Rescue Diver prerequisit :(

[Mark Chase]

God forbid I were to do Tech1 I now discover I need a rescue cert. PADI rescue diver is too expensive so are there any cheaper options that would satisfy Tech 1.

ATB

Mark Chase

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

God forbid I were to do Tech1 I now discover I need a rescue cert. PADI rescue diver is too expensive so are there any cheaper options that would satisfy Tech 1.

ATB

Mark Chase

Mark,

do you mean to say that you do all that Tech diving without being rescue trained?

I have to say that I'm a little shocked to hear that.

Regards,

Mark.

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by Mark

Mark,

do you mean to say that you do all that Tech diving without being rescue trained?

I have to say that I'm a little shocked to hear that.

Regards,

Mark.

I didnt say I dont have rescue training, 02 admin training or 1st aid training, I said I dont have a recognised diving related cert. I always thaught PADI rescue diver was a bit of a joke and I am not BSAC so what can you do.

Any way I did tec diving for ages with no cert too so????? When I did deco procedures I had already loged 74 deco dives. Most of my early training was through fellow divers and mentors.

ATB

Mark Chase

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

I didnt say I dont have rescue training, 02 admin training or 1st aid training, I said I dont have a recognised diving related cert. I always thaught PADI rescue diver was a bit of a joke and I am not BSAC so what can you do.

I think that having recognised rescue training is an essential part of being a responsible diver, let alone a tech diver.

Regards,

Mark.

[chrisch]

I am surprised that any agency would train anyone to do (proper) tech diving without a rescue cert of some sort. IANTD do just that and it is not one of their better points.
There are a good many UK divers with mix cards and no rescue training.

Mark - you might have the skills and experience to persuade the instructor you can do the rescue. That I don't know so my comments are not personal to you.

The idea of someone at 60m plus that cannot execute a simple controlled lift is scary.

If GUE/DIR specify this then it is in their favour. Like millions of others I am not DIR but I respect much of what they do. JJ and GI3 are in the top few divers worldwide and have earned that respect. (Even if GI3 has a big gob and a short fuse...)

PADI rescue is not crap - its the best course they do.

Chris

[Diving Dude]

Mark, (either one) does that mean that you do not have to do the fundamental course? and can step in at Tech 1?

[Andy Phillips]

I have to say, I thought the PADI rescue course was the only one worth doing beyond Open Water. Can't say as I would consider myself an expert but I feel I have an idea what to do.

As for the GUE courses. Mark, I am within an ace of discussing it with you. There was a comment made about how can we argue against something if we haven't done the course. Weeeeeellllllllll, I might consider not smokeing for 48 hours and give it a go if your up for it also.

Andrew

[Mark]

Originally Posted by diving dude

Mark, (either one) does that mean that you do not have to do the fundamental course? and can step in at Tech 1?

Howard,

'fraid not. DIR-F is a pre-req of Tech-1 because GUE found that most students simply don't have the skills needed to take the Tech-1 course without it. Doing DIR-F is no guarantee of passing Tech-1 but if you do the course then practice for about 50 dives you should stand a very good chance of getting through it. I did Tech-1 without doing DIR-F but I was the last one in the UK (at least). It took about 10 mins of the first dive on my course before I wished I had done DIR-F.

Regards,

Mark.

[And]

Originally Posted by imported_andyp

As for the GUE courses. Mark, I am within an ace of discussing it with you. There was a comment made about how can we argue against something if we haven't done the course. Weeeeeellllllllll, I might consider not smokeing for 48 hours and give it a go if your up for it also.

Andrew

Now that would be no fun at all, cos then you'd be DIR and we'd have nothing to argue about

As far as the rescue course, I would have thought the PADI rescue diver was your best option (apart from having to wear a snorkel. Hideous )

Originally Posted by chrisch

The idea of someone at 60m plus that cannot execute a simple controlled lift is scary.

Hmmm, think about this mate. If you find an unconscious diver at 60 mtrs it is then at least 6 mins before you reach the surface, even blowing off all of your deco and ascending at a speed guaranteed to get you and your casualty bent. An AGE for the casualty is also probable. 'Rescue' at this level is completely stacked against you. If there is a significant deco obligation it is recommended to try to resusitate them at depth with a reg, which is unlikely to succeed. Realistically the bottom line is that the controlled buoyant lift is not a realistic option.

With this kind of diving the emphasis is placed on not being in that situation in the first place and this is what a tech course should teach. This is why the GUE emphasis is on lower PO2 levels at depth to prevent a tox at depth, and proper tank marking and identification, to prevent the breathing of the wrong gas. Exceptional buddy skills and a kit config which is completely focussed on donating gas quickly and efficiently completes the philosophy. We are also taught to be extremely conservative with gas management and you can never have too much gas. Over and above all that is the main rule which is that we don't dive with unsafe divers, definitely not at that level. Most of the GUE rescue stuff is really about gas switching and toxing buddies, it is not about finding an out of air buddy and controlled buoyant lifts from 60 mtrs. With all due respect that is the shallow water answer. The GUE requirement is more about the surface rescue management than the underwater stuff

Andy

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by chrisch

I am surprised that any agency would train anyone to do (proper) tech diving without a rescue cert of some sort. IANTD do just that and it is not one of their better points.
There are a good many UK divers with mix cards and no rescue training.

Mark - you might have the skills and experience to persuade the instructor you can do the rescue. That I don't know so my comments are not personal to you.

The idea of someone at 60m plus that cannot execute a simple controlled lift is scary.

PADI rescue is not crap - its the best course they do.

Chris

IANTD an TDI do not require rescue diver for the tec course.

Aside from the fact that I can do a controlled lift I have absolutly no idea how that would be of benifit on a 60m dive? The chances of getting an unconcious diver up from 60m with God knows how much deco racked up and three gas switches on the way there dosent bear thinking about. The chances of doing a controled lift properly with a diver in a twin set and two stages is prety slim too. There are two things that are usefull in technical diving: 02 admistration and a good understanding of decompresion and the related issues.

I would be interested to here how any part of the rescue diver course would be of benifit to a diver at 60m with 45mins deco and two decompresion gas switches to acheive.

I am not being sarcastic I am asking a genuine question and am open to comment. I have read the rescue diver manual and found it not relevent to the sort of diving I do but perhaps I have missed somthing or dont fulley apreciate some aspects of the course.

Whilst this would possably make an interesting discusion I am still interested please in alternatives if any exist to doing the PADI course.

ATB

Mark Chase

Andy beat me to it