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At Scuba Center we've been
teaching scuba diving classes since 1973. |
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Frequently Asked Questions: | ||||||
Q: Do you have to be associated with or employed by a public safety diver team (law enforcement, fire department, etc.) to take the PADI Public Safety Diver course? | ||||||
A. No, not for PADI’s Public
Safety Diver, Surface Support Specialist or Advanced
Public Safety Diver-level courses. However, your PADI
Public Safety Diver Instructor does need to be
affiliated with a public safety diver team. If you’re already affiliated with a team, this training can enhance your capabilities within the organization. If you want to become a professional public safety diver, this training and experience may help you gain entrance onto a team. |
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Q. Is a PADI Public Safety Diver certification an official credential? | ||||||
A. The PADI Public Safety
Diver program provides the foundational knowledge and
experience public safety divers need to address
challenges they may encounter in the field. Many
professional public safety dive teams choose PADI
training for their vocational or volunteer team members. That said, a PADI Public Safety Diver or Advanced Public Safety Diver certification is not a professional/vocational credential or license by itself. Many dive teams have a PADI Public Safety Diving Instructor on staff. Any dive team, department or other organization offering PADI training would be the entity to offer a vocational or professional credential, if available. |
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Q. Why choose PADI Public Safety Diver training? | ||||||
A. PADI public safety diver
training takes place in realistic environments – not
swimming pools. Also, our programs have the highest
diver and experience prerequisites in the industry for
foundational training. Students must have a
PADI Advanced Open
Water Diver certification (or equivalent) to begin
the PADI Public Safety Diver course and must be
certified Rescue Divers
by the end. This requirement, when combined with our
robust public safety diver training, results in a highly
confident and competent dive team member. Taken together, PADI public safety diver training programs can help improve the overall safety and efficiency of teams who use these programs compared to those who do not. |
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Q. What specialty diver courses are beneficial for public safety divers? | ||||||
A. The PADI Dry Suit Diver and Full Face Mask Diver courses are at the top of the list. Most public safety divers use a dry suit not only for warmth but also protection from possibly contaminated water. A full face mask offers the same protection and is often fitted with communication gear that lets you speak with other team members. Other helpful specialties include: Emergency Oxygen Provider, Night Diver, Search and Recovery Diver, Self-Reliant Diver, Ice Diver and Underwater Navigator. | ||||||
Q. Do I have to complete Incident Command (ICS) Training? | ||||||
A. No. ICS training is required for Public Safety Diver Instructors based in the United States or in areas that operate under US Operational Guidance. However, this type of training may provide useful background information and may be required as part of your dive teams training. This training is available online for free at training.fema.gov/nims/. | ||||||
Q. What about NFPA and OSHA compliance? | ||||||
A. PADI Public Safety Diver
courses (PSD and Advanced PSD) do generally meet/address
specific NFPA standards found in NFPA 1006 and in 1670
and are designed to be compliant with applicable OSHA
regulations. PADI’s PSD and APSD courses are designed to
meet or exceed those competencies established by NFPA
1006 and 1670. With the exception of the disciplines of
Ice (9.3.7), Sur (9.2.8) or Swift Water (9.3.9). As part of your PSD training and where required we encourage you to review the most current National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards 1006, 1561, 1670, with your instructor. These items may be found online at www.nfpa.org. It may also be prudent to review the most current OSHA regulations and standards, such as Part Number 1910, Subpart T, Standard Number 1910.401, as applicable – These items may be found online at www.osha.gov. There may be other operational guidance from regulatory bodies depending on your location. Be sure to thoroughly research, review and incorporate all applicable regional guidance/requirements as appropriate to your location. For example from: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – United States of America Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – United Kingdom Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) – Canada Australian Institute of Health and Safety (AIHS) – Australia |
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