The holder of a Rescue Diver Certificate has successfully completed a course and passed an exam in

the theory and practice of diver rescue, including deep rescue, self rescue, in-water resuscitation, rescue

management and basic first aid.

COURSE CONTENT

PREREQUISITES

1. Be a Trainee One Star Diver with a minimum of 19 dives (by the logbook).

2. Be a qualified Club Diver at the time of taking the Rescue Diver Exam.

3. Have completed the C.F.T. Diver Medic course.

4. Have current certificate(s) of fitness to dive.

5. Have Club Diving Officer's written letter of approval to participate in the course.

COURSE OUTLINE

The course consists of a series of lectures, an amount of pool work, and an amount of open water

work to a depth of 20 metres.

Course Director to be a minimum Instructor ** (Moniteur **) grade.

LECTURE SCHEDULE

1. Stress and the Diver

2. Rescue Prevention

3. Self Rescue and Self Rescue Skills

4. Deep Rescue Methods of Lift

5. Diver Rescue Management

Practical C.P.R. and Oxygen Administration exercises should also be practised.

Dec

2002

Rescue Diver Programme
December 2002

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December 2002

COURSE GUIDELINES

It is important that the equipment used in this course is to the proper specifications.

1. Shot Line: Must be of minimum 20mm rope.

Weighted by at least 25kg; buoyed by at least 50 litres.

Must be kept as taut as possible when in use.

Must be clearly marked at 15m/10m/6m/3m (especially at the 10m mark)

2. All weightbelts used must have "slip-proof" weights attached. Absolutely no exceptions.

In the case of cover divers used during the course, they must be of at least Rescue Diver grade. They

will be stationed at the 6m mark for the express reason to deal with any ascents that get out of control

and, if possible to act as a brake for the victim.

It must be stressed that at no time are multiple ascents and descents (so called yo-yo diving) to be

condoned. If problems arise during the course, they can be corrected at another time, on another dive

i.e. at club level, using club instructors. It is recommended that full proficiency in all lift methods be

achieved, obviously this will require further diving at club level to achieve these aims, hence the logging

of lifts after the course.

To practise a ditched weightbelt ascent to the surface would not be in accordance with diving under

the new tables, but it must be clearly understood that in a real emergency, this method MUST be

employed, because it guarantees surfacing of the victim.

Regarding the free ascent (regulator in mouth) it must be stressed that in the event of a real one, the

rate of ascent would be faster than 10m/min. The candidates must be made aware of this fact.

"Dived up" is defined as having done at least 2 work-up dives in the previous 3 weeks e.g. a 10m dive

and a 20m dive. This is only good diving practice.

The air-sharing exercise on dive 3 is to get the candidate used to using an alternative air system, e.g.Air

2 or Octo+ or Spare air or an octopus rig. There will be no breathing from the bag allowed. Should

the instructor have no alternative air-sharing system then the candidate is allowed to buddy breathe

again, as recipient this time.

The 19 dives by the book means that the candidate will have completed all the qualifying dives in depth

sequence for the club diver log up to and including one 25m dive. No exceptions.

To successfully complete the course necessitates 100% participation at all lectures, pool work, and open

water work. No exceptions.

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POOLWORK

To include instruction in the following skills.

Surface Rescue

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Not to be attempted unless mask, snorkel and fins are worn.
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Shout at victim - "Ditch your belt. Inflate your jacket"
Underwater Rescue

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Cautious approach, assess the situation, select option for lifting.
Methods of Towing

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While giving Mouth to Snorkel, Mouth to Mouth, Mouth to Nose.
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Emphasis should be on keeping the victim ventilated, and not on towing him/her great distances.
Methods of Lift

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various approaches and holds can be practised.

Practise the various types of lift described in the lecture series. At the deep end of the pool the
Ditching Weightbelt

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body then dropped.

Practise ditching your own weightbelt for Self Rescue. Ensure your weightbelt is held clear from
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dropping.

Practise ditching victim's weightbelt. Again ensure the weightbelt is held clear of body before
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A mat can be used to protect pool tiles.
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December 2002

OPENWATERWORK

(minimum 20 metres of water)

The following techniques are to be practised on a SHOT LINE in 20m of water. The shot line must be

"taut," and weighted by at least 25kg, with a large buoy, at least 50 litres capacity on the surface. It must

be marked at 15/10/6/3 metres. Emphasis on practise of dropped weightbelt is essential.

Cover divers can be of "Rescue Diver" grade or higher.

Self Rescue Techniques

Place the shot line in 20m of water. Have the line marked at 15m/10m/6m/3m. Place a cover diver at 6m

mark.

(a) Free ascent from 20m to 15m at 10m per minute, instructor slightly above candidate. Regulator in

mouth at all times. Stop. Return to 20m.

(b) From 20m, using your own buoyancy device, ascend to 6m, without use of fins. If the rate of ascent

is too fast at the 10m mark, then abort ascent.

