall doing some rescue exercises with my NAUI cert- but that was a long time ago now.

That sounds like a good idea. I imagine some dive clubs do have rescue review drills- pretty sure I need a tune up.

 

[toddthecat]

I would not recommend this course based on my recent experience.... at least not to anyone who is not pursuing a professional license.

As for me exaggerating, I am not. You don't know me, but what I can remember of the course 2.5 weeks ago that 3rd dive included:
1. lost a fin
2. emergency ascent
3. went the wrong way from the group FAST in low viz
4. emergency descent
5. out of air/pulled out my reg
6. emergency ascent again
7. went the wrong way from the group again fast
8. fast hyperventilating /calm down diver
9. went wrong way from the group again
10. out of air and trying to claw at my face
11. swimming by me smiling and then suddenly pulled my reg out

So basically what you are saying is that while you are on a leisurely dive with several other divers that none of those things could occur? an out of air situation where the victim pulls out your reg or goes for your face isn't unusual at all. Do you really expect most OOAs to be cool, calm, and collected?

Yep, you got a bunch of practice. Would all of those things happen during one dive? Of course not, considering the first emergency ascent would end the dive, but what did you expect? It's about practice. When you practice something you do it a lot and repetitively. Sounds to me like you got a pretty good rescue class. You can only do so much in a few days so you get to do it over and over again. Tell us, exactly what did you want? A nice, easy course where you wouldn't get a little winded and you had a great time sightseeing and BOUGHT your Rescue cert? Sounds like you EARNED a Rescue cert. Which, by the way, I congratulate you on doing. Lose the sense of entitlement and you'll be all set. People who walk around thinking they're entitled are some of the worst.

Four more things...

-If you thought that Rescue class was bad, I'd say going to DM is not for you.
-If you aren't sure how an operation does something, you should probably ask questions first. Asking how they run the program would likely have resulted in you knowing what to expect. It sounds like you sort of walked in blindly (or with an overwhelming sense of entitlement of the c-card since, after all, you paid for the class).
-You seem shocked that emergencies arise out of nowhere and without warning. That's exactly how they happen pretty much every time so you might get used to it.
-You should re-evaluate the following statement: "I also come from a military family and have been involved in fighting disciplines since I was 5... so very comfortable in physical and mental stress and pushing beyond my limits." lt appears that you are NOT comfortable with physical or mental stress. Also, coming from a military family does not entitle you to anything unless you've actually done it yourself.

I'm sure you will have no problem finding a shop that you can purchase certifications from. It's rare that a shop actually makes people earn their certifications.

 

[billt4sf]

The skills should have been taught in the confined water portion which he had done before... Just as skills are taught in confined water for OW and then demonstrated in open water..

Teaching them in confined water, then doing the same thing in open water would be two entirely different scenarios in my book. Then throw in the simulations -- is what would work best for me.

- Bill

 

[toddthecat]

^ Phoenix should know that confined water dives can be done in open water...

---------- Post added October 19th, 2013 at 06:44 PM ----------

Well, obviously many of you disagree with me. Just makes me so glad we specifically researched our rescue instructor prior to committing to the course and ended up with a highly intelligent and mature individual who focused on the information and repetition of the skills under controlled conditions, emphasizing comprehension and execution, and we successfully avoided some neanderthal who's personally so board with teaching that they need to turn the training into a circus for their own entertainment.

I thought your initial post was satire or sarcasm. Nice to see you got everything in a kid-gloves "controlled condition". If everything were controlled conditions with no surprises then there would be no purpose in having a rescue class because no one would require rescue. I guess with the stress of life you certainly shouldn't expect to be stressed during a class that simulates emergency life or death scenarios.