Our team has been trying to setup training with Lifeguard Systems and has had a very difficult time dealing with them. They have not been responding to our calls or e-mails. When we do get in touch with someone, they have added another fee to the initial price quote; want us to pay for airfare, pay for shipping their equipment, etc... Has anyone else had this experience with them? Does DRI do this? Where are LGSs expenses?
Lifeguard Systems (LGS)
- Thread starter mtpsd
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Yotsie
Contributor
I have not had any experience setting up an LGS class, but have attended a few, so I can't really comment on dealing with them.
I have hosted two DRI classes and they went very smooth. The DRI staff maintained communications with me by both phone and email. All equipment, etc was received and returned without a hitch. The instructors were first class folks, who met and exceeded the needs of the students attending. The quoted price we received up front was what we paid.
Now I'm not knocking LGS. They have some good classes and I was glad I took them as I learned some new skills for my PSD toolbox. Our team perferres to deal with DRI from our past experiences.
I have hosted two DRI classes and they went very smooth. The DRI staff maintained communications with me by both phone and email. All equipment, etc was received and returned without a hitch. The instructors were first class folks, who met and exceeded the needs of the students attending. The quoted price we received up front was what we paid.
Now I'm not knocking LGS. They have some good classes and I was glad I took them as I learned some new skills for my PSD toolbox. Our team perferres to deal with DRI from our past experiences.
I've set up lots of LGS classes. Their office people have always been a bit weak and they get so busy that communications is a problem. If you can get past that the programs they run are awesome and worth the grief IMO. Where they drop the ball in business skills they trully make up for in educating PSDs and this, for us, is the bottom line.
The chief LGS instructor for any class is a professional PSD educator; meaning that's their only job. They aren't someone (like me) that teaches PSD part-time. They've taught thousands of classes so you really do get a good class. The problem with this is that there are only a few of them and thats where the communications problems start - they are always teaching! They could easily create more cheif instructors that are part-timers but then the standards of the classes begins to wane.
It's standard for any instructor (for any activity - not just PSD) that you bring from outside your immediate area you would have to pay their travel expenses as well as whatever equipment is required that you don't already have (its equipment that YOU need for the class, not them). This is probably the same for any of the agencies - I'd be surprised if it weren't.
We bring LGS all the way across the continent (and so pay more than most because of the distance) but find it worth it.
I hope your class works out - it should really help your team but I do feel your pain and frustration
The chief LGS instructor for any class is a professional PSD educator; meaning that's their only job. They aren't someone (like me) that teaches PSD part-time. They've taught thousands of classes so you really do get a good class. The problem with this is that there are only a few of them and thats where the communications problems start - they are always teaching! They could easily create more cheif instructors that are part-timers but then the standards of the classes begins to wane.
It's standard for any instructor (for any activity - not just PSD) that you bring from outside your immediate area you would have to pay their travel expenses as well as whatever equipment is required that you don't already have (its equipment that YOU need for the class, not them). This is probably the same for any of the agencies - I'd be surprised if it weren't.
We bring LGS all the way across the continent (and so pay more than most because of the distance) but find it worth it.
I hope your class works out - it should really help your team but I do feel your pain and frustration
I will not bash our training partners but in an effort to respond directly to this question, Dive Rescue International / DRI does not charge extra for travel expenses. If you wish to learn how easy it is to host a Dive Rescue International program and want to receive quality training for a fair price, please call the Dive Rescue International office at 800-248-3483. We have a full time staff available to answer your questions.
There are two additional points I would like to add:
- Dive Rescue International does NOT charge extra for shipping. As YOTSIE pointed out, the price quoted by Dive Rescue International is the price paid for all students, other than those from the sponsoring agency. Students attending the DRI program and who work for the sponsoring agency oftentimes get their training at no charge, as Dive Rescue International works in partnership with the host to generate a win/win situation with the host agency.
- I have heard on two instances the line about "professional educators, because that is all they do." In an effort to defend Dive Rescue International, all corporate trainers for Dive Rescue International have considerable in-field, in-water, real life, real world experience. They can "walk the walk" and "talk the talk" because they have "been there, done that." In the case of one Dive Rescue International trainer who oversees a team in south Florida, he participated in the recovery of nearly two hundred submerged vehicles last year, many the year prior and has nearly two hundred more vehicles located and awaiting funds for removal. If one was going to take a class on lift bags, vehicle recoveries and processing an underwater crime scene, would you prefer taking it from this Dive Rescue International instructor that has the "real world" skill, ability, knowledge and who has lectured on the subject dozens of times with excellent reviews from his students? Or would you prefer to take program from trainers who only have experience lecturing as that is what they do year round? I will not discredit our training partners from NY but I take exception to the absurd notion that one company is "more professional" than another because "teaching is all they do."
