EFR Instructor Course for Divemasters, useful cert or waste of money?

[Louie]

I'm considering taking the PADI Emergency First Response Instructor Course and would be interested in hearing from Divemasters who have taken the course.

Have you found your certification useful (ie have you found work as a DM instructing EFR)? Or is it not worth having if you are DM level because those with higher ratings get hired?

Thanks for your time and responses.

Louie

 

[DORSETBOY]

Not a DM myself but I know several dm's wo train efr for those doing rescue diver course... the instructor then deals with the students for the rescue course itself.

 

[Ron Brandt]

Only if you want.

My recomendation is heart and stroke association or Red Cross

I will eventually get certified to be a cpr instructor and not a PADI efr instructor. You cannot teach EFR to industry.

Ron

 

[Scuba Cowboy]

Only if you want.

My recomendation is heart and stroke association or Red Cross

I will eventually get certified to be a cpr instructor and not a PADI efr instructor. You cannot teach EFR to industry.

Ron

This is not true, you can teach EFR to any industry. I personally taught people at my regular job. This is one of the reasons PADI created EFR, there is even a seperate Child CPR module. A divemaster could do very well with this course. It is not necessarily diving related, and marketed properly, you could make a good income from EFR.

 

[DORSETBOY]

scuba cowboy is right! efr is a standalone course, so if in the area you teach there is a demand from non-divers this can be an area you can exploit.

 

[Otter]

Acceptance of EFR is growing, but it clearly is not as wide spread as say the Red Cross for people requiring certifications. The PADI Pro website has a list of who accepts EFR and I would be willing to bet the whoever fills the open EFR Marketing position will be working to gain further acceptance.

As an Instructor, I will be more than happy to have a DM do the EFR class. DMs work hard and often don't get paid much if anything. If I can shift some paying work their way (Scuba Review, EFR, DSD), then I will.

BTW, DorsetBoy is stretching the truth.....I don't believe Scotland is SUNNY SUNNY!

 

[Scubatooth]

otter i thought DSD was a instructor only event?

am i wrong ?

 

[Ron Brandt]

This is not true, you can teach EFR to any industry. I personally taught people at my regular job. This is one of the reasons PADI created EFR, there is even a seperate Child CPR module. A divemaster could do very well with this course. It is not necessarily diving related, and marketed properly, you could make a good income from EFR.

That's great salesmanship!
Sorry,up here in Canada unless it's a recognized CPR/First Aid "agency" the cert is not recognized. I work for a technical institute that trains paramedics and nurses. Do you they would take the EFR from me? I would be laughed at.(and have been)

Yes,the EFR course material meets and even exceeds some standards it's not really recognized outside of the dive industry.

Sorry about my capitalistic approach but I am tired of paying in and am at the point where I need to at least cost recover what I am doing.

Ron

 

[archman]

The EFR hasn't been around that long, so the regular agencies are still "digesting it." If you work with the Red Cross you KNOW how long they take to change anything not politically motivated.
I know many divers that aren't aware of the changes either. And though you may find this difficult to swallow, most medical people really don't know who PADI is. Many of the medical folks that do would probably still equate EFR with that joke first aid course PADI USED to have. That thing was about as non-transferable as you could make it... I doubt the cub scouts would accept it.

 

[theskull]

I am a Divemaster and have had several occasions to teach the EFR course. My primary motivation in getting the instructor certification, however, was to become more proficient in first aid myself. You will always be better at something if you have to learn it well enough to teach it to others, and teaching the class is the absolute best excuse to continue to study and practice the material. I hope to never have a need to put my training into practice, but want to be properly prepared if the occasion occurs.

theskull