Search & Recovery Course ideas

[frozenwarp]

Hey all,
I'm looking for advice and ideas from instructors and students alike

So heres the deal im setting up an SSI Search & Recovery course that ill be running now teaching the course material and all that isnt an issue but what i am looking for ideas on is:

What parts did you enjoy (as a student) or what do u find popular (as a instructor)
OR
What would you like to see done in a course

Im hoping this is going to be a fun, enjoyable and popular course

So far i have a range of stuff to use for the recovery side ranging from (anchors, failed tanks to garden knomes)

Any ideas appreciated

 

[CamG]

Greetings Frozenwarp!
I personally liked a rubber "Glock" hand gun hid among trees where it looked like it had been tossed.
I also love the lift-bag practice we usually use a steel box that rests on a platform with a bowling ball inside.
I like the idea of searching for firearms or lost watches, etc. things that people loose and often ask divers to search for.
For advanced S&R vehicles are fun to search for in real conditions and for real practice a hidden dummy will make some a little sqeamish!
For our Rescue diver we recovered a real diver that when they reached the surface was spiting frothy, foamy blood it looked as real as training could! It fooled me and for an instant it was very real! When I learned the secret of fake blood caps. and alka-selser tablets I feel sorry for the next Rescue class!
Make it fun for the beginners and up the annie for the advanced students, start out not so difficult and then challenge them. Sometimes I feel students learn just as much from failing to find items as well as finding them! It depends on the brief / debriefings!
We have a blast and always end up around a camp fire sharing observations what worked well and what did not. Everyone benefits and there is always more than a few laughs. I hope this helps if you want any more specific information just PM me and I will get back with you!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[Seaduced]

One interesting thing we did in my class, the instructor demonstrated how a plastic trash bag inside of a mesh bag could be used as a lift bag. We had to use it for the final lift.

The visibility was so good when I did my dives, it wasn't much of challenge to spot the object. I was thinking after the dives, putting a piece of something like plastic wrap over the mask lenses would restrict vision and make it tougher. But then, I already have MY cert!

BTW My LDS/Dive boat owner made the SSI video. Kinda fun seeing your friends in the "movies."

Darell