As if we in the public safety dive community didn't have enough obstacles to overcome, now we have another one in the works. For those of you who haven't heard SSI and Dive Rescue International announced a "strategic alliance". No biggie right? Not as I see it. I don't know about you guys, but every team I've ever been involved with relies on the ability to have local vendors bid for contracts wether it be training or equipment. It's always been an effective way of regulating what people are looking to charge us. If vendor A is going to charge me twice as much as vendor B, I go with vendor B. No brainer. Case and point, our last batch of guys went through ERDI training because the independant (key word - independant) shop was able to set a price point on training and gear that allowed us to train and equip three guys for the price of two. Now here we have SSI teaming up with DRI, who as we all know does direct sales of their "endorsed" gear. What about the shops? So, let me get this straight now, not only have they limited my choices as to where I can train my guys, but now they are setting up a monopoly on equipment sales too. Way to show your commitment to the guys that suck it up and dive in conditions that make the tough guys cringe. Believe me, I understand that SSI and DRI had some sort of history and that in this economy every business has to tweak its model, but don't put the hurt on the local guys that have been helping teams get squared away for years. I know my department's budget isn't getting bigger, I need to be able to shop around for the deals, so I can stretch the gear and training budget that the politicos keep shrinking on us.