In the PNW, you don't have any choice but to tailor to the area being dived. I only recently came to the realization that most people in the PNW begin in a wet suit.
I can't imagine putting students in the water in in a wetsuit, especially in the winter.
The conditions are much more intense, so DIRF should be much more intense. When in Alaska, I managed to get a Halcyon dealership, which is why I have so much Halcyon stuff laying around. We attempted to arouse interest in a DIR class, but the people I was diving with didn't want to learn from a PRETTY boy. (Their words, not mine). Deep air is the norm due to the lack of access to Helium. 10 footers are fairly normal and it's not uncommon to surface in 15 footers. PNW is a far stretch from the east coast.
Did I mention 20+ foot tidal changes?