FD Rescue Diver Certification Route... Which way is better

[LtJohnBFD]

Hello All,
I am the Technical Rescue Division Coordinator for the Bangor Maine FD, and we are finally moving towards officially being capable of responding with Rescue Divers. We are currently sponsoring 10 new divers through Beginners and Advanced Open Water Padi certification courses. We currently have 8 Certified Rescue Divers, who all received their Padi cards for the levels listed above.
My question is: Which Certification route does your Public Safety Dive Team follow in order to maintain some type of Standard?
While this FD is going with Padi for Beginners, Advanced, Ice Dive, and Rescue Diver, we also utilize the IADRS Guidelines for Annual Watermanship qualifications etc.
Is it truly best to have a standardized certification system such as Padi as a base core, or is there another avenue which we could consider ? The answer to this question is critical for the FD, because if our current course of certification continues, the Dept. is going to sponsor our own personnel to be certified as Padi Instructors in order to keep the cost within budgetary limits and allow members to be trained.
Thank you for your input and thoughts on this topic in advance,
Ltjohnbfd

 

[bridgediver]

Hi John

The answer is no.

We used to run all of our divers through the same gambit of courses as you've outlined and it really does nothing to aid the diver in the skills and knowledge he really needs for PSD. The courses are fine if you want to broaden the confidence of the divers but they can't be used in place of proper PSD training. PADI is a good sport diving agency but to use any of their procedures and techniques for PSD will fall short.

The best scenario is to train your divers in a PSD specific open water (beginner) course - this will do wonders to develop a good foundation for your divers. In the absence of that, you'll need a PSD instructor to turn the sport diving cert into something they can use.
Nearly half of our new divers never stuck out 2 yrs of being a PSD when they came in with a sport diving beginners (OW)course - they simpily lacked the confidence and skill and the leap into full PSD training quickly overwhelmed them


Start working with the major PSD training agencies to get you on the right track. Lifeguard Sysytems, Dive Rescue International, Emergency Response Div(ing?) Instructors are the main ones. Again, padi instructors are trained to teach sport diving; they are not trained to teach PSD through padi - some have developed their own program specialties which aren't regulated and probably aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Most of the PSD training agencies have a program where you can develop your own trainer but they are not created equal. Evaluate each carefully to see if the experience and knowledge reqiured to train PSD can really be gained in the time frame that they have set out

hope this helps

mark

 

[Gary D.]

We get our guys OW and then into PSD training. We used to use SSI but now use PADI and NAUI just because the shops changed hands. We try and get a course together where it is all those trying for PSD positions with no off the street people in it. That way we do the required basics and then we are able to slam dunk them with the more intense program.

Too many recreational classes can confuse a student due to the amount of contradictory information and practices.

Good luck

Gary D.

 

[LtJohnBFD]

Thanks Mark and Gary,
That confirms what I suspected after struggling with our PSD training. We would take twice as long to move on with PSD topics in classes, basically due to re-training from habits learned in previous classes to what works best in rescue, as I'm sure you've experienced. I just wanted to be sure which direction to spend the time and money for trainers/instructors, and your posts have helped. Stay safe and wet,
John

 

[james croft]

All good advice. As far as PADI type rescue and search and recovery classes go I have found the majority of them don't meet the requirements of what is needed for PSD divers. There are a lot of instructors claiming to offer PSD type training but the training they offer is pretty inadequate. My department used Dive Rescue International courses for our core skills. It is excellent training for PSD diving.
I have taken a PADI course for Underwater Criminal Investigation offered by one instructor that is excellent if your Department finds itself doing evidence recovery. Here is the link:
Underwater Criminal Investigators

 

[erich k]

Hi John,

We have a county fire dive rescue team which is made up of 5 local fire departments. We have all of our members take the Dive Rescue International Course. This builds the baseline training for the divers who all have to be at least open water certified. We also have had our tenders go through the course for the sake of all members being on the same page. We now have developed a tender class that we are now doing in house to defray some of the costs with the DRI course. With enough experience on the team we feel we can teach the tenders at this time. We have then created our sog's using the DRI profile as our guideline. We train together once a month with each department hosting drills throughout the year. You must make the majority of the drills to stay on the team. In the winter months we do mandatory pool work to get re-cert on skills and physical endurance testing. We did take the DRI ice course also. It is mandatory to do 1 ice/confined dive per year also to maintain the DRI profile.
It has worked well with us and we have become a pretty cohesive group with measurable results.
Good luck with your endeavor.
Erich K
Scandia Fire & Rescue
Wash Co. Fire Dive Rescue

 

[LtJohnBFD]

Thanks for your input James and Erich. It is appreciated!
John

 

[RESCUEDIVER12]

We just attended the rescue diver I class in Planatation Florida. We took this class under rescue diver international very good instructors and very good class. Check out our class pictures at Home

 

[dittrimd]

WOW from Maryland to Florida in February!! I need to join a Vollie fire department that can afford that!! I enjoyed my DR1 class and learned a lot. They are a great outfit and get my vote.

Mark D.

 

[LtJohnBFD]

Thanks to everyone that posted with help on this topic. I am delivering a proposal to our Executive Staff at their next meeting to send 2 of our team to DRI to bring them up through to PSSI. It will be expensive, but save in the long run and deliver better/ more appropriate training at home when they return with Certification to teach. Almost time to brave the cold ice out water here in Maine... stay safe and get wet!
John