Public safety divers are individuals who work in law enforcement or in search and rescue operations. There are a few things that distinguish public safety divers from recreational divers: their training, dive locations and dates as well as their special equipment. Public safety divers have to be responsible for protecting the natural environment, human lives, and property. A public safety diver is also equipped for law enforcement and all the tasks that 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 learn about different techniques for conducting searches and resolving missions. Students will also learn about various equipment required for 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 useful for public safety divers looking to work with hazardous or contaminated water.
The ERDI is the most basic course in the public safety diver training program. It has been approved for training by OSHA, STATE, NFPA. The ERDI Level II is the next course. This covers advanced techniques for emergency diving, such as the use of dry suits or full-face 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
The role of public safety divers in law enforcement is not to be underestimated. Many of them work undercover, and they may come across criminals as well as suspects in the sea. While these professionals play a vital role, they should not belittle the police officers and investigators. Both of these roles are quite different. Both investigators and divers are crucial to law enforcement operations' success.
Although LEOs sometimes use dive teams for responding to crimes in the sea, there are many instances where they will also respond on land to such incidents. The divers will be in patrol boats or small boats and then transform into scuba gear as soon as they reach the water's edge. LEOs or investigators communicate via radio frequency using spoken codes. When underwater, these codes are defeated. For communication with investigators, divers will often learn American Sign Language.
Gear is required
Divers can use a variety of safety gear. Some are provided by the government, others must supply their own. All divers should be properly equipped so that zero visibility environments are easier to manage. A full-face mask should be a standard piece of gear. Public safety divers often dive in contaminated waters, around submerged vehicles, and around bodies of water. Equally important is the quality of the gear.
PSD courses combine parts from multiple diving specialties. These courses can be advanced, rescue, or master dives. Divers can also learn technical skills, nitrox and how to help in recovery and salvage operations. PSD divers might also need to be trained for other types of diving in a more specialized environment. These divers might be required to rescue or search in situations that are not possible for a sport diver.