Medic First Aid Course

[scubadoc]

Hi Starfish:

There is a decent, inexpensive first aid kit guideline at http://www.scuba-doc.com/FAkit.html .
This can be modified according to your experience and needs.

There is also a good (we think) 'Quick Response' web site at http://www.scuba-doc.com/qkrsp.htm . This is an indepth outline of a divemaster's needs to handle a diving accident.

 

[turnerjd]

Originally posted by jake1071
I do not see the need to take a course in first aid considering that I have been treating people for the last 5 years as a Paramedic, and 8 years in EMS. What do you all think?

Tell your instructor to go and pl*y with himself. The words in the PADI manual are 'or any suitable equivalent' if I remember correctly. I have the instructor manual at home so I will get the exact words.

E-mail PADI with the question - all the e-mail addresses are on their web-site. They can give you a definitive answer.

Jon T

 

[SubMariner]

Headsup: France doesn't accept ANY cert agency but their own (CMAS). Typically Francais, n'est pas? Quebec (in their rabid quest to be more like the country that still turns its nose up at them) mirrors this archaic stance.

Jake: turnerjd is right. The Instructor doesn't know what the heck he's talking about. Tell him to re-check his information from PADI. If he maintains this stance, report him to PADI UK and find another Instructor.

~SubMariner~

 

[jake1071]

first off, thanks for all the replies. I sent an e-mail to padi and got a reply rather quickly. Here is what they said.

"PADI Divemaster course prerequisites include the following:

Be certified as a PADI Rescue diver or equivalent
(Rescue certification from an organization other than PADI).
If the Rescue certification is an equivalent, then proof of CPR and first aid within the past 24 months must be submitted.

PADI Rescue Diver certification requires CPR training prior to certification. Certified PADI Rescue Divers are not required to show additional proof of CPR training prior to becoming a PADI Divemaster.

In any event, CPR training may be via PADI Medic First Aid or any other sanctioned training organization. Paramedic training meets this prerequisite.

It's true that not all PADI Medic First Aid instructors are aware of the new guidelines. Revisions to the Medic First Aid course will implement these guidelines in the near future. However, PADI's next Training Bulletin, sent to all PADI professionals will include a synopsis of the changes.

It may be that the dive center you are taking your courses from requires MFA as an in-store protocol. I suggest that you discuss this further with your instructor to try to determine why PADI MFA is being required. If your instructor has any questions, please feel free to invite him to contact me personally.

Best regards,

Debbie Logan
Education Coordinator
Training and Quality Management

 

[turnerjd]

Originally posted by SubMariner
Headsup: France doesn't accept ANY cert agency but their own (CMAS). Typically Francais, n'est pas? Quebec (in their rabid quest to be more like the country that still turns its nose up at them) mirrors this archaic stance.

Unfortunately no.

The french 'agency' is the FFESSM - Federation francais des etudiants des sport sous-marine - the french federation of students of sports under water.

If it was CMAS it would be easier. The french aren't overly happy with CMAS, but this is much prefered to PADI / NAUI / YMCA / SSI.

In terms of technical diving, if you turn up with IANTD / TDI etc... they laugh at you. pretty much all of what is covered in extended range and 'technical deco' courses is their everyday diving and not considered advanced at all.

For the french, you can be considered advanced / technical when you have produced your own set of deco tables (two guys in the club here in Lyon have calculated their own Nitrox decompression tables - ie 4000 minutes at 30m type diving, with stops at 3 and 6m, calculated for 50:50 and 100%O2)

PADI generally gets laughed out of the window. I had an absolute nightmare of a time getting a french equivalent for my quals. Eventually the DO of the club gave me a level after realising I had done almost as many dives as he had, often in conditions far worse.

Jon T

 

[turnerjd]

Originally posted by Heads Up
I know that France will not allow PADI to instruct in its countries, but how is a PADI qualified diver treated? If, for instance, I had a PADI divemaster qualification and went to dive in France, would they regard me as a newbie or will the French dive operations take PADI qualifications into account?

Pretty much yes. In the grand scale of things the PADI DM qualification is a waste of time (I have this qualification) and doesn't prepare you for what is typical european diving. Having said that, if you can show a logbook with several hundred dives you should get some respect.

As for the french accepting it, yes you should be able to dive in some of the more touristy areas. But no, you won't be able to work / play as a DM. France has a pretty poor view of divers that *need* a DM. To the french, this is a sign of poor / inadequate training and a failure to keep skills current.

In france the attitude is that diving is potentially dangerous, and it isn't sufficient to just go diving on vacation one every year or so. As for people holding PADI junior qualifications (or CMAS junior qualifications) then don't even bother trying. 18 to dive. no exceptions.

No medical self assessment. Examination by an approved doctor ONLY (not just your local quack) who is very knowledgable in diving medicine (and has done the diving medicine course at I think the university in grenoble). I am not sure about visiting divers, but insurance is compulsory (- comes with your FFESSM membership), as is the medical, for ANYONE wanting to dive. There is no allowable alternative to the FFESSM insurance. My PADI professional liability / accident / medical insurance doesn't count for anything!!

very different from the (IMO wrong) all inclusive policy of PADI!

Jon T

 

[scubakat]

Originally posted by turnerjd

If it was CMAS it would be easier. The french aren't overly happy with CMAS, but this is much prefered to PADI / NAUI / YMCA / SSI.

On a sidenote.... YMCA has reciprocity with CMAS. Send in your $25 and get the equivelent CMAS card.

-kate

http://www.ymcascuba.org/ymcascub/about.html

 

[Addicted Diver]

Greetings all, I felt I should throw in my 2 cents. I am currently completing my Adv Rescure Diver through NAUI. The course is 6 weeks long(2 nights a week 4 hrs per class) it covers how to prevent diving accidents and how to admin first aid to diving related accidents. It also covers 02 admin and CPR to ASHI (American Safety & Health Institute). In one class session the 10 of us sat around and discussed what "could happen" on any given dive...Lake,ocean,spring,cavern..How would we react or treat these accidents. Some of these include Bites,Burns,Cuts,Punctures,Sprains, and even broken bones. I read on this tread some where that someone made the comment about dive charters carrying First Aid and 02 kits. DIVERS BEWARE!!! Here is a it could happen to you story.. A diver falls off a cooler in the center of a dive charter. His steel 120 lands on the divers toe behind him. Yea OUCH is right. When we went to this charters first aid kit guess what. Rusty cutting tools half opened bandages, wet bandages and not even peroxide. Later another diver noticed that the pressure guage on the 02 bottle didnt even work. My advice carry your own equipment build your first aid kit one peice at atime and build it to save your life. I have built my own 02 kit for under $100.00 If any one wants to know how I did feel free to e-mail me. I hope this sheds some light on the rescue diver class. IMO it is the second best class I have ever taken maybe it was just the KICK BUTT instructor we had. If anyone in the central florida area would like his name e-mail me.
P.S
I am just another diver Im not an instructor and I do not profit from my opinions stated here.
Thanks And safe divingf to all.
Ray

 

[Sea Squirt]

I totally agree with you Jon T, about the PADI MFA course. I was really suprised to hear that it doesn't involve diver specific training.

 

[kelpmermaid]

Believe it or not...if you were graduated from a public high school in the US ( okay, in New Jersey, pas loin du Canada, alors!) in the 1970's, you had a basic First Aid Class. Could a review be a bad thing? The last time I took a CPR class here(in California, land of the law suits) it was through the American Red Cross. Most of the other students were teachers, for certification purposes. My point is... whatever you do, whoever certifies it... just learn what you can, because you never know. Does CPR have better results en France?