PADI Rescue Course

[diver3523]

Hello All:

I've been reading through the site trying to find some good info about the nitty-gritty of the PADI Rescue Course, but I haven't been able to, so I thought I'd post a thread to see if I could get some good objective info.

What is the typical PADI Rescue Course like? I've heard various things about the rigor of the course and what it involves. I know there is classroom time and both confined and open-water sessions.

Where is the best environment to take the class (i.e. ocean, lake, etc.?)

Is the class rigorous physically? Should it be? What are the major takeaways from the course (besides the obvious).

Just trying to get a sense of what it involves, how long it should be, etc. I wanna do it right.

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[gangrel441]

Hello All:

I've been reading through the site trying to find some good info about the nitty-gritty of the PADI Rescue Course, but I haven't been able to, so I thought I'd post a thread to see if I could get some good objective info.

What is the typical PADI Rescue Course like? I've heard various things about the rigor of the course and what it involves. I know there is classroom time and both confined and open-water sessions.

Where is the best environment to take the class (i.e. ocean, lake, etc.?)

Is the class rigorous physically? Should it be? What are the major takeaways from the course (besides the obvious).

Just trying to get a sense of what it involves, how long it should be, etc. I wanna do it right.

Thanks in advance for your input!

I took mine over this past summer. We were informed that PADI had recently changed the structure of this class, with a more compact open water component (1 day instead of 2) and a required pool session (used to be optional). My understanding of this was that certain skills could be done in the pool just as effectively, and therefore could be removed or made optional for the open water portion. I get the impression how rigerous the class is is dependant on the instructor. Ours put us through the wringer pretty well, I would say.

Most of your "diving" during this class will be on the surface. We all did ours on a single tank. I brought two bottles a pice for my wife and I, and we never used the seconds.

The class is physically demanding, mentally challenging, stressful.....and a ton of fun! Probably the most rewarding class we have taken to date.

Let us know what you think.

 

[darylm74]

I took the class over Labor Day weekend and then I played victim/helper for a one person class a couple weeks ago. It can be very physical as you are towing people on the surface as well as the panicked diver scenarios that they throw at you. One of my scenarios required me to tow a diver back who suddenly came to and started freaking out. Luckily I have strong legs and am not small, but that can become an issue if a small diver is towing a large diver. I took my class at a quarry, which is the typical diving we do here in western PA. I would take the class in the environment you're going to deal with most. A quarry is more controlled with little or no current, however the vis can go from 20 to 0 quickly. The ocean obviously has its own dangers.

I think the class gives you more confidence, a better understanding of what can go wrong and learning that even if you do your job to perfection, you can only do so much to save someone. I think a lot of what you learn is also going to be instructor specific. I was able to see a panicked diver first hand a couple days before my OW dives for the class. My buddy and I were on a night dive following a group of advanced students. One of the students freaked, ditched his mask and bolted for the surface. My best friend who was their instructor (and my rescue class instructor) handled the situation and he did a very good job of it. It definitely gave me an idea of what to expect.

Best of luck

 

[Scottri]

A lot of the Rescue course is hands on. The book and video give you some idea of what to expect but the inwater portions are really where you will learn the most. We teach it in a very protected inlet on the ocean as well as in a local lake. The body of water is not as important as what you learn. We create situations and the students react and handle the rescues witha Q&A session after each situation.


Scott

 

[diver3523]

Thanks to everyone thus far for your input, its been very helpful. So, in your opinion, if I do the majority of my diving in the ocean, it really is not imperative for me to take the course with open water skills practiced in the ocean? From what you've said its more of the situations involved and your reaction and not so much the environment? I don't foresee doing too much diving in lakes/quarries in the future...I'm more of a warm-water ocean diver now and current, waves and salty water are much more the norm for me these days.

Thanks again.

A lot of the Rescue course is hands on. The book and video give you some idea of what to expect but the inwater portions are really where you will learn the most. We teach it in a very protected inlet on the ocean as well as in a local lake. The body of water is not as important as what you learn. We create situations and the students react and handle the rescues witha Q&A session after each situation.


Scott

 

[vel525]

Hello All:

I've been reading through the site trying to find some good info about the nitty-gritty of the PADI Rescue Course, but I haven't been able to, so I thought I'd post a thread to see if I could get some good objective info.

What is the typical PADI Rescue Course like? I've heard various things about the rigor of the course and what it involves. I know there is classroom time and both confined and open-water sessions.

Where is the best environment to take the class (i.e. ocean, lake, etc.?)

Is the class rigorous physically? Should it be? What are the major takeaways from the course (besides the obvious).

Just trying to get a sense of what it involves, how long it should be, etc. I wanna do it right.

Thanks in advance for your input!

There have been many discussion regarding the rescue course before. Try using search button.



Hahaha, I'm just giving you crap buddy. Maybe when we do our trip down in November we can go a few days early and knock out the rescue course before a weekend of diving.

 

[diver3523]

There have been many discussion regarding the rescue course before. Try using search button.



Hahaha, I'm just giving you crap buddy. Maybe when we do our trip down in November we can go a few days early and knock out the rescue course before a weekend of diving.

Don't you have some work to do, VEL? I know I don't!

Call me nuts, but that your identifier looks suspiciously like Manuel's tattoo in Coz!! I'm gonna let him know you're saltin' his game!

 

[Otter]

Thanks to everyone thus far for your input, its been very helpful. So, in your opinion, if I do the majority of my diving in the ocean, it really is not imperative for me to take the course with open water skills practiced in the ocean? From what you've said its more of the situations involved and your reaction and not so much the environment? I don't foresee doing too much diving in lakes/quarries in the future...I'm more of a warm-water ocean diver now and current, waves and salty water are much more the norm for me these days.

Thanks again.

To clear up any confined water / open water confusion. There aren't any skills that you ONLY do in confined water. In confined water, you learn the individual components skills (e.g, how to bring an unconscious diver to the surface, how to perform in-water rescue breathing). This allows you to learn and practice the skills as many times as you under more controlled situations.

In open water, you put together these component skills into an overall scenario (e.g., scene management, diver search, unconscious diver, in water rescue breathing) as one continuous event -- in conditions which are more realistic to the type of diving you do.

I always did the confined water portion even when it was optional as I found it much more effective.

As for physically demanding, it certainly can be. There is towing, egress, rescue breathing while removing gear, and the occasional 'panicked' diver who will try and chase you down and climb on your head (don't get caught).

 

[BrianS]

I am doing mine next week.

So far the schedule is:

1 night for CPR/First Aid
1 night for bookwork
1 day for Poolwork
1 day for Open Water Work

 

[Scottri]

The open water portion of the class is really about tying together what you have learned in the classroom and pool so the actual body of water for open water is really not that important. What is important is the ability for you to do the sceanrios and for the staff to observe and make comments so doing it in the ocean may not be the best place for that.

Good luck and have fun!