Can ya'll fill me in on the buddies you use?

[blackvans1234]

Hey everyone, a friend of mine has referred me to some people that are able to train me (a non-handicapped diver) to recieve the HSA DBC (Dive Buddy Course). I was wondering two things.
1) Could some of you divers tell me from your perspective about the buddy (ies) you require, and what they help you with

and

2 (if possible) ) Can you inform me about the HSA Dive buddy course itself?

I don't fully know about number two, but i'm about to google it to see.

I understand that there are different levels of disability and the help each person requires is different, so if you're willing to describe your own situation and what your buddy(ies) do for you, that'd be great.
If you don't feel comfortable saying it on here, you could always PM me

Thanks!
-Richie

 

[Tom Winters]

That's great that you want to dive with HSA people. You have to have your own dive skills absolutely bulletproof before you go doing this. I only had a handful of handicapped intro divers over the years - all paras. They were really into it, although just swimming with their hands didn't cover much ground.
Good luck with that.

 

[pasley]

The dive buddy course is 3 very long and aggressive days. Day one and two are divided into about 6-8 hours of classroom learning the language of disability, what the word "morning program" means, what is a c6-7 incomplete etc and adaptive techniques. The afternoon 6-8 hours in the pool doing role playing as a paraplegic, quadriplegic and blind diver doing the skills of air sharing, tired buddy tow with mouth to mouth etc. Day three is open water, 3 divers to a team, one simulated blind, one simulated paraplegic one dive leader. After each has taken their turns then you switch to quadriplegic and two dive buddies. Great training. When I sponsor a course we add a 4th day of Discover SCUBA with real people who have a disability to give you hands on experience.

Your skills will need to be spot on. You need to control your decent to 10-30 feet a minute so you can clear your ears and your buddy's ears and be able to stop at any time if your buddy signals a problem. But you will enjoy it. Great fun and if you get to go diving with someone one day, it will be a memorable experience.

Don't be fooled either, I have had two divers (one paraplegic, one incomplete quadraplegic) out swim me in the water. In the ocean as arm swimers they can out pace you.

 

[Debbraey]

Hey everyone, a friend of mine has referred me to some people that are able to train me (a non-handicapped diver) to recieve the HSA DBC (Dive Buddy Course). I was wondering two things.
1) Could some of you divers tell me from your perspective about the buddy (ies) you require, and what they help you with
and
2 (if possible) ) Can you inform me about the HSA Dive buddy course itself?
I don't fully know about number two, but i'm about to google it to see.
I understand that there are different levels of disability and the help each person requires is different, so if you're willing to describe your own situation and what your buddy(ies) do for you, that'd be great.
If you don't feel comfortable saying it on here, you could always PM me

Thanks!
-Richie

Richie, I can help you out I am a HSA Instructor. I have a buddy class that 9s 3 days starting 11 Nov 2011.
I cannot tell you what I require from my buddies unless I know the person they are a buddy for. The class really prepares you and answers that question for you. I do however, require that you yourself be a safe, good & confident diver.
HSA BUDDY course in my case is 1 LONG day of academics, 1 long day of empathy training at the pool & 1 day of empathy training dives and the test

The buddies I generally use are ones who are helping me with all levels of disabilities. Last week I had a quadriplegic guy who weighed nearly 300 pounds & me at less than 135. I had 1 buddy in charge of legs, 1 buddy in charge of arms & guiding by the tank valve, 1 buddy as a backup in case anyone of us had problems & then there was me who was in charge of clearing his ears and all.
I am very active in training those with disabilities so I use my buddies all the time at many different levels. If you are worried we will put something on you that you are not prepared for, no worries!! We won't do that, not to mention you can always put limits on who and how you will help. Though, you must be trained to help them all You are welcome to PM me for anymore information you may want. If you go to my facebook page you will find pictures of each HSA & HSA Buddy classes. I post them on a regular bases. Thanks for the level of interest you have in helping!! We need more people like you!!
Melvin Pasely did a good job at telling you what class was He even did a fantastic job of letting you know you may have a hard time keeping up with who you are assigned. Don't assume because that person has a swim leg and one arm or no legs and just arms that they are going to need a lot of assistance! It isn't always the case. In fact in most cases they will out pace you. The drive they have to partake in this sport is just as strong as your's and they will do everything possible to overcome obstacles to participate. I can introduce you to some amazing divers many of them I would put up against an able bodied diver to be judged for trim, buoyancy and grace and most of them will win
Hope this was at least somewhat helpful.
Thanks,
Felicia Berg

 

[oninbyunder]

A Divemaster friend from Belize wants to take a HSA Dive Buddy course. Does anyone know of an instructor in Cozumel, Roatan or Cancun?

 

[pasley]

A Divemaster friend from Belize wants to take a HSA Dive Buddy course. Does anyone know of an instructor in Cozumel, Roatan or Cancun?

Divemaster would need to take the Divemaster course from a Course Director (an HSA Instructor can teach the Dive Buddy Course). A course director did a course in Cozumel just last summer. At present no courses scheduled on the calendar for the areas you listed. If your buddy wants to sponsor a course (pays the Course Director to come a flat fee plus $65 per student and CD expenses of travel, lodging and food) they could arrange for a coure. The sponsor then sets the fees for the students to pay. The structure of the class is such that it works best for 6 or 12 students as the pool work is in pairs and the ocean is in 3 person teams.

 

[MedFlame03]

Becoming a dive buddy is a very much a rewarding and memoriable time to help other divers with disabilities to be able to dive. Pasley and Debbraey has some wonderful advise. I know Pasley has helped me a lot with advise with my disability and diving. I am looking forward to some day being able to dive with him.
God Bless you for wanting to be able to help a handicap diver. It benefits them so much and it helps them in so many ways. Ones I never new was possible.
MedFlame03