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I only have a couple of problems with age as it relates to being a PSD .

First off is being mentally stable enough to do the job. Some people, and age has no bearing here, can handle death while others can not. Now take that death and put in into conditions that are not at all natural and the problems are compounded. Now dealing with that death, for the most part, might best be done by someone that is a little more mature than a teenager.

When you’re in recovery mode and the victim is dead, very few people actually handle the body. It is quite a different action when that person “Might” be alive. The one person that does the most handling is the PSD. The way the body is handled is about the same as climbing into bed with the person as your going to be side by side with them. You are up close and personal for a while like nobody else is going to be. At the very least body fluids will be leaking and guess who gets in them? Not the people topside as they will be insulated from them, it’s the PSD and that can be a mental trip.

Insurance is another problem. Some might be covered under a family medical policy. But how good is that policy going to be if they have to pay out with activity like being involved with PSD?

Training is another story. It’s hard enough to get proper certifications as an adult let alone being a teenager, but if you can get the training go for it.

Last on this short list attitude. Sometimes kids can develop a big one. But then again so can adults. This is a nasty, serious, dangerous business where a poor attitude does not belong. What it says in the book is not necessarily what will happen so get rid of the Book Says So attitude because it is just a guideline.

My first recovery was at 19 years old. To compound that we were in some very nasty oil covered surface conditions and it was a kid I worked and went out drinking with. Yes it changed my life.

If you have a good attitude and are not a chest beating brat, go for it and welcome aboard.

Gary D.
 
Gary, I appreciate your relpy. EVERYTHING you said is very true, and I couldn't have put it better myself.


I have already dealt with bodies that we know are dead, and bodies that we aren't sure about. I guess it just dosen't bother me. Yes, it changes if that person might be alive, but I try not to get to attached. You have to seperate yourself, not learn too much about that person, and just put it down as just another day. Of course the first one is going to change you.. after that, its just a body that needs saving. Make sense?


Funny you should mention body fluids, we were just having a chat about this at a meeting this morning. Fluids are part of a person, and while not the most pleasant thing, something that you learn to deal with.

I hope that I haven't given you any reason to believe that I have a poor attitude. I take life as it comes, each day is a new day. A person is alive until otherwise confirmed, and discussing a situation instead of demanding a certain action will not only get you farther, but people will learn to trust you.... and then you can trust them.

I can't remember the last time I trusted a book to teach me anything but facts. The only way you learn in this business is from experience... exactly why I took another six months of "shore-support searches" before I started diving. I didn't believe what the book had to tell me, and I realized that there were some real life things that I needed to learn before I just "Jumped in."

I hope that I answered everything you were looking for. If not, let me know.....


Kayla
 
One more question:

Noting that my watch indicates that it is August 23, did you not have school today?
 
Kayla:
Gary, I appreciate your relpy. EVERYTHING you said is very true, and I couldn't have put it better myself.


I have already dealt with bodies that we know are dead, and bodies that we aren't sure about. I guess it just dosen't bother me. Yes, it changes if that person might be alive, but I try not to get to attached. You have to seperate yourself, not learn too much about that person, and just put it down as just another day. Of course the first one is going to change you.. after that, its just a body that needs saving. Make sense?


Funny you should mention body fluids, we were just having a chat about this at a meeting this morning. Fluids are part of a person, and while not the most pleasant thing, something that you learn to deal with.

I hope that I haven't given you any reason to believe that I have a poor attitude. I take life as it comes, each day is a new day. A person is alive until otherwise confirmed, and discussing a situation instead of demanding a certain action will not only get you farther, but people will learn to trust you.... and then you can trust them.

I can't remember the last time I trusted a book to teach me anything but facts. The only way you learn in this business is from experience... exactly why I took another six months of "shore-support searches" before I started diving. I didn't believe what the book had to tell me, and I realized that there were some real life things that I needed to learn before I just "Jumped in."

I hope that I answered everything you were looking for. If not, let me know.....


Kayla
(I hope that I haven't given you any reason to believe that I have a poor attitude.)

Not at all I threw it out there in general terms.

I'd like to see your operation someday. I'm not that far away.

Gary D.
 
Once a year we have a HUGE training with all the groups. I'll let you know when we have the one for next year, you're more then welcome to join in the fun.


Yep, its August 23rd... we don't start school until September 6th, out the middle of June.... however, it dosen't really matter for me because I do all of my classes online.


Thanks you guys for the imput/ feedback. I do appreciate it even if it might not have seemed like it!



Kayla
 
Wow yall start pretty late. Thats nice you can do all you stuff online. Unfortunatley, I can't, so that means I have to wait until next summer to accept the local dive team's request (they only have 4 divers right now) for the diving portion of my family to help out.
 
Have you talked to your school about being able to leave in the case of a search? I did two years of high school before switching to this program, and we had an arrangement. If my pager went off, I would just go into the main office, and they would know I was gone, but it wouldn't count against my "absent" days. I don't know if thats a possibility for you.. but its worth a try!


Kayla
 
I haven't, but I'm sure they would let me. We've only got about 350 students K-12 at my school, and every teacher/principle/superintendent is a family friend, and most taught my Dad in school :). And since the math teacher (Yes, I said THE, as in only one) is a volunteer fireman, that would help.

So basically, yeah I could do it. But I also have to talk my dad into letting me and my sister do it. And I've gotta get a drysuit before I do ANY January river dives!!!
 
Kayla:
Desa... Thanks for helping me out. I guess I'm just getting really tired of defending the group that we have worked so hard get on its feet!

I hope you don't think I was being mean, but frankly, you came in with the "here I am, here is what we do, ask away" line. Certainly, you shouldn't be worked up that people took you up on the apparent offer. Frankly, you did a mediocre job at fully explaining some things at first which is probably why you felt you received additionaly critical sounding questions, but it isn't a big deal because I think in the end you finally addressed them all so that's cool. I hope you aren't mad about. Also, this is just the internet. :wink:

Desa: Cool. Sounds pretty much like how most teams handle it (ie, usually one diver in at a time with a standby, tethered, line signals and possibly coms).
 
TheAvatar:
I hope you don't think I was being mean, but frankly, you came in with the "here I am, here is what we do, ask away" line. Certainly, you shouldn't be worked up that people took you up on the apparent offer. Frankly, you did a mediocre job at fully explaining some things at first which is probably why you felt you received additionaly critical sounding questions, but it isn't a big deal because I think in the end you finally addressed them all so that's cool. I hope you aren't mad about. Also, this is just the internet. :wink:

Desa: Cool. Sounds pretty much like how most teams handle it (ie, usually one diver in at a time with a standby, tethered, line signals and possibly coms).



You're probably right, but I'm hoping that I did answer everything. Its kind of hard to know how people really mean things when you can't hear their tone of voice... so sometimes things get "weird." I'm definetley not mad.. I hope that I didn't make anyone else mad!!! And you're right after all, it is just the internet.

teknitroxdiver.... Come on! You can do it! I still dive a 7mm in the bay in January! (lol)


Thanks for your replies!
Kayla
 

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