Make Rescue a renewable c-card too?

[RonFrank]

Rescue is a rec class, not a professional level class. I don't see the need for making it expire. Those that want to remain in good form, dive often, and review the material. Those that don't loose the skills, but maybe they maintain enough to help in a bad situation.

I'm sure PADI and the other agencies would LOVE your suggestion. For the rest of us, not so much.

 

[BarryNL]

I'm sure PADI and the other agencies would LOVE your suggestion. For the rest of us, not so much.

I don't really see why. It sounds like a bit of an ego thing - that people want to be able to call themselves rescue divers even if they haven't practised a rescue skill in five years. Well, if you're happy fooling yourself with your ever valid c-card, fine...

 

[amascuba]

I don't really see why. It sounds like a bit of an ego thing - that people want to be able to call themselves rescue divers even if they haven't practised a rescue skill in five years. Well, if you're happy fooling yourself with your ever valid c-card, fine...

I don't think it's an ego thing as much as a time/money thing for most people.

 

[scubadobadoo]

I don't really see why. It sounds like a bit of an ego thing - that people want to be able to call themselves rescue divers even if they haven't practised a rescue skill in five years. Well, if you're happy fooling yourself with your ever valid c-card, fine...

I think you missed Ron's point Barry. I read his comment as a dig at the agencies. My guess is he agrees with your statement to a point, as do we all in our more serious and dark "scuba will kill you and isn't supposed to be fun and PADI sucks" moments." We all spend time there at some point.

Nonetheless, parts of the rescue class do go away and other parts stay. Why even bother arguing this when MOST divers never even take the class anyway. If a recreational diver takes the class they should be applauded, not chastised for not taking it again and again and again.

I remember stuff that I read way back in the 6th grade. I remember it today because I liked it. Some people just don't love scuba and that's how it is. It is what it is.

BTW, taking this class changed my life so I do personally consider it as being very important. It reminded me that I was fat and out of shape and lead to me loosing 50 pounds and getting healthy again. That in turn, added to my enjoyment of scuba tremendously. I take it seriously but that's just me. I am also realistic and have been involved in other sports/hobbies that I just didn't take as seriously. That's life.

 

[Thalassamania]

Interestingly I watched some groups, like LifeGuard Systems successfully market a yearly class to the same group of people over and over and over again. I guess it must be a fun weekend as well.

 

[cgvmer]

I took Rescue for 2 reasons,

1st: I dive with my kids (19,15,10). I feel more comfortable having additional skills that might help resolve issues when they arise. I took rescue with my 15yo and feel he is a better diver because of this. Both my 19yo and 15yo are RedCross Lifeguards, I am BSA lifeguard again just another level of training to feel more comfortable in and around water, not just scuba.
2nd: I asked at the local YMCA where my kids competitively swim(19yo practices there but no longer competes there), if we could use the pool for some confined water practice the aquatic director told us sure, then notified me that his insurance requires a "rescue" trained diver in the water when ever anyone is using scuba in the pool (in addition to the poolside lifeguard). So now my son and I can be the rescue diver for each other.

I believe that rescue should require a refresher, every 2-3 years. The skills get rusty, if not used or practiced.

 

[6Gill]

No way!

 

[Barracuda2]

Only because I'm and "older" diver (chronologically only), I'm not too worried about these threads that deal with re-certification. However, if I were a young buck diver just starting out or a middle age diver, I might have some concern. The big dive associations started the buffet of cert. courses we have spread out before us, and we all know the main reason they are there and heavily promoted---$. (I'm not talking about specialized courses like cave cert. etc.) Once the associations run out of certification areas, (and I think the only one left is "dry suit pee-valve cert.")what is the logical next step to keep the funds coming in? of course,---- re-certification. If the dollar looms higher than reason in our activity, the future dive industry will definitely shoot itself in the fin if ever OW or AOW is mandated to be renewed every 3, 5, or even 10 years. And don't you believe that they haven't already thought of it. Most of you on this board have been raised under the shadow of all of these certification levels and areas and it seems quite normal to you, but I believe even you would buck the notion of OW re-certification.----or maybe not. So, NO; I don't believe Rescue Diver cert. at the recreational level should be mandated to renewal. My $.02

 

[maged_mmh]

"most" of the people taking rescue class are taking them for one of two reasons:
1/ to go pro (prerequisite) - in which case it is redundant to renew RD + DM for instance.
2/ rec divers needs to feel more comfortable & in control for testing situations - most of these, as far as I go with the gang I usually do diving with are keen not to lose hard earned skills (our course was a pain in the A**) and try to review EFR & RD manuals and repeat the drills every now & then when coming out of dive relaxed enough to.
in both cases, don't see a real need to prove to anybody else that you can save the day by paying those extra dollars to an agency - better yet, just show them that you own a pocket mask in your BCD pocket; which I'm afraid a lot of certified RD didn't bother to possess.

 

[DennisS]

I don't really see why. It sounds like a bit of an ego thing - that people want to be able to call themselves rescue divers even if they haven't practised a rescue skill in five years. Well, if you're happy fooling yourself with your ever valid c-card, fine...

Are there really people that call themselves rescue divers?