I don't like to trash talk but I will not sit idle when facts are misconstrued regarding Dive Rescue International's ability to deliver PROFESSIONAL programs. Thank you in advance for understanding my position.
For the record, I join BRIDGEDIVER in hoping your LGS class works out and meets your needs. In case it doesn't though, please know you will have the full support of Dive Rescue International as we have a full time staff dedicated to meeting your needs and world class instructors.
Fraternally yours,
Blades Robinson, Director
Dive Rescue International
www.DiveRescueIntl.com
There are two additional points I would like to add:
- Dive Rescue International does NOT charge extra for shipping. As YOTSIE pointed out, the price quoted by Dive Rescue International is the price paid for all students, other than those from the sponsoring agency. Students attending the DRI program and who work for the sponsoring agency oftentimes get their training at no charge, as Dive Rescue International works in partnership with the host to generate a win/win situation with the host agency.
- I have heard on two instances the line about "professional educators, because that is all they do." In an effort to defend Dive Rescue International, all corporate trainers for Dive Rescue International have considerable in-field, in-water, real life, real world experience. They can "walk the walk" and "talk the talk" because they have "been there, done that." In the case of one Dive Rescue International trainer who oversees a team in south Florida, he participated in the recovery of nearly two hundred submerged vehicles last year, many the year prior and has nearly two hundred more vehicles located and awaiting funds for removal. If one was going to take a class on lift bags, vehicle recoveries and processing an underwater crime scene, would you prefer taking it from this Dive Rescue International instructor that has the "real world" skill, ability, knowledge and who has lectured on the subject dozens of times with excellent reviews from his students? Or would you prefer to take program from trainers who only have experience lecturing as that is what they do year round? I will not discredit our training partners from NY but I take exception to the absurd notion that one company is "more professional" than another because "teaching is all they do."
I don't like to trash talk but I will not sit idle when facts are misconstrued regarding Dive Rescue International's ability to deliver PROFESSIONAL programs. Thank you in advance for understanding my position.
For the record, I join BRIDGEDIVER in hoping your LGS class works out and meets your needs. In case it doesn't though, please know you will have the full support of Dive Rescue International as we have a full time staff dedicated to meeting your needs and world class instructors.
Fraternally yours,
Blades Robinson, Director
Dive Rescue International
www.DiveRescueIntl.com
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i know both training agencies and have seen both classes they both have strong and week points as we all do but lets remember any training is better than no training. i think the world of lgs and dri we can only hope to save as many divers as there training does every year so to lgs and dri psda and othere quality trainers let me say thanks buck@dive911.com
Our team finished the DR1 course over the weekend, and our thanks goes out the Blades and his staff. The instructor and the course were phenomenal! I would highly recommend to any team, regardless of their experience, to arrange a course with Blades and his staff.
Thanks again Dive Rescue Int'l!
Thanks again Dive Rescue Int'l!
I have been out of the country and have only now seen this positive post regarding Dive Rescue International training.
MTPSD, thank you for the compliments. With regrets though I can not take responsibility as the lessons you learned are the ones that have been shared by many other divers over the period of many years. We only pass along the information we have learned first hand and the information that has been shared by other professionals in the field; fellow PSDs who are committed to safety.
I am fortunate to be able to bear the torch for Dive Rescue International as one of the partners but the prior students, prior instructors, prior Dive Rescue International staff, and the Dive Rescue International instructor who lead your class are the ones who deserve credit. And credit is also due to the host agency and the students who enrolled in the program and contributed to its success.
I am glad you enjoyed the program and learned a lot. I am also appreciative of your kind comments and I will share them with those who deserve more credit that I do. As a fellow public safety diver committed to dive safety, I am glad Dive Rescue International was in a position to help. If there is anything else we can do to assist you or your team (or other teams) please know we are only a phone call or e-mail away.
Fraternally,
Blades Robinson, Director
Dive Rescue International
www.DiveRescueIntl.com
MTPSD, thank you for the compliments. With regrets though I can not take responsibility as the lessons you learned are the ones that have been shared by many other divers over the period of many years. We only pass along the information we have learned first hand and the information that has been shared by other professionals in the field; fellow PSDs who are committed to safety.
I am fortunate to be able to bear the torch for Dive Rescue International as one of the partners but the prior students, prior instructors, prior Dive Rescue International staff, and the Dive Rescue International instructor who lead your class are the ones who deserve credit. And credit is also due to the host agency and the students who enrolled in the program and contributed to its success.
I am glad you enjoyed the program and learned a lot. I am also appreciative of your kind comments and I will share them with those who deserve more credit that I do. As a fellow public safety diver committed to dive safety, I am glad Dive Rescue International was in a position to help. If there is anything else we can do to assist you or your team (or other teams) please know we are only a phone call or e-mail away.
Fraternally,
Blades Robinson, Director
Dive Rescue International
www.DiveRescueIntl.com
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