keruxts
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I am a sheriff's deputy on a swift water rescue team. As a part of that team I now need to be certified to dive. What is the best course of study? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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Doc Intrepid:uh, how did you get on the team in the first place if you can't dive?
Talk to the team captain. The team gets their bottles filled somewhere locally, same with the annual VIPs, hydros, etc. The team likely has some shop already that cuts them some slack on gear, etc. Find that shop and see if they can't set you up with a certification course. It keeps things in the family.
You also want to check out dive search and rescue training, as it will be more applicable to what you're trying to do...here:
http://www.diverescueintl.com/
MikeFerrara:For goodness sake just don't let them send you to work in the water as a newly certified diver. There are teams that do that. A few years ago when public safety divers were getting killed around here I offered free classes to dive team members...put it in the paper and everything. The only response I got was a team who only has black water in their jurasdiction wanting to get some new guys certified and on the team. Most of their divers had fewer lifetime dives than I was doing in a week at the time and NO training beyond entry level recreational diving. In their special case I refused to teach for them at any price. Unfortunately, teams like this aren't all that uncommon.