Hello,
I have been the Diving Safety Officer at the National Aquarium for 3 years now. The dive program has been making changes over the past 3 years and continues to change. The National Aquarium had exclusivity with 1 local dive operation when I started. This exclusivity has been removed and has used other dive operations for training of new personal to the aquarium. In 2008, I also began inviting owners and staff of local dive operations to come and visit and dive at the aquarium, trying to build a relationship with the local dive community. Unfortunately, with a full schedule, this happens not as frequently as I would like. We will continue to invite dive operations and staff in 2009.
In September of 2008, the aquarium gave authorization to hire an Assistant Dive Safety officer. In October, Nicky Wilson was hired on as our new Assistant Dive Safety Officer. With the addition of Nicky, we will be able to make more transitions to the dive program.
We are looking at different ways to involve the local dive community on future activities at the aquarium.
The Volunteer Dive program has also transitioned during this time period. The volunteer divers are extremely valuable to the aquarium. Their role is more than "Glorified window washers". The divers do food preparation and feeding of 2 of the major exhibits at the aquarium. They also have a role in animal observations. Majority of the divers are able to pick up on minor changes in the animals (behavioral and Physical) and sometimes involved in animal procedures. If you have not been to the aquarium recently, you will notice in the Atlantic Coral Reef exhibit that it is in the aquariums 27 year history the first time that we have been able to maintain a large population of very small and small reef fish. This is due to the volunteer divers taking the extra time needed in food preparation and the extra time that is needed to feed all of the little animals.
The volunteer divers professions varies greatly. We have construction workers, lawyers, office assistants, engineers, retirees, and many more professions too numerous list here. They all have a GREAT commitment to the aquarium. I am HONORED working side by side with all of them.
The minimum requirements to get in are the following:
Minimum of 18 years of age
Advanced Open Water certification
Minimum of 30 logged dives
Must commit to a minimum of 1 year to the program
The written test begins the process in recruitment schedule. Majority of the questions on the written test are based on general open water diver course. Some general biology and physics questions are added in to help balance out the test. We have a group of aquarists and volunteer divers review and change the questions on a regular basis.
I hope this helps answer the questions that were addressed in this forum.
Thank you,
Chuck Eicholz
Dive Safety Officer
National Aquarium
Pier 3, 501 E Pratt St
Baltimore, MD 21202
