Dive Rescue Specialist I - COMPLETED!!

[dittrimd]

After 7 years of diving with my dive team I finally got around to taking an official public safety diving course. I just have to say that it was fantastic and of course I wish I had done it sooner!! The class was hosted by NUSAR (Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue) of Newtown, CT which is an amazing organization. Steve Salach from Dive Rescue International was the instructor who was just oustanding. We had a good mix of of students from all over with varying experience levels. The host department was great and their entire team helped make the class terrific. Our instructor did a great job teaching the course. A very heart felt thanks to everyone!!

One of the things I love about this job is you are continually learning. We were all able to share our own experiences both good and bad an for me I know I took away a lot of useful information that I hope to bring back to our team.

Gary D. yes I even made a few more friends in law enforcement and dare I say learned some new trick from them as well... Just had to get that in there .

All kidding aside it was a great weekend.

Mark D.

 

[vablackwater]

Great Job Mark! Sounds like you had a great mechanism to exchange ideas with others (and you even played nice with the LEO's!).

 

[Gary D.]

Gary D. yes I even made a few more friends in law enforcement and dare I say learned some new trick from them as well... Just had to get that in there .

All kidding aside it was a great weekend.

Mark D.

The next class you need to take is Under Water Hose Drying.

Gald you got the class and let the LEO's teach you something.

Gary D.

 

[BladesRobinson]

Mark,

I am really glad to hear that you too had a great class. I will call Steve and pass along the KUDOS to him.

Gary ... Mark learned a lot from a cop since Steve is the dive team leader for the Broward County Sheriffs Office Dive Team (Fort Lauderdale/Port Everglades). It was Steve's team that recovered 30-40 vehicles in one day diving a canal in their county. Steve has a LOT of experience (including locating drug containers fastened to ship hulls) and he is one of those guys I am proud to know.

Mark ... Thank you for your kind words! Hopefully you can meet some of the other Dive Rescue International trainers in the future. If your agency is interested in hosting programs (including the DR-2 class), a certain number of your guys can attend at "no charge" and it saves on travel expenses too. Just something to consider in the future.

I am always glad to hear comments like these and it really pumps everyone up knowing it was a team effort that was appreciated. I will send your post on to those good folks in the office and to Steve Salach at BCSO.

Regards,

Blades

 

[BladesRobinson]

Steve Salach, the DRI instructor who taught Mark's class was recently on the National Public Radio (NPR). If anyone is interested in hearing about some of the challenges we face on a regular basis in Florida, click on the attached hyperlink and hear Steve talk about one of his typical PSD operations. So far this year, he and his dive team members have recovered 140 vehicles during dive ops. I just pass this link along as FYI.

I think NPR did a good job on this interview.

http://www.npr.org/templates/dmg/popup.php?id=13865758&type=1&date=22-Aug-2007&au=1&pid=56226634&random=6214522601&guid=000AB3BE4BA606D43774B94261626364&uaType=WM,RM&aaType=RM,WM&upf=Win32&topicName=Health___Science&subtopicName=Environment&prgCode=ATC&hubId=-1&thingId=13872706&ssid=&tableModifier=&mtype=WM

South Florida's Wetlands Serve Many Purposes

javascript:launchPlayer('13865758',...gId=13872706&ssid=&tableModifier=', 'RM,WM'); by Greg Allen
All Things Considered, August 22, 2007 · More than 2,000 miles of canals snake through South Florida — from the Everglades to the Keys. And love them or hate them, the area can't do without them.
They're crucial for flood control and serve as, among other things, habitat for alligators and a dump for stolen cars.

 

[dittrimd]

Thanks for the link to the NPR story it was very interesting. Steve had the picture as his wall paper on the computer. I asked him if this was from Hurricane Andrew or Katrina as it had all the cars grouped together. That is when he said this was one days recovery. Talk about job security!!

I really cannot say enough good things about Steve or DRI and the course material presented. Every part of the training was relevant and well presented. I think many of us in the class learned the most from our pool session and going over basic watermanship skill. Almost all of us had full face mask so doffing and donning was interesting to watch. Really hit home the need to continually practice, practice, and more practice the basics!!

The scenario based training was very effective and brought to light some real world challenges that you could be faced with. I think the best part of the DRI training was its ability to fit into any established team's current mode of operation. I know I will be bringing back some of what I learned to my team as suggestions for improvement. There was no its the "DRI-Way" or the highway mentality.

Thanks again to all who contribute,

Mark D.

 

[bane51031]

Congrats, Mark...