Rescue Diver Course

[Winterpeg]

What exactly does the PADI Rescue Diver course cover? I now have 43 logged dives and recently posted a thread in this forum about completing my AOW. Lots of SBers responded to that thread, and after congratulating me etc, urged me to continue by taking the Rescue Diver course.
I would appreciate if someone who has taken it recently, or who teaches it, could explain what material and skills it covers, what theory and (if applicable), written tests are included, how many confined and/or OW dives it entails, and what specific skills are required on those dives. Also, how much physical strength does it take? I am female, about 130 pounds, and fairly fit (I work out regularly at the gym), but I also have rheumatoid arthritis and I avoid very strenuous physical activity (I know my limits). And lastly, are 43 dives enough to proceed with this, or do I need more experience first?

 

[Winterpeg]

I should have added one more question: how much will I benefit if I take the rescue diver course? Do I need it? Or am I better off just to get more experience?

 

[SandyRobinson]

If you are comfortable in the water, go ahead and take the course. If you have a buddy, have him/her take it too as it will benefit both of you. The course will train you how to react in certain emergency/stessful situations. Also it requires a first aid/CPR course which is useful. It is one of those courses where you hope you never need it but will be glad you took it if needed.

 

[Zerovis]

First , you don't need it to dive in fact its the one course I hope you never need,
after that it teaches
observation, paying attention from the point of view of prevention an incident
Self rescue , like in the open water cramp removal , tired diver tow, alt air,
Overexertion ,you and others, even a tired diver can help rather than you doing all the work
Panicked divers, how to deal with them without getting drowned.
divers with injuries, stings ,bites ,cuts ect.
Search patterns, for missing divers also useful for weight belts lol
surfacing an unconscious diver,lets hope we never have to
in water resuscitation,

When I did the course it was with a good group in a freshwater dockyard, it was great fun.
every course has its own surprises
now that I teach the stuff I learned is invaluable especially the observation.

I noticed that you have to avoid strenuous activity so i would ask a doctor first there are some exercises like towing and in water resuscitation that could be tiring.

However everyone has limits, on the last course a girl of about your weight asked what I would do about getting another student out of the water the guy in question is 6 foot one and about eighteen stone ,Answer "my best its all anyone can do".in his case tow him in beach him and get help.
so if you cant do one thing because its physically impossible for you don't sweat it , every exercise starts with "as part of a team or as an individual".
if you want a more detailed explanation of the course or any of the skills let me know

oh and 43 dives is way more than you need to be AOW or( have 2 certs from another agency and have 20 logged dives )

on the how much will you benefit " how much will you put into it ? "
those that treat each exercise as it were real get more that the ones that are just checking boxes

 

[Colliam7]

What exactly does the PADI Rescue Diver course cover? ... I would appreciate if someone who has taken it recently, or who teaches it, could explain what material and skills it covers, what theory and (if applicable), written tests are included, how many confined and/or OW dives it entails

It covers four broad areas: The Psychology of Rescue; Being Prepared for a Diver Emergency; Accident Management; Responding to Diver Emergencies. In the course, a) five Knowledge Reviews, b) one 50-question written examination, c) 10 Rescue Training Exercises (Tired Diver; Panicked Diver; Response from Shore, Boat or Dock to a Responsive Diver; Distressed Diver Underwater; Missing Diver; Surfacing the Unresponsive Diver; Unresponsive Diver at the Surface; Exiting the Unresponsive Diver; First Aid for Pressure-related Injuries and Oxygen Administration; and Response from Shore/Boat - Unresponsive Diver), and d) 4 Open Water Scenarios must be completed. The training exercises can be conducted in a pool (confined water) environment. The Open Water Scenarios can be logged as 4 dives. The diving (Training Exercises and Open Water Scenrios) can be completed in a weekend, or over several sessions, depending on what schedule is agreed with the instructor.

what specific skills are required on those dives.

Generally, Rescue Diver emphasizes skills that can be used to assist other divers on the surface and under the water, and primarily require a) good buoyancy control, and b) an ability to remain calm under stressful conditions, on the part of the Rescue Diver student.

