Suggestion Dive profile choices should include Los Angeles County certification

[headhunter]

How about adding Los Angeles County as a training agency.

In 1954, Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation created the first recreational scuba diving certification course in the United States.

They may not be the world's most recognized training agency, but they certainly hold a prominent position in the history of diving.

As a result, it seems that they should be included in the choices for training agencies.

Just a thought.

Christian

 

[Walter]

I think it may have been the first SCUBA certification agency in the world.

 

[headhunter]

I think it may have been the first SCUBA certification agency in the world.

I think you are right, but I didn't want to make that statement, since I was not sure.

One of my instructors was Instructor #17 with L.A. County and I think that next to ScubaBoard, he was the most interesting source of dive info that I've ever encountered. If memory serves me correctly he was one of the original UDT divers for the Navy and started diving as a kid in the limestone caverns of the midwest using a Model A water pump as a regulator. I think he found the plans for it in a Popular Mechanics magazine. His name is Richard Streid and I understand that he retired about 2 years ago.

Christian

 

[Walter]

LA County has a great reputation for high standards.

 

[headhunter]

LA County has a great reputation for high standards.

That class that I took was a full semester class at Cal State University, Northridge. It was a very "in depth" class involving search and salvage, rescue, physics, night diving, shore diving, boat diving, navigation, no vis-conditions and a myriad of other things.

Of course, standards were still a bit different in 1985 when I took that class than they appear to be now. I didn't see much difference in "attitude" or "quality of education" between the weeks-long class I took in 1979 with NAUI and the months-long class I took in 1985. There was simply more time and, therefore, more info contained in the class in 1985.

This was still a time when training was a bit more like "military" training. It included "colorful" statements like, "If I had ever come back from a mission without at least a piece of my buddy, I would have been shot on deck for desertion!" (Diving in a buddy team was stressed as important, as you can see.)

Christian

 

[Walter]

Actually, by 1985 standards for some agencies were already pretty weak.

 

[headhunter]

Actually, by 1985 standards for some agencies were already pretty weak.

I probably just didn't notice it since in 1985 is when I took that very comprehensive class and didn't really dive with anyone outside of a small circle of friends that I trusted.

Christian

 

[Walter]

I made a bunch of rescues in 1985. It hasn't gotten any better.