(c) Do a safety stop at 3m for 3mins

(d) On the surface arrange for one end of a lanyard to be attached to the boat and the other to your

weightbelt.Then, with due regard to the safety of others, practise ditching your weightbelt.

All the above can be achieved on DIVE 1

During the surface interval, practise the various methods for the "recovery" of a victim from the water

into the boat.

Also practise Shore Management skills.

Assisted Rescue Techniques Part 1

Place the shot line in 20m of water. Have the line marked at 15m/10m/6m/3m. Place a cover diver at 6m

mark.

(a) From 20m do a wetsuit jacket lift or drysuit jacket lift to the 6m mark. If the rate of ascent is too

fast at the 10m mark then abort the lift and both divers control their own buoyancy. Do not go

shallower than the 3m stop.

(b) Do a safety stop at 3m for 3mins

(c) On the surface arrange for one end of a lanyard to be attached to the boat and the other to the

instructor's weightbelt. Then, with due regard to the safety of others, practise ditching the

instructor's weightbelt.

All the above can be achieved on DIVE 2.

Assisted Rescue Techniques Part 2

Place the shot line in 20m of water. Have the line marked at 15m/10m/6m/3m. Place a cover diver at 6m

mark.

(a) Descend to 20m. Using the instructor's "air-sharing" system and preferably not buddy breathing

ascend to 15m. Stop.

(b) Return to 20m. Practise an "unconscious diver" lift, approach from behind, to the 6m mark. If the

ascent rate is too fast at the 10m mark then abort the lift, and both divers control their own

buoyancy. Do not go shallower than 3m.

(c) Do a safety stop at 3m for 3mins

All the above can be achieved on DIVE 3.

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December 2002

SUGGESTED TIME TABLE

1. 3 nights for lectures. 1st night - Segment 1

2nd night - Segment 2

3rd night - Segment 3

With 1 night for pool work (approx. 2 hours)

With 2 days of a weekend set aside for the 3 dives, and the surface management of a rescue lesson.

2. Full time from Friday evening to Sunday night, e.g.

Friday evening 7 p.m. Registration, followed by 2hrs of pool work.

Saturday Sunday

09.00-10.30 Classroom work 09.00-11.30 Classroom work

11.00-13.30 Dive 1, tows, C.P.R. 12.00-13.30 Dive 3

13.30-14.30 Lunch 13.30-14.30 Lunch

14.30-16.00 Classroom work 14.30-17.00 Classroom work

16.30-18.00 Dive 2

If conditions deteriorate due to weather then do dive 1 and either of the other 2 dives. It is very

important that the missed section is completed in the succeeding month.

Course director to sign logbooks.

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December 2002

FOLLOWUP

Log a series of lifts on a shot line and under supervision of club/group as per attached log sheet. Copy

below.

Self Rescue

20m - 10m Buddy Date

1 Free Ascent

2 Buoyant Ascent

3 Ditched Weightbelt (on surface)

N.B. Lanyard attached to weightbelt and boat

Assisted Rescue

20m - 6m Buddy Date

1 B.D.Wetsuit Lift

2 B.D.Drysuit Lift

3 Unconscious Victim Lift

4 Distressed Victim Lift

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December 2002

RESCUE DIVER EXAMINATION

TEST REQUIREMENTS

1. Test to take place only after full completion of the rescue diver course, and to be minimum Club

Diver grade.

2. Candidates examined under the jury system, with a Leading Instructor (Moniteur ***) as president.

3. Minimum depth necessary to complete the test is 20m. Marked shot line must be used. Cover

divers to be used.

4. Logbooks to be up to date, including current activity cert, medical certificate(s) and C.F.T.

membership card.

5. Candidate to be dived up.

6. Test to take place on completion of logging series of lifts.

7. Candidate to have completed the Rescue Diver Course within a two year period.

STAGE 1

Deep rescue:

Have the line marked at 15m/10m/6m/3m.

Place the cover diver at 6m mark.

(a) Dive to 20. Carry out free ascent to 15m. Stop.

(b) Using one of the lift options designated by the Jury President (normally the lift from behind), lift the

victim from 20m to the 6m mark. Stop.

(c) Do a safety stop at 3m/3mins.

(d) On surfacing, support the victim and demonstrate E.A.R. for a period not less than 3 mins, after

which the victim is placed in a boat. Instructor to hand in their own weightbelt.

Place shot line in 20m of water.
STAGE 2

Shallow Rescue:

demonstrate Shore Management and Resuscitation skills. The tow is to stop on

reaching water waist height, from there the instructor is to remove their

equipment and put it in a safe place, the test then continues on the shore line.

In sheltered water tow victim 100m, giving E.A.R. Land victim on shore and
Oral Test:

minimum of 10 questions (all 10 to be answered correctly).

Candidates to be examined on points taken from the lecture schedule for a
Logbook:

To be stamped or endorsed by the Jury President