EFR & oxygen provider - DAN vs PADI

[Dogbowl]

So it looks like my next course will be PADI Rescue Diver and I think I’m going to do this locally over the next several months. After some research, it appears that the prerequisite for Rescue Diver is EFR (CPR & First Aid). One LDS is offering DAN Basic Life Support: CPR & First Aid plus Emergency Oxygen Provider as a bundle. Other LDSs are offering the PADI EFR course separately from the PADI Oxygen Provider course. I’m a little confused. If I take the DAN bundled course, will I satisfy PADI’s prerequisite for Rescue Diver? Is the DAN course any better than the PADI one? Do I really need the Oxygen Provider course or is it good to have so I should just take it anyway?

I’ve heard good things about the PADI Rescue Diver course. Any reason I should go to another agency to do it?

I understand Rescue Diver can be done as a referral course - do study and pool sessions locally, and do open water scenarios somewhere warm on vacation. I don’t dive locally. Is this a good or bad idea?

I know this is a very important course so I wanna put a lot into it and get a lot out of it.

 

[tbone1004]

DAN will satisfy PADI's requirement, and it will depend on how good the instructor is. I think the DAN course is a bit more comprehensive though. Having O2 admin is not really necessary, but good to have.

I think it is a waste of a trip to do as a referral course because if the course is conducted correctly, there shouldn't be much of any actual diving. It is all about rescuing people from the bottom, getting them to shore or the boat, and then situation management after that. Very little of it is actually related to the dive portion

 

[Dogbowl]

DAN will satisfy PADI's requirement, and it will depend on how good the instructor is. I think the DAN course is a bit more comprehensive though. Having O2 admin is not really necessary, but good to have.

I think it is a waste of a trip to do as a referral course because if the course is conducted correctly, there shouldn't be much of any actual diving. It is all about rescuing people from the bottom, getting them to shore or the boat, and then situation management after that. Very little of it is actually related to the dive portion

Thanks @tbone1004 . The only reason why I’m considering doing the open water scenarios somewhere warm is because I don’t generally dive cold water and I don’t think I’ll be able to handle the extra weight required in cold water (25-30lbs on me in a 7mm, and towing a person with 25-30lbs on him in a 7mm).

Also, I think the open water scenarios only take a day out of my vacation?

One more thing...DAN only has elearning available whereas PADI has a manual. I’m old school and prefer books for learning. I mean, what if I want to refer back to something? Would I be able to do that with elearning?

 

[tbone1004]

@Dogbowl my rescue course is three days in the water and they take every bit of it. You should not need that much weight in a 7mm though, even in the ocean. No more than 20lbs and the lead quantity is not an issue if they are weighted properly.

Like my mother told all the lifeguards she trained. If you can manhandle an active victim who is a 6'6", 250lb+ state trooper, then you can rescue anyone. If you can't rescue him, you have no business being a lifeguard.

If you can rescue someone in a bathing suit in the Caribbean/Mexico, there is no guarantee you can help them if you are diving with a thick wetsuit or drysuit somewhere else. If you can rescue someone in a 7mm in cold water, then you should be able to rescue anyone.

On the tows, we make our students tow about half a mile while giving rescue breaths the entire time. they get the last half with a pocket mask which makes it much easier. Our OW students tow about 25yds which is probably longer than most instructors will make you tow

 

[Dogbowl]

@Dogbowl my rescue course is three days in the water and they take every bit of it. You should not need that much weight in a 7mm though, even in the ocean. No more than 20lbs and the lead quantity is not an issue if they are weighted properly.

Like my mother told all the lifeguards she trained. If you can manhandle an active victim who is a 6'6", 250lb+ state trooper, then you can rescue anyone. If you can't rescue him, you have no business being a lifeguard.

If you can rescue someone in a bathing suit in the Caribbean/Mexico, there is no guarantee you can help them if you are diving with a thick wetsuit or drysuit somewhere else. If you can rescue someone in a 7mm in cold water, then you should be able to rescue anyone.

On the tows, we make our students tow about half a mile while giving rescue breaths the entire time. they get the last half with a pocket mask which makes it much easier. Our OW students tow about 25yds which is probably longer than most instructors will make you tow

Why do I always feel shafted with respect to my courses? Rescue courses here (not including EFR & Oxygen Provider) are only 2 days long - 1 day class & pool, 1 day open water scenarios.

 

[tbone1004]

Why do I always feel shafted with respect to my courses? Rescue courses here (not including EFR & Oxygen Provider) are only 2 days long - 1 day class & pool, 1 day open water scenarios.

unfortunately that's the norm in the real world. The courses that I described at taught as a semester long University course for credit which gives us a lot of leeway, though if I teach rescue outside of the university, the open water portion is still just as long. Most people aren't willing to pay that much for that much instructor time though....

 

[Dogbowl]

unfortunately that's the norm in the real world. The courses that I described at taught as a semester long University course for credit which gives us a lot of leeway, though if I teach rescue outside of the university, the open water portion is still just as long. Most people aren't willing to pay that much for that much instructor time though....

Did some more research and it looks like some warm water places offer this course over 3 - 4.5 days. Maybe I should reconsider taking a truncated version at home.

 

[tc]

All of the DAN courses come with a eBook on the topic. You can always order a hard copy if you prefer that.

 

[Dogbowl]

All of the DAN courses come with a eBook on the topic. You can always order a hard copy if you prefer that.

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense.

@TC, do you have an opinion on the DAN vs. PADI issue in respect of these courses?

 

[JBFG]

You can also do your sty-john’s ambulance first aid course with CPR. This is also good.
My rescue was the online portion and 2 full days at the lake. I was the only student on the course so I definitly had a good one.
Take it at home. If you can rescue there, you can rescue anywhere.