Also, how much physical strength does it take? I am female, about 130 pounds, and fairly fit (I work out regularly at the gym), but I also have rheumatoid arthritis and I avoid very strenuous physical activity (I know my limits).

It is not strenuous physical activity, per se, although it is best pursued by someone who is physically fit. You regular workouts suggest you meet that requirement. It is very much about thinking through an emergency situation, and taking the proper action, rather than employing brute strength. Perhaps the most physically strenuous part is exiting an unresponsive diver from the water, although it is easy to overexert oneself in the training exercises (and that is why the Rescue Diver students do the exercises - to learn how to avoid becoming a victim while performing as a rescuer).

are 43 dives enough to proceed with this, or do I need more experience first?

That is a good foundation for taking the course.

how much will I benefit if I take the rescue diver course? Do I need it? Or am I better off just to get more experience?

The course exposes the student to knowledge and skills that are not likely to be readily acquired, at least not efficiently, by simply pursuing more diving. I echo the sentiments of others, that ideally you will never need it. But, it is a course that can help build your confidence as a diver. Rescue Diver is one of the most enjoyable teaching activities I pursue. I highly recommend the course.

 

[--tom--]

From a diver's point of view, this was the biggest confidence boost for me of all of the classes. The rescue class taught me what I was capable of & what I was not capable of. The portion on self-rescue was very informative; accident prevention is (too often) particularly useful. I think Rescue is the most important class.

 

[morgan84]

I finished my Rescue course in mid january this year. Like the people above me stated, it attempts to teach you how to handle situations that you dont want to happen during diving. Knowing how to handle accidents or situations may save you or your buddys life. And a bi-product of completing this course is that the skill and confidence you get improved a great deal!

Not knowing how to handle situations can cause things to go from bad to worse really quickly.

That being said, I will also gladly admit that I had so much fun with this course The horrible acting from the DM's combined with the stupid "scenarios", plus me feeling silly and clumsy made it the most memorable of the courses I took! Fantastic fun!

My favourite "scenario" was when my DM pretended to be hit in the head and knocked unconcious by a Triggerfish. As I get to her, she PANIC and attemt to drown me LOL. What made that even funnier was that she was a small 19 year old thai girl, weighing no more than 50kg, and I am 192cm and weigh just under 100kg. I played along for a littlewhile to make her feel better. As we got to the surface I must have swallowed half the ocean as I couldnt stop laughing.

My advice is to definitely go and do it! Its fun and educational, and it might make a big difference, if you god forbid, might need it one day! Safety first!

 

[kathydee]

Winterpeg please read this story if you haven't already - it is about an accident that happened during my rescue course & will explain more than I can here - the value of learning the skills & knowing what's up.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...-real-rescue-course-very-close-near-miss.html

I'm a 5'4 120lb women and did ok on the course. Couldn't do every body-carry but did plenty to help out.

Truthfully, I took the course without truly comprehending the full purpose till after the accident. I took first aid & CPR at red cross first then learned through the scuba course how to spot potential problems, how to calm panic before it leads to problems, how to help out without risking our own safety (which is very important), how to get an injured diver back to the boat and out of the water, what to do once a person is on the boat, how to manage a search/rescue effort. So much valuable info is contained in the course -- If you can, I'd suggest getting the rescue book early, and giving it a few reads before you take the course.

I can not recommend it enough! It's quite fun -- as well as a just little tough ;-). You'll do fine & I think you'll be very happy you took it!

 

[Gen San Chris]

In the Open Water and Advanced Courses you are tought to look after yourself basically, in the Rescue you learn how to assist and look out for problems on others!
In my humble opinion, the Rescue Course is the most useful and enjoyable of all the courses you will take! It opens your mind to the possible problems others can encounter!
Its much more fulfilling than the SMB (Surface Marker Buoy) Specialty Course!

 

[drew0930]

Best course in all of PADI. You immediately become a better diver for having taken it. Good luck.