Questions about the PSD course

[Paintballpsyco2369]

Hello all. I am a member of a dive team in Michigan and I will be taking the PSD course later this year, probably in August or September. I have a few ideas about some of the stuff we will be doing in the class, but I was wondering if anyone could give me any ideas, tips, heads up, or anything about what we might be doing in the class? Also, is there anything I could do healthwise to get in good shape for this class? I am not in the best of shape currently, so any tips on that note at all would be incredibly helpful. Thanks for your help, hope to hear back from some of you soon.

Paint

 

[peterbj7]

Your finning style is critical, so as neither to kick up the silt nor to tangle fins with your line. It helps to be able to visualise what you're feeling when you can't see it. And keep that line taut!

 

[Paintballpsyco2369]

Ok, would that suggest something like a frog kick or a modified frog kick or something like that then? I know about the line, I have done a number of training dives already with them, so I know a few search patterns, methods and some other stuff. Thanks again.

 

[Papa_Bear]

A lot depends on what agency standards your team has adopted? Here is some info on Rescue International standards and other info: Two Tanked Productions HD & SD Underwater Productions and video services

 

[Gary D.]

You will use the kick that fits the needs of what ever dive you are on. You need be be in good enough control of your line so you will be able to find a contact lens on the bottom of a busy boat ramp. You need to be in good enough condition to safely get the job done and not endanger yourself or anyone else.

Other than that, don't sweat the class, it's easy enough if you pay attention and practice what they preach. Don't cheat, it could just bite you in the donkey later.

Have fun in class. It ends once you start working.

Gary D.

 

[Paintballpsyco2369]

Figured I would check this thread one more time before I get some sleep, so I will have to check the video out tomorrow after work. I honestly do not know what agency it is through, but I can try to find out.

Paying attention, and practicing are not a problem at all for me. I can do both very well when it comes to SCUBA, no matter how boring the subject matter if it is SCUBA related I will watch it, pay attention to it, and be fine with it. (Please don't take this next part as me saying you implied this, I don't mean that at all, just a general thing I want to say) One thing I would say with as much enthusiasm as possible, I WOULD NOT EVER CHEAT AT ANYTHING SCUBA RELATED. Especially when it comes to SCUBA, because it all comes down to pure safety. And I know that doing what I would be doing with this team, It is not just me I have to worry about, it is the other people as well, and it is not worth it in any way shape or form to take any chance whatsoever in screwing anything up by cheating. It offers no benefit to me, them, or anyone.

I know I will have fun in the class, but the only thing that worries me, mostly because I don't know exactly what we will be doing, is the pool sessions of the class. From what I understand, to put it as bluntly as I have been explained, "they beat the hell out of you" Meaning (again as it was explained to me) they will take you to your limits, and a bit further to see how you will react and to make sure you can do the things you need to do. Also meaning they throw as many different conditions, situations, and problems as they can at you, to see how you deal with them, or rather to train you how to deal with them and solve problems as they happen and how to prevent them from happening.

The main thing I was wondering in the original post I guess, is what kinds of things do you do in the pool parts of the class, and like what kind of shape would I need to be in, in order to do that part of the class? The academic stuff I know I will do good in, it is the pool part of the class that concerns me. I know I only have a few more months to get working on getting in shape, but what kinds of things should I focus on to be at my best for the class? Things like running a mile in under a 5 minutes?? 2 minute breath hold?? Anything like that, or just general physical fitness or what? Thanks again for the help.

Paint

 

[Gary D.]

We kick the crap out of our guys (gals) in training. So much so that the last four came home thinking the DR1 classes were way too easy.

The classes are going to focus on basic skills and hammer them into your head. Weight belts are the item of choice. Other means of weighting are most likely going to cause you problems. Being from the north be ready for dry suit and cold water skills. Be ready to think OUTSIDE OF THE recreational SCUBA BOX. There is more than likely going to be some very contradictory information when compared to recreational SCUBA.

Think KISS and Streamlining. Good vis is when you can see the faint glow off of a high powered light when it’s placed against your mask.

Relax and you’ll do fine. No 5 minute miles and 2 minute breath holds. Those are for sissies, it's 3 minutes for both and at the same time! NOT. Just good general overall health and shape. If you're the Star Wars Worm you would flunk but other than that just be in good average shape.

Gary D.

 

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

From our SOP's:
Risks of Public Safety Diving
Public Safety Diving in itself involves a greater risk to the health and life of the diver than recreational diving in itself, which entails its own risks. More simply put, while recreational diving has a certain risk level to its participants, Public Safety Diving has an added level of risk.
Why? A recreational diver is participating in a sport for pleasure. They choose not only where but when they make a particular dive. The dive site is chosen for particular reasons, such as interesting scenery, its underwater life, or the rumor "it's a great dive site." Once at the dive site the recreational diver can also decide "conditions don't quite look right" and not do the dive.
The choice of where and usually when, has already been made for the Public Safety Diver. Diving conditions frequently are also worse than what the usual recreational diver would choose to encounter. Also, there is the added danger that a life has already been lost where you are about to dive.
Finally, from the experience of other Public Safety Dive Teams, the risk to the Public Safety Diver is increased when the team operates in the Rescue Mode. Historically, while about 2% of all team operations are in the Rescue Mode, the greatest numbers of diver fatalities have occurred at these times.

