Rescue or ???

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MissBehavin

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Messages
9
Reaction score
4
Location
South Florida
# of dives
25 - 49
I am recently AOW certified and contemplating Rescue for a few reasons:

1. I want to continue training and build up my skills and confidence with an Instructor.

2. I’ve had a string of boat dives recently that left me a bit uncomfortable (group dives that didn’t pair up buddies, DM leading unqualified divers through wrecks, less than stellar insta buddies with no respect for the buddy system at all). So I want to develop my skills in the event that if something goes wrong and help isn’t around, I can save my own behind.

3. I find myself naturally looking out for everyone anyway. Almost to a point where I’m more concerned about making sure my buddy/my group is safe rather than actually enjoying the dive. I’m not neurotic, but there are too many sad stories out there, and I don’t want to become a statistic or witness one, wishing I had the skills or training to help or prevent it.

One of my good friends (and dive buddy) is an attorney and has tried to discourage me from getting the Rescue C card. She warns... too much liability and obligation, and with all the litigation these days, I’d be exposing myself to unnecessary liability if something went wrong.

I know there is mixed controversy on the subject on this forum, and I’m not looking for advice on whether I should or shouldn’t do it. At the end of the day, only I can decide if an accident happened, would I feel better knowing I tried to help and failed? Or did nothing, but didn’t get sued? I think that’s a personal decision that I need to wrestle with myself.

But I am wondering if not Rescue, then what? I’m looking for recommendations on which specialty courses I could/should take that would provide the same/similar skills development as Rescue. Underwater Nav + ??? Again, I want to advance my skills with an instructor, beyond just “gain more experience diving with (questionable) buddies” and “continue practicing OW basics.”

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
 
Take the rescue course - it will definitely help build your skills and confidence in the water. The rescue course will add to your skills to help a diver who may be in distress, or who may just need some assistance on the surface. It will also aid you in acting appropriately and rationally should you yourself get into an uncomfortable situation. The PADI rescue course that I took many years ago instilled the 4 principles - stop, breathe, think, and act. I use these 4 principles when teaching my firefighters rescue techniques!! Note that the rescue course is not designed to allow a diver to perform "rescue" or recovery work, or be a "public safety diver".

Dive safe !!

Divegoose :)
 
IMO I think he is right about the liabllity. however Why not get the course book and self train. If you can develope the skills then why not. Then if anything ever happens you are doing your best in a bad situation as opposed to being considered being an expert because of a class you took years ago. I think that for the most part If you are like me I have never had to save anyone and probably never will. BBBUUUTTT i have had to intervein to replace tanks that have fallen out. help with free flows, bcd inflater leaks and causing constant filling. I guess all the things that would lead up to real problems that could turn real bad. Rescue class can be very intensive and it is not for those that are unfit physically. the strength requirements can be huge. find a first responder course and self study it at home. also do that with search and rescue. decide after that whether you want to go ahead with a formal class. If you desire to get a MASTER card then it will be a must.
 
Almost everyone who has commented on this in the past has said to take Rescue. You don't get the specific knowledge from any of the other PADI specialties--none that I know of anyway. I took it after my 26th dive. Did great on some skills, not so good on others. But, I had the knowledge. Wonder if I'll ever have to use it?
You didn't ask, but consensus regarding pros (Instructor/DM, etc.) assisting in a rescue and being sued is that in the end it amounts to what you do that caused a problem. Lawyers will find out everyone's certification of those present. I would think an OW diver could just as easily be sued since everyone seems to get sued today (especially in the U.S.).
--I always mention that at age 52 I didn't find the Rescue course I took all that taxing physically. More so mentally. I think they vary a lot according to instructor.
 
Rescue class can be very intensive and it is not for those that are unfit physically. the strength requirements can be huge. find a first responder course and self study it at home.
I completely disagree. I'm a diver with disabilities. I'm half way through my rescue course (theory, confined, two open water dives done) with RAID, and have found it to be okay, not physically challenging even for me. Note that it's with RAID, which is supposed to be more rigorous than PADI.

I put off this course for years because people gave me advice like yours. They told me it was impossible for me to even attempt the course. Well, I'm doing alright over here. It's a course like any course. Good instructors can come up with different ways to teach different students, adapting to their needs and strengths.

Also, having good instructors for actual in person class is important. Practicing the skills with their inputs is important. There are many things you won't be able to easily learn from a book. I've been trained in EFR plenty, and still found the course helpful to go through scuba related scenarios
 
Take the rescue. In terms of liability, your first responsibility is to yourself...so it's a load of hogwash if something goes down and you are unable to assist or make an assessment that intervening would cause harm to yourself.
 
Take Rescue. One of the usefull parts of rescue, is that it also trains you to look for issues and take action to mitigate the situation before they get out of hand. If you have a good instructor, they will make the course as physically and mentally demanding as you can handle.

As for the legal aspect, get trained but don't get any cards, then you arn't certified. There is no Agency record of non certified divers. Of course you don't have to forget what you learned.



Bob
 
People who want to sue will sue no matter what. I hav a friend who is doing his rescue course with me now, he was a paramedic and told me has been sued twice (back in the US where we are both from) by people whose lives he has saved.

Now in this country, the UAE, that fear of being sued is a non-factor.

I believe the rescue course is a great course to take and all divers should take it. Put the fear of being sued aside and gain skills that will allow you help others should the need arise. For me, needing to put these skills to use and not knowing them would haunt me more than knowing them, using them and then getting sued.
 
Rescue seems to be the consensus!

Is there another course (other agency?) which adds diver skills? I'm thinking about the self reliant diver, which is what my uk based agency (bsac) teaches.

Shame that buddy diving can be so poor.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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