A compassionate instructor

[plumcrazy]

Drat....Its pretty strange how long we can regurgitate this topic. I keep thinking based on the story as described by the OP was this kid ever put in any real danger? Enclosed pool, 5 feet deep, Mom and Dad present, Dad has some knowledge / relationship with DM, directly supervised by certified diver, where is the risk ?? What is the reward? Biggest mistake made bt Dad was posting this to this forum. Nuff said, over and out............

 

[Jim Lapenta]

The risk is one can embolise in as little as 4 feet of water. The other issue is again the meaning direct supervision. Direct supervision is not teaching other divers while a non pro is watching an uncertified person on scuba. It is against agency standards and is the one of the reason's that instructors pay for insurance. Which by the way had an issue occurrred the instructor most likely would have had a hell of a time getting his company to back him up. What an individual does on their own time in their own pool with their own kids is one thing. When an instructor allows this to happen in a shop pool or one being used by the shop for training it is a clear violation and he/she puts themself at unnecessary risk. And providing the gear for such is another. Had the instructor waited until the class was finished and then himself conducted the session for the kid there would be no one here saying a bad word about it. When non instructors who do not pay insurance, go thru all the training in risk management, legal issues, and what can happen start talking about this as being no big deal it carries little weight. The only one it hurts is the new diver who thinks they know it all and decides to pass that on to someone with tragic results. This sport is safe when done properly. If not it kills very quickly and in very nasty ways.

 

[TMHeimer]

Right. The topic can be argued forever. The standards are there because the agency is there. The agency is there because at one point 50 years ago either the need for one existed or the opportunity for a business venture was there. If you are a member of said agency you must follow the standards. If not, you can do what you want and accept any consequences as scuba police only exists in France.

 

[Paladin]

I will repeat something I said earlier: If I could go back in time to the beginning of the event, I would not change a thing. My son had a valuable experience and we enjoyed some quality time together. As Plumcrazy said, my only mistake was sharing the story here. I now know how DumpsterDiver felt when he tried to share his story with this board. As far as I am concerned, this thread can be closed. Now.

 

[DaleC]

The problem I see is that some agencies push becoming a DM or Instructor right off the bat as the natural progression in diving so that everybody becomes a "professional" instead of just a diver. Then they all get together and bash each other over the head with the training manual instead of remembering the simple joy of diving. Diving would be a lot better off without all the professionals.

And then of course, they all post into another thread where they admit to breaking all sorts of "rules" and standards but not when they are wearing their instructors hats.

I can't think of anything more fun than being on a boat full of instructors, all pointing out violations to each other.

 

[Peter Guy]

Paladin -- I don't think anyone who has posted here believes that your son should not have had a "discover scuba experience" or that, quite frankly, given all you've written, that this was a particularly dangerous experience. (Note, yes, he could have embolized had he taken a deep breath and shot to the surface but that is true no matter what.) The comments relate not to you and your son but, to the contrary, to the instructor.

Like it or not, there are "standards" that all "professionals" are supposed to uphold. This is true regardless of the profession. Given all that you have said, I do not believe this particular instructor upheld the standards of his profession.

What he did may well not have been any more dangerous that what I do showing friends how much fun it is to "blow bubbles" in my pool. But THAT is not done in a "professional" setting and it does not put my LDS at risk (however slight).

Anyway, go off and think about what idiots and uptight people we are if you desire but, just for a moment, try to think about it from the aspect of "What if....?" Would you not then be asking yourself, "Did I really do the right thing and would it have been better if my friend, the instructor, had actually done what he was supposed to do?"

And, just to be a bit harsh, as a father who has buried a child, I can tell you that you NEVER forget that moment!

 

[I Dive]

I wonder if the Instructor would have allowed this to happen if his Insurance Agent happened to be part of the class that day... Or if a representative of his certifying agency happened to be hanging out for the day...

 

[lord.harshil]

I cannot believe anyone is actually defending this Instructor's decision. His intentions were awesome, but the approach he took is seriously incorrect.

the iPod can't quote the post properly. I shall take you on in the morning

 

[Zieg]

Paladin, very cool.

 

[Garrobo]

I think the "swim test" is a bunch of useless crap which keeps a lot of wannabe divers from going diving. You are not going swimming, you are going diving. If you have one or two legs with fin(s) on you can get back to the boat or shore.