Rescue Diver course... good idea or bad?

[antattack]

You are on the right track. It's a good idea to talk to and gain experience with more than one instructor and more than one dive shop.

Part of training and then logging your own recreational dives is that you will develop your own views on diving. If you only ever train with one buddy and one instructor, you will un-necessarily limit your experience with diving.

Have fun!

 

[flots am]

So the big question: is this a dumb motivation for taking the rescue course? Am I going to get the value out of it that I hope to? As I said... I'm not exactly an experienced diver. But right now, I'd rather take the course (and fail) just so that I'm aware of the things that might prevent me from becoming an experienced diver... because for whatever reason I became a dead diver. (That would put a pretty big damper on my mood... ha!)

Anyway, I'm looking forward to what feedback I get... (and don't worry - I won't complain about being called stupid, I already know I am! : )

My personal preference would be to take the SSI "Diver Stress and Rescue" class if you have it available. It's targeted more towards early detection and avoidance of problems, than PADI's class which is targeted more towards what to do when things have already turned ugly. A problem you never have is better than a problem you can probably fix.

This isn't an agency bash, just noting the difference between the two classes, and in reality, you wouldn't go wrong with either.

Once you've taken that class and have a significant number of dives under your belt, I'd suggest the SDI "Solo Diver" class, even if you never plan on diving solo.

As a put in my tag line: "The nice thing about "Solo" is that you get to trust your buddies without relying on them." Solo will give you a ton more confidence to "do the right thing" and will keep you much safer, with or without a buddy.

flots.

 

[redlegs]

Having passed the NAUI rescue course on Saturday: I can highly recommend it. It has helped me to become more "aware" of other divers with me (notably equipment, skills, etc), and has helped with the "what if's". I needed (and need) to hone my skills and this course pointed that out as the course progressed.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

SEI's DRAM rescue course is the one I recommend to anyone as the first course they should take after open water. Similar to the Stress and Rescue, but many decades older with the knowledge and experience that comes with time, the DRAM rescue course is the old YMCA SLAM course. Upgraded and based on the CARE principle. Cognizance, Assessment, Rescue, and Evacuation. It is based on the thinking that many accidents can be prevented by taking action before they occur. Cognizance is another word for awareness. I spend as much time, if not more, going over how to prevent an accident as in responding to one. Testing students on gear configurations, assessing diver moods and mental states, the plan for the dive itself, buddy skills, etc.. You can use all of this to correct one small thing that could lead to catastrophe under water given the right conditions.
Rescue skills are so important we teach them in the OW class. Panicked diver at the surface, non responsive diver from depth, supporting a diver at the surface who has lost buoyancy, and tows of non responsive divers while stripping gear are all OW class skills. You can wait for AOW, UW Nav, or any other specialty. Rescue should not wait. OW then rescue is the route I recommend for my OW students.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Rescue class is as much about learning how to keep yourself out of trouble as it is about how to help someone else when they get into trouble ... if you only ever take one other class after OW, Rescue should be that class ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TMHeimer]

1. You make some very good points and I agree with those saying Rescue is a great idea.
2. You should improve your basic skills, comfortability and confidence enough so you are able to perform the rescue skills to a decent level.
3. While improving you should try to buddy with experienced divers (Rescue certified if possible). If that is not possible and you buddy with a "new" diver who also may lack in skills, do very benign dives in shallow water. The shallower the water the better practice it is for buoyancy as well as it is most difficult there.
4. Once you are comfortable enough with the basics take Rescue as soon as you can. Even if you don't excel in the course, you have the knowledge. At least you know what you are SUPPOSED to do. When I finished Rescue I told my OW buddy a couple of things that I wanted him to know should it be me that's unconscious or in trouble. I wasn't violating standards because I wasn't claiming to teach him any course--I was doing what seemed a good idea for my own safety. Even in the rare instant that you fail the course, again, you know what SHOULD be done, and again that's better than nothing.

 

[oldschoolto]

Yes... Take the course... You will learn.... Learning is a good thing....

 

[TSandM]

Bob nailed it.

Rescue classes have different emphases, depending on who teaches them. My husband's class is strongly oriented toward recognizing potential problems BEFORE they happen, but also goes through all the required scenarios to show you how difficult it is to effect a good rescue -- which is another reinforcement that you don't want to have to do it, or be rescued yourself!

The class does not really require polished diving skills, because there is not really very much actual diving involved. Once you have a few dives under your belt and are feeling as though you're good with how your gear works (and are not having to think your way through everything) then you can take the class. It was the best PADI class I took.

 

[Montana Diver]

Rescue class should make you a more competent diver, enhance your awareness of other divers and make you a better dive buddy since you begin to see the problems that might occur while diving. On every diver, I try to assess the ability of all the divers in my group. Upon completion of the the class, my instructors made me promise never to embarrass them by being "that diver". Being prepared for various situations makes me practice my skills and think about how to work through difficulties. Last month, I was diving in a local reservoir, realizing that my drysuit was leaking. I attempted to inform my buddy that I was leaking, however it was not a situation that I was unable to handle. When we finished the 55 minute dive, I was amazed at the amount of water that had entered through a failed 1" spot in the zipper. One of the epiphanies that I discovered in the Rescue class was to relax and calmly decide the urgency of the problem and what are the solutions and the risks of them. In this case it was just getting very wet since the water and air temp were not critical.

My class had us shadow the OW students and critique their strengths and weaknesses. This goes along way towards understand a critical component in seeing into the wide terrified eyes a student wondering how to be able to breathe underwater when he/she knows that is impossible.

Taking the class also made me go back and pick up all the first aid certifications that I lost since retiring from the Ski Patrol. Double bonus.

If you have a great instructor, you will learn and become a better diver.

Dennis

 

[Roatan Joe]

I have done all of my classes with different dive ops, mainly to get multiple perspectives. I highly recommend it if you aren't using a great op with many different instructors. I have always been under the impression that instead of failing a student it was incumbent on the instructor to work with them to make sure they understood the course material and could perform the skills. It is my opinion that very few students fail. More likely the instructor didn't do their job properly. There are some people that just aren't ever going to be divers, however, that number seems tiny to me. If you aren't comfortable with your present op look for alternatives. Maybe even consider doing the Rescue course on vacation, in warm water.
Good Luck,
RichH

It sounds like you want to take the Rescue course for all the right reasons which is great.

Just keep in mind an Instructor should not be expected to re-teach basic diving skills in a Rescue course that should have already been mastered in earlier courses. The OP openly admits that he has buoyancy issues and is likely obviously still learning and refining his basic diving skillls. My best advice is to the OP is to continue your diving and be very comfortable and confident in your own diving skills before deciding to take a Rescue course which is designed to focus on helping others. Sure, maybe you could successfully complete the Rescue course, but what's the rush? You will likely get much more out of a Rescue course if you're not having to focus on your own diving and can instead focus on the Rescue course material.

It's great that you're open minded enough to be willing to accept "failure", but why put yourself, the instructor and your classmates through that, if you think there a significant possibility of that happening.

None of my above comments should be construed to mean that I'm talking negatively specifically to the OP. I would give the same advice to anyone. As someone else mentioned, it would probably be best to talk with and possibly dive with your potential Rescue instructor and let him give you his honest opinion about whether you're ready for Rescue.