Having completed the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver training (or equivalent), we are ready to begin thinking about planning safe dives and our actions when things do go wrong.
The PADI Rescue Diver Program trains you to plan to avoid and, if required, manage the situation when both minor and major dive emergencies occur in varied scenarios. Up until now, we’ve primarily been learning to dive responsibly; this is where we consider mistakes, accidents, and what we can do to mitigate and manage them.
Most divers find this course both demanding and rewarding, often saying it’s the best course they’ve taken upon completion, in no small part due to the problem-solving skills gained. The course largely focuses on three areas: emergency planning, self-rescue, and care for others. This covers everything from the network of emergency support (such as DAN, and EMS) to minor issues like cramp or equipment failure to rescuing a panicked diver without air underwater.
During this course, you will undertake theory covering 5 key themes, along with 10 key rescue exercises in open water culminating in 2 rescue scenarios.
If the participant is 12–14 years old, then they will be certified as a Junior Rescue Diver.
Who can enrol?
To enrol in the Rescue Diver course, you must have a(n) (Junior) Advanced Open Water Diver certification (or equivalent) along with CPR and first aid training within the past 24 months. Participants must be 12 years or older.
If you don’t have recent CPR and first aid training – don’t panic! We offer the Emergency First Response (EFR) Primary Care (CPR) and Secondary Care course in parallel to the PADI Rescue Diver course. We often recommend the combination of these two programmes as the in-water rescue techniques of the PADI Rescue Diver Program are supported and supplemented by EFR, CPR and Secondary care skills. In real life, the two skillsets are rarely exclusively required.
It takes at least 3 days to complete this course, or at least 4 days if combined with the Emergency First Response (EFR) Primary Care (CPR) and Secondary Care course. To be certified a PADI Rescue Diver, you must participate in several rescue scenarios, theory lessons, written quizzes and a final exam. The theory and quizzes may be completed online ahead of time. This theory will be recapped and reinforced through structured discussions with your instructor during your course.
Why enrol?
The PADI Rescue Diver course comes once we are confident of our own abilities, and our own safety, in the underwater environment. We can now apply ourselves to ensuring our own and others safety by learning how to plan dives safely, fix minor issues before they become major problems, and how to respond calmly and effectively should emergency situations occur.
What will be taught
The PADI Rescue Diver course consists of theory and rescue scenarios in open water:
- The theory includes lessons in a specially equipped multimedia room, the PADI eLearning option, as well as discussions with your instructor. It covers 5 key segments.
- Rescue Exercises in open water cover: self-rescue, a tired diver, a panicked diver, response from shore or from boat, missing diver, unresponsive diver under, or at, the surface, exiting an unresponsive diver and administering first aid for pressure-related injuries.
- This leads to our ultimate goal: developing a broad experience of potential problems and the confidence, skill and knowledge to both plan effectively to avoid them, and to respond effectively should they occur.
Equipment used
All equipment you will use can be provided by our diving center –bringing your own gear is not a requirement to the course.
In the theoretical part we use:
- PADI Rescue Diver videos which you can watch either in the classroom with your instructor or at your own pace online using PADI eLearning.
- Relevant equipment for first aid demonstrations (i.e. first aid kit)
- The PADI Rescue Diver manual (Both the PADI manual and the PADI eLearning are available in multiple languages.)
- Your dive log book to record your dives and keep track of your future dives.
In the practical part (rescue scenarios) we will use:
The full scuba diving equipment including: mask, snorkel, fins, Buoyancy Control Device (BCD), tank, regulator with pressure gauge, wet suit, and weights.
Specialist equipment required for the scenarios, including but not limited to: life ring, CPR mannequin, rebreather mask etc.
If you are interested, most of the same equipment is available for purchase within the dive center.
Participation requirements for the program
- Participants must be ages 12 or above :
- Participants who are 12-14 years old will receive a PADI Junior Rescue Diver certification
- Participants who are 15 years old or older will receive a PADI Rescue Diver certification
- Participants must be PADI (Junior) Advanced Open Water Divers (or Equivalent)
- Participants must have CPR and first aid training within the past 24 months (Alternatively, participants may take the combined Rescue Diver and Emergency First Response (EFR) Primary Care (CPR) and Secondary Care course)
Your next dive adventure:
Once you achieve your Rescue diving certification you are prepared to continue your adventure with the following courses:
Learn more about the Rescue Diver course
Choose the eLearning option for studying the PADI course theory
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