Questions on becoming a rescue diver

[Surfrat]

Hello all!!First off let me say i have 0 dive experience.Have been a avid surfer and lover of the ocean since the tender age of 13.Recently i have been looking into finding a new career for myself,and rescue diving seems right up my ally.That or water photography or something that has to do with diving and the ocean.
My question is is it possible to become a rescue diver with no prior experience in it or diving?I know i would have to take the padi courses i have already found a school near me,and plan on taking a cpr course and the padi cpr course.i know i could excel in this even with no experience as i can swim like a fish and love the water and being in the water.One of my concerns is a few years back i got a minor possesion of marijuanna charge,haven't touched the stuff in years and hope this won't effect my plans for my future.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.If this course isn't even possibly with my lack of experience suggestions of other dive realated jobs would also be appreciated.Water photagraphy seemed kinda fun also,but im really don't know all the diff jobs you could aquire as a diver.I thought of goin the coastguard route but my past as a young dumb kid screwed me outta that(no excuses though).Also i just turned 28 i really don't think this is a prob as i could find no age limit in my research.Again ty for any info i get:cool2:Also please forgive my lack of paragraph indention as i am a little typing illiterate and my wife isn't here to help lolI also spelled questions wrong in my post name but i cannot seem to edit it.

 

[muddiver]

Underwater recovery, rescue and Public Safety Diving is primarily done by fire fighters and police officers. If you think that either of thoes groups will accept you with your background, than you need to get going down the fire/police canidate job path before you will get on a dive rescue team. I don't know anything about the east coast and getting a cop/fire fighter job, but around here you are pretty much out of luck if you have a record. Canidats that can pass a background investigation are a dime a dozen.

If you want to dive and get paid for it, it looks like your choices are:
1. Go to Commercial Diving school and become an underwater welder (i.e. construction worker) Commercial Diving Academy-Train for underwater welding, construction, & more.
2. Get your scuba Instructor certification and jump into the recreational certification industry.
3. Get a college degree in a marine related science and get trained/and accepted under the American Academy of Underwater Sciences at a university or science center.

 

[Surfrat]

Cool ty for the info i looked into resue dive teams in va beach.There is a EMS dive team here locally.Not sure on the specifics of requirements with my post possesion charge.But looking into the police website for VA beach it has to have been a certain amount of years.So i guess my best bet is to get my certs then go and find out for myself and then if i can't go from there.Also ty for the other links and job options for divers you provided me.

 

[paddler3d]

Join the Coast Guard and try out for rescue swimmers, and keep trying till you make it.

 

[vondo]

My question is is it possible to become a rescue diver with no prior experience in it or diving?I know i would have to take the padi courses i have already found a school near me,and plan on taking a cpr course and the padi cpr course.i know i could excel in this even with no experience as i can swim like a fish and love the water and being in the water.One of my concerns is a few years back i got a minor possesion of marijuanna charge,haven't touched the stuff in years and hope this won't effect my plans for my future..

The PADI courses, including, rescue diver have nothing to do with making a living diving. They are strictly about recreational diving. Don't waste your money going down this route if that's not what you want to do. If you take every PADI course offered, the only occupation it will qualify you for is teaching other people to dive.

 

[muddiver]

I thought of goin the coastguard route but my past as a young dumb kid screwed me outta that(no excuses though

Join the Coast Guard and try out for rescue swimmers, and keep trying till you make it.

Dude, read the post. Now you look like an indiot.

 

[vondo]

Dude, read the post. Now you look like an indiot.

Because that post was so easy to read. Really, is it too much to ask that if someone comes here looking for advice that they put a bit of effort into spelling, formatting, and you know, actually expressing coherent thoughts? I missed the "Can't do Coast Guard" part of the message too,

I see this all the time and usually I don't waste my effort commenting if the poster can't put effort into the question.

 

[paddler3d]

Dude, read the post. Now you look like an indiot.

So what is an 'indiot'?

One who can't use the tools given to him...i.e. spell check?

The armed services would have a real limited recruitment pool if they discounted everyone with some sort of criminal background. As far as I know, age is the real limiter. He said he's 28. He should be able to get in until 35. He can request waivers to get through the recruitment process.

 

[Surfrat]

So what is an 'indiot'?

One who can't use the tools given to him...i.e. spell check?

The armed services would have a real limited recruitment pool if they discounted everyone with some sort of criminal background. As far as I know, age is the real limiter. He said he's 28. He should be able to get in until 35. He can request waivers to get through the recruitment process.

Ty anyways for your suggestion,though i don't appreciate being called an idiot.Not everybody is a class A typist me obviously being one of them.I really don't see how my post is hard to read or understand sans any mispells.Anyways i know the padi course wouldn't make me rescue diver qualified but it would get me dive qualified which would then open the doors to over venues.My friend went through the padi course then was able to go to school to become an underwater weilder.Also i can get into the army,navy marines easy.The Coast Guard however is alot more strict on past drug charges for some reason.Having a family im not really into goin into the military at 28 and being sent to Iraq just so i can learn how to dive.As far as i know Coast guard are not sent into battle zones.

 

[vondo]

Ty anyways for your suggestion,though i don't appreciate being called an idiot.Not everybody is a class A typist me obviously being one of them.I really don't see how my post is hard to read or understand sans any mispells.Anyways i know the padi course wouldn't make me rescue diver qualified but it would get me dive qualified which would then open the doors to over venues.My friend went through the padi course then was able to go to school to become an underwater weilder.Also i can get into the army,navy marines easy.The Coast Guard however is alot more strict on past drug charges for some reason.Having a family im not really into goin into the military at 28 and being sent to Iraq just so i can learn how to dive.As far as i know Coast guard are not sent into battle zones.

Well things like periods and commas are followed by spaces generally. And paragraphs are broken with two lines. That'd go a long ways to increasing the readability. Trust me, it's hard to read. It takes too much effort. BTW, you weren't being called an idiot, the person who called another an "indiot" was basically being told "Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

I presume the reason the Coast Guard is stricter is that one their primary duties is intercepting drugs being smuggled into the U.S. I can see why they wouldn't want someone with a drug conviction on their payroll. But it's unfortunate you're in that category.