PADI Rescue Diver Curriculum Question

[Skulmoski]

Hi
I just passed my PADI rescue diver today culminating with the open water skills component. The instructor provided a pre-dive briefing and told us that his dive master assistant will be turning off our air without warning when we are underwater and working through the skills exercise. Is this part of the PADI curriculum? I briefly checked the Rescue Diver Instructor slates and could not find any reference to turning air off on a rescue diver candidate while underwater.
Thanks in advance
GJS

 

[Hawkwood]

Goodness....no!

The only time air is turned off on a student is with two skills conducted during Confined Water only, for open water diver training. In both cases the Student is well aware of what is happening and when.

 

[Andyinbp]

Definitely not part of PADI Rescue Diver, and turning off air unexpectedly not a recommended part of any PADI course up to and including DM that I know of. (Apart from the confined water element already mentioned)

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Good way to kill a student.

 

[Beyond_Diving]

That is just plain stupid!

 

[jbomb001]

I see an instructor report back to padi being filed or at least it should be filed... this instructor is going to hurt someone.

Sent from my galaxy S5 Active.

 

[Redshift]

I see how it increases the risk, but also see it as a beneficial tool. Emergencies don't happen with divers expecting it and occurring slowly in a controlled manner, often kneeling on the bottom as is customary with the majority of the courses. They can happen mid-water without warning. Is it better to reduce risk during courses and not prepare the students properly? For the instructors and their insurance companies, yes. For the divers, not sure.
I had such exercises being done during my CMAS 1 course. They were actually a lot of fun and I think increased in-water confidence to all the students. But it was done in a very progressive way that started with a full free diving course before going on to SCUBA. So on short courses like many being provided now, I agree it's not a sensible thing to do. But is it still not sensible on a Rescue diver course when self-rescue is also taught?

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Good way to kill a student.

If your student will panic and die in an OOA situation, wouldn't you rather it happen while you're there to intervene?

We've all been taught how to deal with this.


Sent from an old fashioned 300 baud acoustic modem by whistling into the handset. Not TapaTalk. Really.

 

[txtroop07]

I say its a good way to add a little mental stress to the training. The instructor may have told the students to expect it, but may not actually do it. Just wanted to the student constantly think about it every time a DM gets close just to induce actual stress to the training environment.

Just my 2 pennies...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

However shutting off the air supply is against standards. If an instructor or dm does that it's a serious violation. It's one thing to add stress. It's something else to create a situation where actual harm can occurr. Doing this to a student is introducing unnecessary risk and perhaps distracting them enough to cause further harm. Those who think it's ok, go ahead and tell your agency and insurance company that you're doing this. If you're not an instructor ask yours what he thinks of this.