Public Safety Diver Courses/Levels

PUBLIC SAFETY DIVE TENDER

The purpose of the Public Safety Dive tender is to assist the Public Safety Diver (s) in all phases of preparation before, during and after a Public Safety Dive. No Public Safety Dive or dive training should be conducted without the support and presence of a certified dive tender. All candidates must be a member in good standing of a Public Safety agency, be an associate member of PSDA & WR, be at least 18 years old

A Dive Tender should be able to:

• Check air pressure, if used-nitrox tank pressures and oxygen content in nitrox tanks, correctly attach scuba regulators to scuba cylinders, assist the diver in donning and doffing wet suits, drysuits, scuba and skin diving equipment and safety harnesses, understand rope signals, correctly use 2-way radios, calculate no decompression tables for air, calculate air consumption, rope tying and knots used in Public Safety Diving.  The dive tender must understand and be aware of the standards and operations of the dive team.  Dive tenders should understand and be able to perform the basics of decontamination when the diver has been exposed to possible toxic, chemical or biological waste or contaminated water.

PUBLIC SAFETY DIVER I

The Public Safety Diver level I is an entry level course that serves as a transition from recreational diver to professional Public Safety Diver.  All candidates must be certified at the recreational level to at least advanced open water, be a member in good standing of a Public Safety agency, be an associate member of PSDA & WR  and be at least 18 years old. The goal of the entry level Public Safety Diver is to complete each level of training and to qualify as a Master Public Safety Diver (Level IV).  A series of Public Safety Diver specialty courses are required to advance forward as a Level II, III and IV Public Safety Diver.

The Public Safety Diver I course consists of:

Dive Tender, Basic Search and Recovery, Limited Visibility Diver, Vehicle Recovery (Tow Truck operations only).  Limitations of PSD I are:

Conduct basic search and recovery exercises in calm water conditions with no current and with limited visibility to a maximum depth of (60) sixty feet or in zero visibility to a maximum depth of (30) thirty feet.

PUBLIC SAFETY DIVER II

PSD Level II course adds four specialty courses to the PSD I.  All candidates must be certified PSD Level I or equivalent, be a member in good standing of a Public Safety agency, be an associate member of PSDA & WR, be at least 18 years old.

The Public Safety Diver II course consists of:

Advanced Search and Recovery, Aquatic Crime Scene Recognition and Evaluation, Night Diver, Obstructed Entry. Limitations of PSD II are:

Conduct Search and Recovery in calm water and in light current with limited visibility to a maximum depth of (60) feet or in zero visibility to a maximum depth of (45) forty-five feet.

PUBLIC SAFETY DIVER III

PSD Level III course adds four specialty courses to the PSD II.  All candidates must be certified PSD Level II or equivalent, be a member in good standing of a Public Safety agency, be an associate member of PSDA & WR, be at least 18 years old.

The Public Safety Diver III course consists of:

Deep Diver, Boat Diver, Overhead Obstruction and Full Face Mask. The limitations of PSD III are:

• Conduct Search and Recovery in calm water and in light current with limited visibility to a maximum depth of (90) ninety feet or in zero visibility to a maximum depth of (60) sixty feet.

PUBLIC SAFETY MASTER DIVER IV

PSD Level IV course adds four specialty courses to the PSD III.  All candidates must be certified PSD Level III or equivalent, be a member in good standing of a Public Safety agency, be an associate member of PSDA & WR, be at least 18 years old.

The Public Safety Master Diver IV course consists of:

Dive Medic, Equipment Specialist, Contaminated Water and Dive Team Leader. The Limitations of PSD IV are:

• Conduct Search and Recovery in calm water and in light current with limited visibility to a maximum depth of (120) one hundred twenty feet or in zero visibility and light current to a maximum depth of (60) sixty feet if equipped with full face masks and com gear.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Professional memberships are also available as Public Safety Dive Master and PSD Instructor Levels I,II,III,IV.

AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP

Affiliate Memberships (non-certified) are available to anyone who has an interest in Public Safety, Public Safety Diving and Water Rescue. There are no prerequisites for joining PSDA & WR at the affiliate level. Affiliate members support the Dive Team in all ways except actual water operations.