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

[nimoh]

obviously we aren't going to reach agreement on this, but since I think rescue situations are stressful, then realistic rescue situations should (IMHO) be stressful as well.

However I think rescue training should stop well short on one point, and that is putting the student in danger.

Of course I would agree that "Prepare divers to manage realistic rescue situations" is somewhat open to interpretation by the instructor and their experience.

 

[Bob DBF]

Even with that, the general feeling I got from the course was that they went far overboard. And I would be fine if it had been a bit more good-natured. But I really felt the hazing atmosphere and some VERY negative vibes from the instructors. The attitude I felt was like "Who is this @$$hole and if we have to go through the crap of training him, we are going to pummel the hell out of him."

My opinion is that you were doing well and didn't roll over as they had planned, and it turned into a pi**ing contest, unprofessional but known to happen. The next time you decide to train, interview the instructor to make sure he/she isn't a d**k.

I still stand by my original comment that "If you should find yourself in a true rescue, you will be writing those guys a thank you".


Bob
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That's my point, people, by and large, are not taught that diving can be deadly, they are taught how safe it is, and they are not equipped with the skills, taught and trained to the level required to be useful in an emergency.

 

[Bogtrotter]

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 had a very learned and intelligent instructor both in his diving and day career. In my Rescue classes I received a fair balance of repetition of skills, as well as a solid dose of rescue scenarios followed by discussion and unput from everyone on how people reacted. The scenarios in my opinion were very important to putting those skills to the test and evaluating performance. That said I don't see how you can do these scenarios without some stress on a student. We were kept on our toes throughout the course with these, but we were also sharing a laugh throughout as well. The keeping you on your toes part increases awareness and forces you to look for problems- it just does. I do however agree with you that a student shouldn't be scared witless and afraid to get out their wetsuit like the OP was. I think it's important that an instructor find a good balance, and sure having a bright instructor with a good sense of humour helps.

 

[nimoh]

I had a very learned and intelligent instructor both in his diving and day career. In my Rescue classes I received a fair balance of repetition of skills, as well as a solid dose of rescue scenarios followed by discussion and unput from everyone on how people reacted. The scenarios in my opinion were very important to putting those skills to the test and evaluating performance. That said I don't see how you can do these scenarios without some stress on a student. We were kept on our toes throughout the course with these, but we were also sharing a laugh throughout as well. The keeping you on your toes part increases awareness and forces you to look for problems- it just does. I do however agree with you that a student shouldn't be scared witless and afraid to get out their wetsuit like the OP was. I think it's important that an instructor find a good balance, and sure having a bright instructor with a good sense of humour helps.

I agree that anytime a diver (rescue or otherwise) is "scared witless", they should stop diving, although I didn't see any evidence of this extreme in the OP.

As for "afraid to to get out of their wetsuit", what is so scary about that?

 

[Bogtrotter]

I agree that anytime a diver (rescue or otherwise) is "scared witless", they should stop diving, although I didn't see any evidence of this extreme in the OP.

As for "afraid to to get out of their wetsuit", what is so scary about that?

Obviously. And with the scared comment I meant it more metaphorically than literally- ie scared out of his skin. If they barraged him with so many scenarios on the first day that he was paying less attention to instruction on the second then that course structure probably didn't work for him- maybe a more balanced approach would have been better. Only he knows that though.

 

[phoenix31tt]

Often times we think we are prepared for a situation... or that we have enough experience and knowledge to handle a situation... and then when we are put in the situation we realize reality isn't what we expected it to be.

Based on this we see the situation as being unfair, unnatural, worse than it was etc etc.

I don't know if this is your situation.. but something you said sure made it seem that way...

My point in this background is I suspect I am much more likely to have been prepared for the course than the average diver, despite only having 16 logged dives under my belt.

Maybe if you had gone in not thinking you were more prepared than the average 16 dive person you might have had a different perception...

Regardless.. I agree with Bob... you will be thanking them if, God forbid, you end up in a real rescue scenario... it's always better to have the most realistic situation possible in training...

 

[nimoh]

Obviously. And with the scared comment I meant it more metaphorically than literally- ie scared out of his skin. If they barraged him with so many scenarios on the first day that he was paying less attention to instruction on the second then that course structure probably didn't work for him- maybe a more balanced approach would have been better. Only he knows that though.

I didn't see any reference in the OP (metaphorically or literally) that there was an element of fear. I also didn't see any reference to paying less attention to the instruction due to the number of scenarios. I will admit that I am reading a bit of exaggeration into the OP, since 15 "emergencies" in 50 minutes is highly unlikely.

The OP does mention that they thought it was a "bit" overdone, and perhaps it was, but a bit overdone doesn't sound like a big deal to me.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .

I'd still like for anyone to point out where PADI directs you to put the student diver under direct stress in the simulated rescues and further where PADI specifically cites the benefits of the student and wants you to do this.

Here is the link again: ftp://207.215.212.62/stuff/PADI/DIM/Guides/Rescue.pdf

Untill you find it, I'll just say the evidence of the failure of this methodology to instructing is in the OP's very post starting this thread.

Fascinating. My own Rescue course went well beyond what that Guide says, and mine wasn't nearly as intense as the OP's. On the last day of the 5-day course, the scenarios had us jumping into the water at least half a dozen times. My wife's Rescue course was more in line with what the Guide says--that is, the minimum scenarios.

 

[corvettejoe]

It sounded like a great class to me!
Why make it easy? When crap hits the fan, you need to know what to do... not sit around and try to remember what to do... when things come one after the other in a training scenario, it makes you think faster, and act faster... so if it happened for real, you should hopefully remember that think/act fast mindset and take care of the situation. Once you get past AOW, you will start getting into more advanced courses... so expect things to not be so easy anymore. It's still fun and rewarding (at least it always was for me), so just keep at it and enjoy these experiences. If they are too stressful, just remember... diving is about fun... if you're not having fun anymore, stop and go back to what made it fun for you.

Some of my rescue courses involved hauling my buddy from depth from inside a cavern all the way out of the cave, to the surface, with sidemount gear on, stage bottles, etc. These courses can get real fun later on

 

[Bogtrotter]

Yes agree about the 15 emergencies in 50 mins seems a lot and had me wondering as well..? Well he described it as 'hell' and a 'hazing' and that he was stressed the whole course, and from what I gather he didn't even have any emergency situations on the second day. I would think an instructor or course director would want students alert and on their toes- but not stressed when they are demonstrating something.