Public safety divers are people who work in law enforcement, search and rescue, or both. Divers who are public safety divers have a few key differences from recreational divers. These include their dive locations, training and equipment. Public safety divers are responsible for protecting the environment and the lives of others on the surface. Public safety divers will also be well-equipped to deal with the unique demands of law enforcement work and the numerous tasks it involves.
Training requirements
There are many training requirements for public safety divers. The course's first phase involves knowledge acquisition in a classroom setting. Students will be taught about the different methods of conducting searches and solving missions. Students will also learn about the different equipment required to conduct such missions. The second phase is comprised of multiple dives. This allows students to practice their search, recovery, and search skills in controlled settings. These courses are beneficial for public safety divers who want to work in hazardous or contaminated waters.
The ERDI course, which is the most basic program in public safety diver training, is approved by NFPA, STATE and OSHA. It has been approved by NFPA and STATE as well as OSHA. The ERDI Level II Course is the next. It covers advanced techniques such as emergency response diving using dry suits and full faces masks. After completion of the training, the ERDI card is issued. ERDI instructors can certify you.
Public safety divers play an important role in law enforcement
Public safety divers play a vital role in law enforcement. They are often working undercover and might encounter criminals and suspects in open ocean. These professionals are not to belittle police officers or investigators. However, both these roles are important. Law enforcement operations can only succeed if both divers and investigators play a critical role.
Some LEOs will use dive teams to combat crimes in the water. However, many times they will respond to incidents on the ground as well. The divers will usually be transported in small boats or patrol vehicles and then change to scuba gear when they reach the water's edge. During land-based investigations, LEOs and investigators communicate using spoken codes on police radio frequencies. These codes can't be used underwater. So, divers are likely to learn American Sign Language (ASL) in order communicate with investigators.
Gear required
Public safety divers can choose from a range of safety equipment. Some safety gear is provided by the agency, while others are purchased from their suppliers. Ideally, all divers should be geared up in the same way, which makes zero visibility environments easier to manage and streamline maintenance. A full face mask is essential gear. Public safety divers don't dive in contaminated water. Quality of the gear is also important.
PSD courses combine parts of several diving specialties. These include advanced diving, rescue dives and master diving. Technical skills and nitrox may also be taught to divers in order to aid in salvage and recovery. A larger department may also require PSD divers to be trained in other types of diving or in a specialized environment. These divers might be required to rescue or search in situations that are not possible for a sport diver.