PADI rescue course

[jenaddyman23]

hi guys. ive got my first pool dive tomorrow for the rescue course any hints or tips and what should i expect to be doing?

 

[ScubaFreak]

Yup, get ready to be treated like a diver who needs to know what to do
Step up to the plate, you've entered the big leagues!! No more hand holding!

It's a super course, My favourite to teach!

You'll have a blast!

 

[merxlin]

Without knowing what course you are taking it's hard to give specifics, but just remember what you have been studying: stop, THINK, breath and act. Rule #1- don't become a second victim!

 

[NvScubaSteve]

Stop, breathe, think, act... It really does work. Also, don't try to do everything fast. Pay more attention to doing the skills slowly, correctly, and with attention to detail. When under the pressure of a real incident we generally react as we train, so train properly with attention to detail rather than with a need for speed.

IMHO this is the one of the best classes to take and it is also a lot of fun.

Have a great time.

S

 

[scubadiver888]

hi guys. ive got my first pool dive tomorrow for the rescue course any hints or tips and what should i expect to be doing?

Pace yourself. Stay clam. You have more time then you think you do.

The one thing which I found the hardest was getting the victim off the bottom when he had no air. Normally, you bring them up using their BCD, make yourself positively buoyant at the surface, drop weights, drop mask, etc.

If they have no air you have to bring them up with your BCD. Best to drop their weights on the bottom. Try to stay under them as you bring them up. On the surface you'll have to manually inflate their BCD before you can start dropping your weights.

When towing a victim back to shore, breathing is the most important thing. Don't let removing the gear mess up your rescue breathes. Remove equipment every other breathe or even every third breathe.

When you pull the dive out of the water, make sure they are well up on the deck before you roll them over (hurt my back when I was rolled over with my legs still in the water).

Additionally, you will be amazed how quickly a 'panic' diver can get on top of you. Assume they will attack you by approaching with regulator in mouth *AND*take a breath as they lunge at you. Safest escape is underwater. Even without a regulator, a fully breathe is enough to go way under and come up away from them or behind them. I like to use their knees to rotate them then come up behind them.

Finally, the pool session will be easy compared to the open water portion. Get as much practice in the pool as you can.

 

[Tailspin]

Always be ready.

In my recent class the instructor had setup special scenarios ahead of time with the volunteer victims. At any time during the weekend a victim would go into their act while the class was on shore. The instructor just called out a student's name and had them perform the rescue.

It was nerve racking and exciting at the same time, and in the end I felt I learned more from that type of 'lesson' than any other class I ever had (by FAR).

You'll have fun.

 

[charlesg3]

Rescue is a fun class that teaches you a lot and builds confidence.

You can expect to be working through several different scenarios with yourself or another diver having issues ranging from tired / cramps, panicking at surface, unconscious at surface, unconscious at depth and the like.

My tip to you is to take each scenario seriously, as if it were real. It's really good practice to know your own limitations such as the pace at which to pull a diver to shore, how quickly you can remove another persons gear (and how much you should prioritize that over the tow) as well as what size diver you can realistically carry out of the water.

 

[pafindr]

Just a word of caution. Be careful of those "victims" they can be sneaky.

One moment they're calm and cool and the next thing you know you're being held under because they're "drowning".

Have fun it's a great class.

 

[scubadiver888]

Always be ready.

In my recent class the instructor had setup special scenarios ahead of time with the volunteer victims. At any time during the weekend a victim would go into their act while the class was on shore. The instructor just called out a student's name and had them perform the rescue.

It was nerve racking and exciting at the same time, and in the end I felt I learned more from that type of 'lesson' than any other class I ever had (by FAR).

You'll have fun.

You shouldn't have to worry about this during the confined water portion. They want to give you challenging exercises in the pool but also give you time to master them. It is in the open water portion were they will be adding a level of stress.

At times it might even seem mean but trust me, it in a real life scenario you could have a news reporting bugging you for information, a father yelling incoherently, mom hyperventilating and passing out, while you are trying to save their only son. Add two German Sheppards barking up a storm and you get the idea.

But this will be the open water session.

 

[scubadiver888]

Just a word of caution. Be careful of those "victims" they can be sneaky.

One moment they're calm and cool and the next thing you know you're being held under because they're "drowning".

Have fun it's a great class.

Be really careful if they are an IDC Staff Trainer or even worse a Course Director.

Our Course Director missed me but got a hold on my buddy. We brought him up and his buddy from the bottom (double rescue), were just about to start rescue breathes when he 'regained' conscienceness and 'panicked'. Ripped the reg out of my buddy's mouth and jumped on him.