Open Source Instruction for Entry Level Scuba

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Yeah, kinda like that :wink:

But seriously, a properly taught rescue diver course will include rescue of a person on the (water) surface. And no, not the guy who was walking on it..

Sure, when you properly teach any course it will have everything that course needs. You can be teaching anything from babysitting to rocket science and that applies. Rescue dive, by one large agency does not even touch on swimmer to swimmer skills. Divemaster by this same agency does have such topics as "the business of diving", because the rescue diver course that you took when you were 12 years old (min. age for rescue) covers your safety skills req. for divemaster.

The question is, what is properly?
 
You're stating your opinion as if it were fact. It's not.

I'd say that the primary reason for all the physicals that you mention has nothing to do with "saving lives". It's the limiting of liability; the ability to say "it's not OUR fault! Look at this pile of paperwork!!!".

In the scuba world, I would hope that you are not correct, but I am sure you are, the medical forms have been crafted with liability being more of a concern than consequence.

There are conditions that people don't even think of as important to diving, and they will simply sign the forms themselves. A number of instructors on here, I am sure, will tell you of students with obvious medical conditions that are either contra indicated or a relative contra-indications that have come to class with a self signed medical form in hand, who the instructor rejects, and insists on the students getting a physician to evaluate the student. I have had physicians who have signed their own medical form, and I have rejected them. I am sure many other instructors also get this all the time. You can follow agency standards all you want, but that does not relieve you of the responsibility of acting as a "reasonable man", one of the key standards to prove liability against you.
 
With all the problems that have occurred with scuba agencies, especially one particular one, why should showing a card from an agency, who can't even get simple procedures correct in their own training videos, make them "the acceptable standard" for if your card will be accepted or not? For example, look at the lack of information, and incorrect way presented on how to attach your tank to your BC in the course and the video. How many times have you seen O/W divers tanks, (and sadly others) fall out of their packs simply because this basic skill can not be completed? McDumalds is the largest restaurant chain, but it is by no means the place to find the best chefs and the best food.
 
Basically - the guise of this thread is "if you can't beat 'em.... join 'em".

It'll be free... until sufficient volume demands full time administrative staff (then it'll be costed)... then they'll need a high volume card printing machine (cost rise)... then they'll want to develop more functionality with the website (more cost)... then they'll want to increase the range of courses and materials...too busy to do all that personally and no more existing materials to be plagiarised.. hire writers (more cost)... etc etc etc

Soon you have another agency, charging (non-profit or otherwise) divers to get certified.

In order to gain recognition, they'll need to fast-track a whole bunch of instructors into the game... bang goes QA and selectiveness...

May not be McDumalds..... probably more like a Wendy's.
 
Diver rescue is different than swimmer to swimmer rescue. The emergency first responder training is not the same first responder training for EMT's. They simply poached the name and not the skill component of an actual state licensed first responder program. I know I am a paramedic / firefighter and have been for decades, and have taught those programs for state certification. The scuba agency deleted complete first aid, CPR and lifesaving program for a shorter version of their own program without the swimming lifesaving component. Divemaster used to have a minimal attempt at fitness, that is all but forgotten.

A dive master doesn't need to be a paramedic though, except possibly in the case of a live-aboard, which is arguable. They need to know CPR, which is a prerequisite. They need to know diver rescue, which is a prerequisite. Though I haven't taken a rescue course I can't believe you can teach a diver rescue course without covering "swimmer rescue" at the same time. What do you need to know other than how to subdue and tow people to get them to the boat/shore? We got that in OW. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean by swimmer to swimmer rescue.

Having taken both standard and wilderness first responder courses several times each, I can guarantee that the courses (whether you think the name is poached or not) teach what is important for non-professional first responders. In fact, drowning and "swimmer rescue" is often an integral portion of the course material because it's a high likelihood that's the only scenario most non-professional first responders will ever encounter subjects that are unconscious and/or not breathing. Have you ever taken a First Responder course not affiliated with being a professional responder?

I'm beginning to think my OW class was actually much better than I originally thought.
 
Basically - the guise of this thread is "if you can't beat 'em.... join 'em".

It'll be free... until sufficient volume demands full time administrative staff (then it'll be costed)... then they'll need a high volume card printing machine (cost rise)... then they'll want to develop more functionality with the website (more cost)... then they'll want to increase the range of courses and materials...too busy to do all that personally and no more existing materials to be plagiarised.. hire writers (more cost)... etc etc etc

Soon you have another agency, charging (non-profit or otherwise) divers to get certified.

In order to gain recognition, they'll need to fast-track a whole bunch of instructors into the game... bang goes QA and selectiveness...

May not be McDumalds..... probably more like a Wendy's.

It would be great to get that far, our nonprofit is running with a paperless concept, who needs a card when you have a smartphone? The meager website that we have so far has been free from donations of design time. At the core of our mission of amateur sports competition, is the vision to employ challenged adults (only 1 so far, for 1 day to teach an introductory course) and if we ever do grow that will be great but we don't seek to be an authority on information with published standards and procedures, there are quite enough of those already.

We are different than an organization focused on scuba. We are comprised of people who have challenged family members and those who are passionate about supporting this group with sports and employment. Growth is not the goal, appropriate care for loved ones is. We expect higher athletic standards (as this is what we do) and safety standards than can be found with scuba agencies. We can do this as we are not dependent on being a "mill" exisiting on a profit margin.
 
A dive master doesn't need to be a paramedic though, except possibly in the case of a live-aboard, which is arguable. They need to know CPR, which is a prerequisite. They need to know diver rescue, which is a prerequisite. Though I haven't taken a rescue course I can't believe you can teach a diver rescue course without covering "swimmer rescue" at the same time. What do you need to know other than how to subdue and tow people to get them to the boat/shore? We got that in OW. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean by swimmer to swimmer rescue.

Having taken both standard and wilderness first responder courses several times each, I can guarantee that the courses (whether you think the name is poached or not) teach what is important for non-professional first responders. In fact, drowning and "swimmer rescue" is often an integral portion of the course material because it's a high likelihood that's the only scenario most non-professional first responders will ever encounter subjects that are unconscious and/or not breathing. Have you ever taken a First Responder course not affiliated with being a professional responder?

I'm beginning to think my OW class was actually much better than I originally thought.

I agree, a basic first aid course is plenty. You should look into the "big guys" rescue course. There is no basic swimming rescue skills. I did take such a first responder course, it was in College. It was not affiliated with any professional responder. The course fulfilled the material for State requirements to join an agency as a first responder. As far as swimmer to swimmer rescue, the very first time an instructor evaluates the health, fitness and swimming ability of a swimmer is day 1, swim test. A simple google search will pull up multiple cases of drowning during a wide variety of courses (not just scuba) when people fail their swim test and it results in a single or double drowning. So what I mean by a swimmer to swimmer rescue, is the instructor standing on deck (hopefully) in his / her (if he wears womens swimsuits :D) and tries to rescue somebody going down. Drownings do happen in small pools, I have responded to double drownings in small pools. The first responder course that I refer to is the course that the "big guy" generated and that does not cover material in a way that would qualify somebody as a state licensed first responder, looking at state required criteria for the instructor, content, hours and more. This is what I mean by "poaching" the name.
 
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