Firefighter Wants to Expand into PSD

[Fireman Ken]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to ScubaBoard and so far have enjoyed the postings and folks I've chatted with on-line.

I am a fairly experienced diver. I just got my Divemaster Certification, and am very much involved in technical diving, cave diving, deep diving, etc. I am also an active Volunteer Firefighter and EMT in Fairfax County, VA Fire and Rescue and would like to shift my focus to rescue/recovery diving. Although I'd like to shift my focus into Public Safety Diving, as a volunteer, I don't have a clue on how to get the ball rolling.

Are there such groups near the Washington, D.C. area where I live? Who would I contact to get started? I'm even willing to drive a distance to get involved and my day job does offer some flexibility.

Any advice and leads would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken C

 

[aquaknott]

Hello Fireman Ken,

I am a diver/ Vol firefighter in AL, after seeing your post I did some research and came up with the following link: http://www.diverescueintl.com/training.html
It looks like it should give you some help as to where to get started and they mat be able to point you in the right direction from there. Let me know how it goes, good luck.

 

[bridgediver]

Try this one.

http://www.teamlgs.com/

You'll probably need to find a team somewhere first. Should be lots out there

 

[leam]

Ken;

There are probably lots of teams in your area. As BridgeDiver suggested, you'll probably want to find a team and meet with them a bit. They'll give you the opportunity to see how this side of the watering hole lives. They will also probably have a main organization they work through. Generally DRI, ERDI, and TeamLGS.

You really need to get into a blackwater training session. Some people take to it, some don't. My first time gave me the sense of being swallowed by evil; nearly soiled my dry suit. But I came back for more and now I can't get enough.

Accept it if you don't like blackwater. If you do, then your diving and EMT will put you ahead of the game.

If you can't find a team, then just hope into a quarry with a friend. Close your eyes and crawl along the muck on the bottom.

ciao!

leam

 

[Fireman Ken]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and links! This is definitely helpful!!

Leam, crawling around with zero visibility underwater in a blackwater training session cannot be any worse than getting tangled up in a confined area maze in full bunker gear and blindfolded. I can hardly wait to try it.

Ken

 

[Fireman Ken]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and links! This is definitely helpful!!

Leam, crawling around with zero visibility underwater in a blackwater training session cannot be any worse than getting tangled up in a confined area maze in full bunker gear and blindfolded. I can hardly wait to try it.

Ken

 

[bridgediver]

Leam, crawling around with zero visibility underwater in a blackwater training session cannot be any worse than getting tangled up in a confined area maze in full bunker gear and blindfolded.

It can and is but good luck anyways

 

[PWCPD Diver]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to ScubaBoard and so far have enjoyed the postings and folks I've chatted with on-line.

I am a fairly experienced diver. I just got my Divemaster Certification, and am very much involved in technical diving, cave diving, deep diving, etc. I am also an active Volunteer Firefighter and EMT in Fairfax County, VA Fire and Rescue and would like to shift my focus to rescue/recovery diving. Although I'd like to shift my focus into Public Safety Diving, as a volunteer, I don't have a clue on how to get the ball rolling.

Are there such groups near the Washington, D.C. area where I live? Who would I contact to get started? I'm even willing to drive a distance to get involved and my day job does offer some flexibility.

Any advice and leads would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken C

Hi Ken,
I'm with Prince William County PD Dive Team. As far as I know all of the local PD handle the PSD in the area. Fairfax PD handles part of the Occoquan with us as well as parts of the Potomac River too. Alexandria doesn't have any PSD at all. I'm not sure about Arlington.

If you to give me a call PM me for my number.

Brian

 

[BladesRobinson]

Ken,

I wanted to let you know that Dive Rescue International is conducting a three day "Dive Rescue 1" class in Prince Fredrick, MD (May 19-21). This may be a good way to meet other team members in the region. For more information and to download a class brochure online, please visit:

http://www.diverescueintl.com/tr_calendar.html

Best of luck in your search for teams in your region and with the training that associated with public safety diving.

Blades Robinson, Director
Dive Rescue International
www.DiveResccueIntl.com

 

[Gary D.]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and links! This is definitely helpful!!

Leam, crawling around with zero visibility underwater in a blackwater training session cannot be any worse than getting tangled up in a confined area maze in full bunker gear and blindfolded. I can hardly wait to try it.

Ken

Bridgediver summed it up in very few words.

“It can and is but good luck any ways.”

Just to add a few words to his statement. Your are basically on a different planet when it happens underwater.

Go into this profession very open minded and be ready to learn.

PSD has very little in common with sport diving or fire fighting but both have a lot to offer.

Gary D.