Educating
Public Safety Dive Teams Year Around at Air Hogs Scuba
Posted
on: February 27, 2014
Most divers seem to
believe that the winter months of the year are a time to relax by the fire and
enjoy time indoors. Conversely, a small number of divers realize this is the
perfect time of year to prepare for the worst possible conditions. Around the
United States, public safety dive teams, both volunteer and professional, take
to the water. Icy conditions, cold wind, and bulky equipment do not stop these
men and women from working hard to be prepared to help others in need.
Dive shops are the
backbone of public safety dive teams. In many cases, shops provide the gear
(via retail sales), the training, consultation, and general support. At Air
Hogs Scuba, in Garner, North Carolina, the training staff has dedicated a large
portion of time and effort toward helping public safety dive team members be
the best divers they can be. Air Hogs Scuba runs public safety training
programs year round in an effort to upgrade team qualifications and to keep
dive teams in the water. Long breaks and time out of the water do not help
teams retain skill sets and knowledge.
Each January, Air Hogs
Scuba runs ERD Dry Suit Ops and ERD Full Face Ops programs to ensure divers can
handle dry diving and basic encapsulation when it really matters. Similarly,
the shop begins an annual fitness progression and evaluation program for any
team willing to participate. From that point forward, the teams always dive dry
and in full-face units for future classes. Essentially, divers and teams are
better prepared to enter into ERD 1 and 2 or Tender classes, as well as other
programs such as contaminated water or swift water. To capitalize on success,
the shop has brought together a group of ERDI professionals to handle their
needs and the recognized needs of dive teams. Two of these individuals are ERDI
Instructor Trainers. In 2014, Thomas Powell, Josh Norris, Darrell Adams, and
Rob Bradish combined teaching abilities and shared resources to find ways to
better benefit public safety dive teams in North Carolina. This action has led
to new programs, shared skill sets, mutual aid between teams, team interactions
on an increased level, and improved teaching success. The goal for Air Hogs
Scuba (in regard to public safety divers) has become: to better educate divers
and improve their capabilities in the realm of emergency response operations.
ERDI programs are
designed to teach divers how to be safe, responsible, effective, and skilled
during any response operation. The other factors that should be noted in regard
to ERDI are the OSHA and NFPA regulations with which they comply. These
compliance actions taken by ERDI during program development help teams and
departments avoid liability by following certain regulations during both
training and operational activities. This is the biggest recognition that sells
ERDI classes to dive teams. Companies such as Air Hogs Scuba work to sell the
best class possible, while showing teams how to best protect their assets.
Teaching programs at
Air Hogs Scuba have become more in-depth, and outside resources are being
utilized. ERDI programs are being taught in conjunction with classes provided
by the Office of the State Fire Marshall to improve knowledge and understanding
based on regional needs. The North Carolina State Justice Academy has even
offered a professional certificate for divers who achieve certain public safety
diving academic accomplishments. These actions have ensured dive teams
recognize the added benefit and value that can be professionally rooted in any
ERDI program.
The goal of any public
safety dive program within a dive business should be to improve knowledge and
the overall skill sets maintained by the divers with which the business works.
Well-educated, skilled divers ensure safer response scenarios and improved
outcomes. ERDI has provided the avenue through which this goal can be achieved.
Dive shops must simply find the best way to make use of the provided resources
and help their local communities.
by Thomas Powell Air
Hogs Scuba
This
entry was posted in ERDI News.
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