Current PADI Rescue requirements

[mainedvr]

boulderjohn answered your question best, those are the actual requirements. The idea is to utilize a means of exiting a diver solo as well as with assistance. does not mean you have to carry them to exit them. The awesome thing about rescue well there are several things but one is that it teaches you to think, remember if you try to carry someone you can not you could not only injure them more you could injure yourself and that is another thing you are taught, your safety is number one....have fun its a great class if taught well.

 

[KatieMac]

Thanks everyone. I'm pretty fit but not very strong. So this requirement has been concerning me. Seems like I could drag the "victim" out of the water to complete the task. This is doable ... but I will still we practicing this over the coming months.

 

[boulderjohn]

When you're in the pool and about to assist a 'panicking' DM who's flailing his arms like an angry orang utan, just dont!

Just as an FYI, the panicked, splashing around diver is training you for a situation that pretty much never happens. The diver who is in danger of drowning while on the surface will usually slip quietly under the water, possibly unnoticed by those nearby.

 

[In2theabyss]

I just completed my Rescue Diver last month and it was actually enjoyable but the knowledge gained is incredible. Covered it all from non-responsive diver/gear removal to panic diver, we did have to perform out of water exits which involved carrying classmates a short distance

 

[MikeInDorset]

Just as an FYI, the panicked, splashing around diver is training you for a situation that pretty much never happens.

Yes, that got discussed a lot. The best night in the pool was where we assisted panicking divers while the course leaders added extra victims into the mix (including our buddies at one point), who were always silent, either on the surface or already at the bottom - just to prove this very point.

 

[Hoag]

Here is 100% of what the standards say is required in terms of a tired diver tow:

Tows with and without equipment removed,
including underarm push, tank valve tow and
modified tired-swimmer carry​

I did mine more than 10 years ago. It is quite possible that my memory is wrong or maybe PADI has changed the requirements in that time frame.

Thanks for the update.

 

[In2theabyss]

Thanks everyone. I'm pretty fit but not very strong. So this requirement has been concerning me. Seems like I could drag the "victim" out of the water to complete the task. This is doable ... but I will still we practicing this over the coming months.

I think the intent is to know how to do something in the rare event you need to....you would be pretty amazed what you could do under stress with the adrenalin flow in a real situation! Enjoy the class, I did!!

 

[Addicted2H2O]

I think you've already gotten the answers you need, but the only real physical requirements are I think a 200M swim, 400M swim with mask, snorkel, fins, and then a 15-20 minute safety swim (tread water or float). I just did rescue in late June/early July but under NASE and NAUI rather than PADI. I can't see the requirements being too much different between the agencies, other than NASE requiring a tired diver tow using a buddy line. My instructor did require us to remove an unconscious diver from the water onto a dock, which meant pushing/pulling the victim up 4-5 steps out of the water, but he also went up first to help lift them. The most fun part for me (and I'm pretty sure this wasn't a rescue course requirement) was recovering an unconscious diver from depth (in this case about 25') as a skin diver, which meant the diver has full gear and the rescuer has mask snorkel, fins. And in our case a wetsuit, which added to my already positive buoyancy.

It's a great class! So far my favorite one. You'll learn a lot. Not only about rescue but also about what to look for and how to prevent incidents/accidents before they occur. And you'll learn a lot about yourself as a diver, too. It'll teach you how to recognize problems and stressors in yourself before and during dives and how to manage them and how to self-rescue in an emergency situation. It's a great confidence booster!

 

[tursiops]

I think you've already gotten the answers you need, but the only real physical requirements are I think a 200M swim, 400M swim with mask, snorkel, fins, and then a 15-20 minute safety swim (tread water or float).

These are Open Water, not Rescue, requirements.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

These are Open Water, not Rescue, requirements.

Actually, I lied. It's 250 yds free swim and 450 yds skin diver kick. Both NASE and NAUI requirements. Maybe PADI is a bit different in their requirements. I've never taken a PADI course so I couldn't say for sure and I'm certainly not discounting your knowledge by any means. I know there is some variation between agencies; I'm just not certain how much.