PADI....

To the Rescue

Beginning with Open Water Diver, every PADI course includes appropriate instruction on emergency management. The PADI System of diver education allows divers to pursue their specialized diving interests upon completion of the PADI Open Water Diver course and they are thus exposed to additional emergency management skills specific to the course in which they are participating. However, there are several courses within the System that are dedicated solely to emergency management.

The PADI Rescue Diver course is designed to develop the necessary knowledge and skills for individuals to effectively perform diver rescues and assists, manage accident situations, and render first aid. During the course, you will devote time to a number of academic topics, including: self-rescue, diver stress, diving first aid, emergency management, and equipment considerations.

Self-rescue deals with problems that you may encounter underwater that can easily be handled without buddy assistance. The diver stress segment covers physiological stress, such as cold, seasickness, or fatigue, and psychological stress, like peer pressure or unwarranted risk fears.

The segment on diving first aid stresses the areas of first aid that are most appropriate for recreational scuba diving. Possible problems associated with diving, such as decompression sickness, lung overexpansion and overexposure to elements, are covered. Also covered during this session is a discussion of first aid equipment and preparation of a diving first aid kit.

Emergency management the various roles a rescuer may play. These roles are reviewed, as well the Seven A's of accident management: anticipate, assess, act, assign tasks, attend to injuries, administrate, and arrange for evacuation. Next, the equipment considerations overview provides students with a better familiarity with the basic function and design of the scuba system.

PADI Rescue Diver students also participate in 12 exercises. The final two exercises are diving-accident scenarios in which students respond to simulated emergencies in open water. A sampling of the exercises that lead up to the final scenarios include responding to: a tired diver; a panicked diver; and a distressed diver underwater.

The PADI Medic First Aid course should also be of interest to any diver. This nondiving course is a basic training course which covers cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency care. It is designed to provide the patient with a continuity of care as that patient is passed from the first person on the scene to the paramedics and on to the physician in the emergency room.

Many PADI Instructors have taken the topic of oxygen as it relates to diving and developed a PADI Oxygen First Aid Distinctive Specialty course. During this course, you'll receive hands-on practice with oxygen cylinders, delivery systems, and different types of oxygen masks, along with theoretical information relating to diving maladies.

As you continue to enjoy the aquatic realm, you can improve your personal diving skills and be a better buddy by continuing your diving education. Imagine the confidence your buddy will have in you once you have completed the PADI Rescue Diver and other courses designed to enhance your ability to lend assistance.