CPR and First Aid certification is a prerequisite for the class. The PADI Rescue Diver course is a prerequisite if you plan to achieve a Master Scuba Diver and/or Divemaster rating.
What is the course structure?
The Rescue class is divided into three segments: knowledge development, rescue training sessions, and open water rescue scenarios.For the knowledge development portion, you will read the five sections of your manual answering the brief knowledge reviews at the end of each. We will have a lecture on each topic to apply what you have learned to real life dive environments, and so your instructor can provide you with additional relevant information not found in the text.
The rescue training sessions will take place in the pool. We will begin with a review of self rescue techniques and basic dive skills, then practice different techniques for performing the ten basic rescue skills.
The open water rescue scenarios take place in the Puget Sound. They are designed to tie together everything you have learned previously through “real life” situations staged by your instructor, staff, and former students.
We will also schedule a tour to the hyperbaric chamber at Virginia Mason Hospital during or after the course for students.
What will I learn in the course?
Knowledge Development:
- The Psychology of Rescue
- Being Prepared for a Diver Emergency
- Accident Management
- Responding to Diver Emergencies
Pool Skills
- Self Rescue and Dive Skills review
- Assisting a Tired Diver and Assisting a Panicked Diver
- Response from Shore, Boat, or Dock (responsive diver)
- Distressed Diver Underwater
- Missing Diver
- Surfacing an Unresponsive Diver and Unresponsive Diver at the Surface
- Exiting with the Unconscious Diver
- First Aid for Pressure Related Injuries and O2 Administration
- Response from Shore or Boat (unresponsive diver)
Open Water Rescue Scenarios
There will be four realistic open water rescue scenarios conducted in the Puget Sound. They will combine several of the skills practiced in confined water.
What materials and experience do I need?
A PADI Rescue Manual, log book, and dive gear. Scuba gear will be provided for the pool sessions, but you are encouraged to bring your own so you are familiar with how it functions in emergency situations andegresses.
The Rescue class counts towards the Master Scuba Diver certification—all you need is your Rescue Certification and five Specialty Classes to become a Master Scuba Diver.
In the event you are called upon to assist or manage a rescue, your skills need to be automatic. Practicing them often, and keeping current with new developments in CPR and rescue techniques is the only way to have the confidence necessary to perform under stress. The Rescue Review class is designed for divers who have completed a Rescue course, but want the opportunity to practice their skills in a controlled setting, as well as in a realistic open water environment.
Ready for a challenge?
Contact Pelagia Scuba at 206-618-2538 or info@pelagiascuba.com. The cost of the course is $255.00. This includes all instruction, the PADI Rescue Diver certification, and a visit to the hyperbaric chamber.