Rescue Diver?

[Darcey]

Personally, I think it's kind of lame you can get RD with really practically no experience at all - unless that 20 dive min holds up as being correct.

I agree with that too and something tells me that the 20 dive minimum is true in some shape or form. My dive shops website says that you have to have 20 BEFORE starting RD. Not sure if that's just their rule or PADI's or if thats 20 dives to GET your RD certification. I guess I can see them letting you take the course and letting you do the pool training but not letting you do the open water dives for certification until you have 20 dives. It's kind of like how you have to have 20 dives to start Divemaster but have to have at least 60 dives before you get your Divermaster certification.

 

[bsigmund]

As I stated in my earlier post 20 logged dives are required to perform the open water rescues. That is in the rescue diver INSTRUCTOR manual. That is a PADI standard. The pre-requisites are required. Anyone teaching rescue open water senarios (required for the certification), to students with less than 20 dives and Advanced Open Water is breaking the standards.

 

[Eddie Kish]

PADI Rescue Diver Prerequistes:

1. To participate in just the confined water training, you must have Open Water Certification. (paraphrased)
2. To participate in the open water sessions you must have "PADI AOW or have a qualifying certification from another certification agency. This is defined as proof of certification beyond entry level (at least two certifications total) with proof of 20 or more logged dives documenting experience in deep diving and underwater navigation."

OK. So how does everyone read that?? I take it that if you are at least PADI AOW, there is no set number of dives, but if you have another agency's certification you will need proof of 20 logged dives. Thoughts?

 

[Darcey]

I read it as you have to have 20 logged dives to participate in the OPEN WATER sessions and it didn't matter if you were PADI AOW or another agency, you still had to have 20 dives with nav. and deep dives. As far as the confined water training, the AOW book goes on and on about how you can take RD after getting your AOW and that's also how PADI's certification flow chart goes too.

My instructor still says you have to have 20 logged dives to even start the RD course. I'm really confused now.

 

[Eddie Kish]

I read it as you have to have 20 logged dives to participate in the OPEN WATER sessions and it didn't matter if you were PADI AOW or another agency, you still had to have 20 dives with nav. and deep dives. As far as the confined water training, the AOW book goes on and on about how you can take RD after getting your AOW and that's also how PADI's certification flow chart goes too.

My instructor still says you have to have 20 logged dives to even start the RD course. I'm really confused now.

You would hope that at least 20 dives would be required, but it doesnt appear to be the case. PADI standards in the instructor manual and their website just say 12 years old, First Aid/CPR and AOW.

Your instructor is probably doing the right thing, but it appears to be outside the PADI standards.

 

[SDAnderson]

If you have a PADI AOW card there are no additional dive requirements for Rescue. Not to argue against the merits of more diving but the "20 logged dives" requirement only applies if you don't have a PADI AOW certification.

To participate in the rescue training sessions in open water, and to participate in the open water rescue scenarios, the student must be certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization. This qualifying certification from another training agency is defined as proof of certification beyond entry level (at least two certifications total), with proof of 20 or more logged dives documenting experience in deep diving and underwater navigation. edit: added for clarity​

If your instructor won't take you because you don't have 20 dives, you have at least two choices:

• Go diving. Once you try it might discover that you like it.
• Contact PADI. They'll set you and your instructor straight.

Bill, you're misreading the manual. You should probably contact PADI and get clarification from the only authority that actually counts instead of taking it on faith from an MI like myself, however. They're very helpful with calls about stuff like this.

 

[FireDiver443]

Exitandleave,

First off, welcome to Scubaboard! Nice to have you here.

In my experience the didactic information and practical skills presented in your Rescue Diver program are as much about safe dive planning and self-rescue as being there for your fellow divers. If you have the time, I always recommend obtaining your Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) over a first aid class. Why?

Your EMT program will train you to properly assess your patient and train you to recognize and respond to a wide variety of medical and trauma settings in greater depth. You'll learn how to administer oxygen and manage an airway, as well as how to use an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED). You'll develop the ever-important skill of how to function under stress (necessary for managing an emergency) as well as learn a thing or two about crisis communication. You'd get your CPR certification to the latest and greatest standards and, if you choose to use your EMT certification to aid your community in your spare time, hone your skills through hands-on practice that no classroom simulation can adequately replace.

I firmly believe that if you step up in an emergency situation and identify yourself as "able to help," you better bring your A-Game each and every time.

Just my humble opinion. Good luck with your Rescue Diver class. Of all the classes I've taken since getting certified, Rescue was the most fun...AND most exhausting.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I am an open water diver, currently, and plan on taking my PADI Advanced and Rescue courses in the near future. Is there a minimum number of dives I will have to have logged before I begin or finish either course?

@exitandleave: There's been a great deal of disagreement regarding what the PADI standards are. Regardless of when you end up taking the course, you'll learn a lot. My advice, though, would be to just go out there and dive for now. In order to get the most out of your Rescue class, you'll need to be a solid diver, i.e, good buoyancy control, comfortable with your gear, not prone to panic, good finning technique, good physical condition, etc. I guarantee that it will take more than 20 dives to achieve this level of comfort in the water. Think of it this way, if you're not squared away...how do you expect to help out another diver in trouble? During the Rescue class, you'll be asked to increase your scope of awareness while diving.
As a beginning OW diver, you pretty much focus on yourself. Do I have enough air? What's my depth? Where's my buddy (in case I don't have any air)?
As an AOW diver, you're in the process of expanding your comfort level doing different kinds of dives. You should also be working on your buddy skills.
In Rescue class, you learn how to self-rescue, rescue your buddy, and rescue divers who aren't a part of your buddy team.
Definitely keep that Rescue class on your radar...but be patient and log a bunch of dives first. Have fun and dive safe.

 

[NudeDiver]

In order to get the most out of your Rescue class, you'll need to be a solid diver, i.e, good buoyancy control, comfortable with your gear, not prone to panic, good finning technique, good physical condition, etc. I guarantee that it will take more than 20 dives to achieve this level of comfort in the water.

It would also be nice if you show up to class on time, have the knowledge reviews done on time (show up prepared), and have all of your required gear for the pool sessions (again, show up prepared).

As for the requirements...it's interesting - no one ever asked to see any c-card from me, let alone an AOW c-card or a dive log book to indicate dive experience. I have a feeling that the prerquistites for this class are not very enforced.

 

[kadleck]

I checked with a local PADI instructor. The only prerequisites for Rescue are AOW and a CPR+First Aid qualification (or the PADI EFR course). I do agree that a number of pre-req dives would be nice to have, but it is definitely not a PADI requirement.