Random thoughts on PSD
Specter.
Good for you in seperating the thread, for those of us who have stared in the face of that little girl, and then surface to see the hope in the parents face fade to horror. it does hit a cord, I am acually typing this with chills going doing my face and arms.
That being said when you take a course in Post Critical Incedent Stress Syndrom you will lean that humour is a valuable tool in compating long term effects, yet the hummer is generaly kept in the tight circle of those involved.
MNScuba
Good for you, it can be very rewarding. I am wondering were you will be doing this, and is it volunteer, is it run by volunteers or members of the Sheriffs Dept.
I used to be a volunteer public safety diver, i say used to be because the RCMP have taken it over and no longer allow other agencies to perform underwater rescues. i have assisted them a couple of times since though
Recreational divers will never understand or condone the way a PSD dives, so don't expect much support from people here, as closed mindedness abounds. things like
solo diving is standard, black water diving is standard, crawling on your hands and knees along the bottom is standard, using a pony bottle, etc, etc.
some things to know. any time you are called out to search for the drowning or dead it is a critical incedent and there will be stress before, during, and after the dive, educate yourself in CIS and how to deal with it, the Sheriffs Department should have a CIS manager you can speak to about thios education.
Diver training, there are two well known and respected agencies providing the training. Dive Rescue International out of Colorado and Lifeguard Systems Inc. the first one is predominant on the west coast and the other on the east cost
www.diverescueintl.com and
http://www.teamlgs.com
the training is added to what you allready know about diving, but takes it in a different direction.
enough for now, I am passionate about dive rescue, and maybe i will post later some of the situations i have been involved in.
