Question for NAUI instructors

[*Floater*]

I read a few posts about people getting screwed by instructors that were not certified to teach a course, but took money to teach it anyway, so while planning my next dive vacation I decided to try and check ahead of time on an instructor's certifications at my planned resort. I have no reason to doubt him, but if possible, then why not make sure?

I initially used http://www.naui.org/contact.php to contact NAUI about this, but it's been a week now with no reply, so I thought maybe I'd have better luck here.

Basically, I have 2 questions:

1. Are NAUI instructors able to check on the qualifications of other instructors (the one in question is in the Philippines), and if so, then please PM me and I'll send you the guy's name, NAUI CD # and resort name/location. Or is there some other way for me to find out?

2. In case it's not possible to check his instructor certifications ahead of time, then could you describe to me or post pics of what kind of cards or licenses he should be able to present to teach the NAUI equivalents of AOW and Nitrox (for my gf). (As of now he could show me anything and I would none the wiser)

Thanks.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I have not been able to contact the NAUI website for the past several days either ... I suspect they took a hit from Wilma.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[*Floater*]

I have not been able to contact the NAUI website for the past several days either ... I suspect they took a hit from Wilma.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Okay, I ssuppose I'll have to try contacting them at a later date then.

 

[neil]

Try calling on the phone, 1-800-553-6284.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I'm not NAUI, but I'm pretty sure if he's an instructor then he can certify AOW. As for Nitrox, he does need special certification for that. Just ask to see his Nitrox/EANx Instructor card. If he can't show you one, then my bet is he isn't certified to teach it. You can also ask an instructor at your LDS to show you what the card looks like.

 

[scubatoys]

It's actually pretty easy for an authorized shop to check... When we process our student cards on line, we type in the instructor number. It then does a lookup on that instructor and makes sure he is current, and insured and able to certify. Then we choose what class we are doing the cards for, so if Nitrox is not in his drop down list, then we know he can't teach that.

Now that is the way it is in the US, I'm not sure if the numbers over there are trackable here, but with an instructor number, I could pop it in and check.

 

[Tobagoman]

To be a NAUI instructor, AOW and Nitrox are two of the specialties that are required to finish the instructorship. So if he is a NAUI instructor he can teach these specialties.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

To be a NAUI instructor, AOW and Nitrox are two of the specialties that are required to finish the instructorship. So if he is a NAUI instructor he can teach these specialties.

AOW isn't considered a specialty ... it's one of the core courses offered by NAUI.

When you become a NAUI instructor, you are by definition certified to teach OW, AOW, Rescue, Master Diver, and nine specified specialty classes ... it's part of the curriculum you have to take to become an instructor. Until about a year ago, Nitrox wasn't one of them and you had to get some (very minimal) additional training to teach Nitrox. That has changed recently ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[2Tours N Iraq`]

ScubaPolly here on the boards is a NAUI instructor, she could be able to answer your questions. She's the one who certified me for OW and Nitrox and is an excellent instructor.

 

[japan-diver]

As a NAUI Instructor if he is current he is certified to teach AOW and Nitrox- which is a core speciality now. Depending on where he is a member of NAUI US or NAUI PacRim or other his credentials will vary - He should have a card my US version is Gold with an expiration date of 31 Dec and is renewed yearly. My NAUI Japan membership is updated by a sticker sent out yearly. In Japan you can't get membership w/o insurance so its one sticker for both. In most other countries insurance paperwork is seperate.

In the Phillipines he is probably registered with NAUI PacRim and they could verify his status for you. For those of out of the US when you put our instructor #'s in the on-line database it comes up with - "Your area not supported yet" or something like that.