Public safety divers work in law enforcement or search and rescue. 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. You will be responsible to protect the environment, lives and property of all those you care for. Public safety divers will be equipped to handle the unique challenges and many tasks of law enforcement.
Training requirements
There are several 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 be familiarized with the equipment needed for such missions. The second phase consists of multiple dives in which students will practice their recovery and searching skills in controlled environments. Public safety divers that want to work in dangerous or contaminated waters will benefit from these courses.
The ERDI course, which is the most basic program in public safety diver training, is approved by NFPA, STATE and OSHA. It is approved by NFPA (STATE) and 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. All who successfully complete the training will receive an ERDI certification card. A certified ERDI instructor will be able to certify you.
Public safety divers are an integral part of law enforcement
Public safety divers are an important part of law enforcement. They are often undercover officers and may encounter suspects or criminals in the ocean. These professionals are not to belittle police officers or investigators. However, both these roles are important. Effective law enforcement operations are dependent on both the divers and the investigators.
Sometimes, LEOs deploy dive teams to assist with crimes in water. But in many cases, they also respond to incidents that occur on the land. The divers will typically be deployed in patrol vehicles or small boats, and change into scuba gear once they arrive on the water's edge. LEOs or investigators communicate via radio frequency using spoken codes. These codes are not effective underwater. Divers will learn American Sign Language to communicate with investigators.
Gear required
Divers using public safety gear have access to many different types of safety gear. Some gear can be provided by the agency and others must purchase their own. 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 face mask is an essential piece of gear. Public safety divers are not permitted to dive in contaminated waters or near vehicles or submerged bodies. The quality of the gear is equally important.
PSD courses combine parts from multiple 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 may be called on to perform rescue and search missions in conditions that a sport diver would not encounter.