Do not ever say you are a rescue diver

[Nemrod]

I'd be curious as to whether deliberately sucking air out of a BCD bladder into your lungs is a substantial risk, or no big deal?

I would suppose if the BC is never cleaned and disinfected it could be possible. I clean mine and disinfect it. You can always roll it or squish it if concerned that you have animals running around inside of your BC bladder. I think we are all suffering from post pandamonium germaphobia.

 

[tursiops]

I'd be curious as to whether deliberately sucking air out of a BCD bladder into your lungs is a substantial risk, or no big deal?

I can't imagine that it is a safe thing to do. If is OK, why the big fuss with sterilizing CCR counter-lungs?
Since is is an unnecessary procedure, why even take the risk?

 

[tursiops]

is a rescue diver like those with the fire department or a person with the rescue cert card? Trying to get clarity. Thank you

As originally mentioned, it is a recreational scuba credential. But by now is this thread it might mean nearly anything....

 

[tursiops]

I would suppose if the BC is never cleaned and disinfected it could be possible. I clean mine and disinfect it. You can always roll it or squish it if concerned that you have animals running around inside of your BC bladder. I think we are all suffering from post pandamonium germaphobia.

I learned NOT to suck on my BC bladder long before the pandemic.
You actually disinfect your bladder? You are one in a million, I suspect.

 

[boulderjohn]

The fire department diving personnel are usually called public service divers. As far as working with dive emergencies, they are more likely to be recovering bodies. Rescue Diver certification is designed to prepare you for what might need to do if something happens while you are just out diving yourself.

 

[Marie13]

is a rescue diver like those with the fire department or a person with the rescue cert card? Trying to get clarity. Thank you

Average diver with rescue cert.

 

[SlugLife]

Highest qualification.

The concept I was trying to communicate was you don't have to answer a question you don't want to answer. It's better to answer the question that should have been asked, or say "none-of-your-business." I mean, what is your social-security number?

My point is, if I conceal my level and my buddy has a fatal accident, wouldn't the judge raise an eyebrow?

Are you really concealing anything important? What's the big deal if people don't know my bank account balance, what car I own, or what I had for breakfast? I'm not an attorney, but if you were in court over a fatality, I'd assume you'd have one who could offer you competent advice. However, an honest answer seems like a good one.

"Why didn't you tell them you were rescue certified?"
"I simply told the agency about my qualifications that were relevant to the dive. A rescue certification doesn't teach you how to dive at 100ft"

"Why didn't you say you were an instructor?"
"It wasn't relevant, I was on vacation, not acting as an instructor. It was a 100ft dive, so I told them I had taken an AOW course. "

 

[Dody]

I understand why they need to know....so maybe they ought to just ask, do you have AOW? The problem is, having AOW does NOT mean you are prepared to go to 100 ft, possibly with a buddy that is equally unsure. Is Rescue highe than AOW? In PADI, yes; in some other agencies, no.
"HIghest cert" is undefined, and of dubious value.

In SSI, you become AOW before being rescue. It is not about bragging but I thing that it is an important information. A rec RD is nothing like a lifeguard but he/ she can help in some situations. They are CPR and rescue breath trained. They can help surfacing a diver using correct techniques, know when to ask for pure oxygen to be administered, make a « preliminary » DCS diagnostic. They are no nurse, medic, doctor or else. But they can make a difference in a self regulated industry where there is not always a health professional around.

 

[tursiops]

In SSI, you become AOW before being rescue. It is not about bragging but I thing that it is an important information. A rec RD is nothing like a lifeguard but he/ she can help in some situations. They are CPR and rescue breath trained. They can help surfacing a diver using correct techniques, know when to ask for pure oxygen to be administered, make a « preliminary » DCS diagnostic. They are no nurse, medic, doctor or else. But they can make a difference in a self regulated industry where there is not always a health professional around.

In SSI, Rescue is a specialty, not a certification level. It does require "AOW" (naot called that) as a prerequisite.
In SDI, Rescue is also a specialty, not a certification level, but you can do it with 15 logged OW dives, "AOW" not required.
In PADI, Rescue is a certification level, not a specialty. It does not quite require AOW as a prereq, but almost.

So, if you are a PADI Rescue diver, then Rescue is your highest certification.
What if you are SDI or SSI? Rescue is not a certification level....

I agree that Rescue training is good for recreational divers. I wish it were required.

 

[Dody]

Why Dody? Why would she be over weighted when she should already know how much weight to use? You should not babysit her so much and let her go in by herself. IF she has an issue she should learn to deal with it herself. You doing everything will not help her improve.

Initially, we have the same training but I dive more and am more interested in the science of diving. The first time we went in Thailand, she could not go down even though she used the same equipment and weight than in Africa some weeks before. All the parameters were identical except the water temperature. She did not have the time to do a check dive. So she got 2 kilos from the DM while already at the surface and it was a bloody nightmare, buoyancy wise. She had a 5.5 wetsuit and blamed it on the equipment. I had a 3. Next day, I put my 5.5 and showed her that buoyancy was manageable even with 3 kilos extra. I believe that she had air bubbles in her jacket BCD. We all have different aptitudes and ways to face new situations. And I will always be over careful watching my wife … don’t want to have no regret.