LA County IS the fountain head of recreational diving...
It all began in 1954 with a memo by the late Al Tillman to the head if the LA Department of Parks & Rec to establish a Underwater training program. A short time later LA CO P&R sent Al, Bev Morgan & late Ramey Parks to SIO to be trained by the late Connie Limbaugh and Andy Rechnitzer.
They returned, Bev busied himself writing the first recreational instruction manual, "Underwater recreation" and selecting LA Co Life guards to present the first civilian recreational diving course. The response was so over whelming that it was determined that divers outside of the LA Co rec system would be trained to be diving instructors, Thus was formed the "Underwater Instructor Certification Course" also know as the UICC.
The first UICC in 1955 included the worlds first female UW instructor, Dottie Frazier. Dottie had been forewarned that the course was difficult and she possibly not complete the course, much to the surprise of all she did. The following years Barbara Allen, Zale Parry and Lyn Yost successfully completed UICC.
Red trunks and white Jacket were identified as the official LA county UW instructors teaching attire
In 1960 LA co produced the first UW recreational diving training film, directed by late John D Craig, starring Dottie Frazier and late Pete Manos titled "Any one for diving"
In August 1960 LA County instructors conducted first NAUI course at Houston
In late 1950s La county held first UICC graduation banquets
In 1961 published first diving instructor journal, "Underwater News"
In 1962 required two open water dives for certification
In 1962 LA County identified the Outstanding instructor of year ( first one late Flip Fleider)
In 1965 identified the individual who had made Outstanding contributions to Underwater Instruction (me)
In 1965 Underwater recreation copied in Japanese
In 1966 developed first Diving accident analysis program
In 1966 conducted first Moss back Check outs
In 1968 established first Advanced diving program (ADP)
In 1968 developed first training log
In 1968 developed first formal attire for UW instructors
So LA county ....
**was based on SIO training
**Had the first training manual
**Created "Certifications"
**Created first Underwater instructors (-Not SCUBA instructors)
**Trained the first Female instructors
**First with a uniform teaching attire
**Made the first recreational diving training film
**LA Co established NAUI
**First graduation Banquets
**First diving instructional journal
**First to require Open water experience
**First to formally recognize UW instructor contributions
**First manual in a foreign language-Japanese
**Developed first Diving accident analyses program
**First Moss Back check outs
**First ADP
**First training log
**First formal instructor attire
And theres much much more...
But in 1969 along came PADI...The first director was Nic Icorn, LA County UW instructor
