Becoming a career rescue diver!

[Bentley11]

Hello all,

I'm new to this but does anyone have any tips, advice, comments, etc. for me (EMT-B and Dive Master) to become a career rescue diver or dive medic?

Currently live in CO, love the outdoors and Mountains but not the best for a diving career. I'm willing to relocate, but would like advice to know where would be the best fit and best chance for me to accelerate. Thanks!!

 

[bleeb]

Don't know if you've already seen this similar recent thread, so in case you hadn't:
Rescue Diver Jobs

 

[Upstate Scuba OWI]

since you live in Colorado you need to take as much of Dive Rescue International courses as possible before you move. They are based in Fort Collins Colorado so your chances of getting in a class in Colorado is pretty. Good. Then if you are looking a Law Enforcement diving take courses through Florida State University or Mike Berry www.ucidiver.com. Finding a full time PSD diver job is rare. I only know of a few and most of them are Port Police Department diver jobs. I'm sure their are several other good schools out there I'm just familiar the most with the above ones I mentioned.

 

[nimoh]

Just my two cents, but I don't think there is a lot of work for a search and rescue diver, but the time you get a call through dispatch, get out to the scene, and get your gear on, it will more than likely be recovery operation rather than a rescue operation.

 

[Gary D.]

Just my two cents, but I don't think there is a lot of work for a search and rescue diver, but the time you get a call through dispatch, get out to the scene, and get your gear on, it will more than likely be recovery operation rather than a rescue operation.

Not quite the case. If you have kept up with mine and some of the other posts over the years you may see quite a different scenario.

One example is vehicle goes into the lake with a second vehicle witnessing the event. They are in a cell area so they call right then. Dispatch gets the info and pages us out. My #2 and I are almost 20 miles away. We get out of bed, get sorta dressed, respond, get wet to 20’ and the victim is in the hospital roughly 7 miles away 41 minutes from the original call.

That’s not unusual for a team trained and set up as we are.