Poor SCUBA skills is the leading cause of Public Safety Diving Accidents

Under Stress you will Perform as you Trained

OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS ALWAYS SAFETY

Rules of Public Safety Diving
#1: Perform your PSD Functions Safely
#2: DON’T DIE

 

[Gary D.]

Where did those stats come from Jay? The last ones we got were Training deaths were #1, I think Recovery was #2 and Rescue brought up the rear with a very low percentage.

Lets see if Blades can jump in the the latest actual stats.

You are very right about the poor skill being the leading cause of problems and reacting as you have been trained. A couple of things that should never be forgotten.

Gary D.

 

[Paintballpsyco2369]

Gary D.:
What are DR1 classes? When you say this: "The classes are going to focus on basic skills and hammer them into your head. Weight belts are the item of choice" What do you mean exactly? I got the skills part, I just mean about the weight belt thing. I am fine with drysuits, and I love the cold water, so no problems with any of that.
Now also when you say this: "Think KISS and Streamlining." What are you refering to when you say KISS? I am not even close to the worm. I know I am overweight, and out of shape. What I was looking for here was some suggestions to help out so I can get into shape. Like if we are going to be doing say like.... I dunno, riding a bike underwater on SCUBA or something (which would be pretty cool), should I be riding a bike while wearing a SCUBA tank to help get ready for that aspect? I know there is a portion of the class that involves a lot of swimming. I should be fine with that, but will start swimming in the pond when I get a chance. Is there anything I could do along the lines of running, or some sort of weight lifting or something along those lines to get in shape to be able to do this stuff?




As far as performing how I was trained, I have always done that. I had an incident awhile ago in which I had to do an air share ascent. No worries at all, I had signaled a few times to all the other divers in our group that I was low on air, then when the time came and I was low enough on air that I did not want to empty all of it, I signaled to one of the guys in the group and we just did it the air sharing ascent. Was not worried, not too much more stressed out than normal. That is another story though.

Our team is a bit different than some teams. Our specialty is Technical Recoveries, of which I don't really have any technical certifications yet. Also our team is a volunteer team, so we do a few things different than some teams. Our #1 priority is safety of the Diver and personal. Obviously (I almost hate to say this, but being where it is posted all SHOULD get my point) the object we are recovering is already gone or is inanimate (meaning like a gun), so not much to worry about there. Hence, again I say our priority is safety of all involved personnel.

I have not participated in any recoveries, just the training at this point so I know some stuff that needs to be done, some patterns, and other stuff. I can not participate in any of the actual searches, or recoveries as a Diver though until I get the PSD certification. What I will be doing until I get the technical certs would be like Rivers, ponds, shallow stuff, or I would be functioning as a support diver for the tech divers. Again, we as Divers on our team have to ability to pass on a Dive. There have been several times I could have done it in training, but I never have.

I NEED TO SAY THIS FOR WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY, I KNOW WE SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS, But WE DID. WE WON'T BE DOING IT EVER AGAIN, AND I WOULD TELL ANYONE WHO ASKED ME NOT TO DO IT! With that being said, A friend of mine and I have been diving in the River by his house (If anyone in Michigan knows of the St. Clair River, we were doing this in Algonac). Well one day when we were going out there, I could feel and see a storm coming, and we could see a lot of lighting in the distance. When we were gearing up, we saw it way off in the distance and it was moving away from us, so we continued the dive. Now I don't know if anyone has ever dove in a Lightning storm, but when you start to see ambent light going from dark to lighter over a few seconds it is strange. But the really weird thing was when we could see the lightning flashes from the bottom of the river. WE ignored it for a few minutes, then I said lets go up. So we did. Just as we got out, it started to rain. About 2 or 3 minutes after we got off all of our gear, and got it loaded, it really started to rain hard, and the lightning was really bad. I won't do it again on purpose, but it happened and I had no problems with it.

I know I am not much for current. I don't really like it, but that is part of the reason I have been diving with this friend of mine in the river, so I can get used to it. I have done a couple training dives in the river with the team, which were actually my first river dives. The patterns we were doing were all on a line, so I had no issues, and no problems at all doing those dives, and I would not have any problems with doing any more dives in the river at night, in current or in Zero vis with the line.

I don't really have any issues or concerns about doing the actual dives, except seeing a body for the first time, but I don't think I would panic at that, but I won't know that until it happens. My main concern at this point, as I was saying somewhere, is the class itself. I know that I really need to get into shape for it, not just for it but to get into shape in general. For the class though, I need to know like the kinds of things I could do to help myself get into shape for it, and to help me through the class so that I don't get into any trouble like passing out, or anything like that underwater.

Thanks again for all your input,

Paint