DT1 – The Role Of The Dive Leader

Lesson Objectives

The main objective of the lesson is to introduce students to the role of the Dive Leader and the continued development of diving and dive leading skills.

This lesson covers the consideration of different types of diving, including risk assessment and safeguards. These will all support the broader role a Dive Leader assumes in a branch, by being able to manage dives at known dive sites.

Achievement Targets

At the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand that the development of diving skills and knowledge involves extending their own experience in depth and varied conditions
• Understand that when there is no available assistance from a more experienced diver, developing their own skills with a diver of equal experience needs to be done incrementally and carefully, to build on existing experience as safely as possible
• Understand that assessment and precautions taken for various types of dive are not only important in dive planning, but will also support considerations when undertaking the role of a Dive Manager to known dive sites
• Understand that broadening their experience will strengthen their role as a Dive Leader in the branch, particularly when leading the less experienced

DT2 – Basic Life Support

Lesson Objectives

Rescue skills are, fortunately, the skills least frequently used by a diver. The downside of this is that they deteriorate the fastest. They may no longer be adequate if required in a real emergency. Periodic refresher training is therefore essential to keep these skills practiced.

BLS skills are learned during Sports Diver training. Time will have elapsed since then so this lesson provides refresher training as well as extending BLS skills to include the use of the ‘Pocket’ mask.

Ocean Divers may also undertake training in oxygen administration. The scope and content of this lesson is also appropriate to those who have had no previous training in BLS skills.

The lesson first reviews the principles of BLS, which then acts as a briefing to the instructor demonstration and student practice that follow.

Achievement Targets

At the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand the underlying principles of BLS
• Be competent and confident in their ability to perform one rescuer BLS
• Be competent and confident in their ability to perform two rescuer BLS
• Be competent and confident in their ability to deal with regurgitation of the casualty’s stomach contents
• Be competent and confident in their ability to place the casualty in the recovery position
• Be competent and confident in their ability to perform BLS using a ‘Pocket’ mask

Equipment Required

For the practical element of this lesson, one resuscitation manikin and one ‘Pocket’ mask are required for each pair of students. Where this is not available, the duration of the practical element of the lesson should be extended pro rata, so that each student experiences the specified periods of practice. It is important that students experience what it is like to carry out BLS for more than just a token period, and hence the duration of practice should not be truncated.

DT3 – Oxygen and Diving Incidents

Lesson Objectives

If oxygen administration is to be effective, it is necessary to understand what conditions can benefit from it and how to recognize them. Understanding how oxygen benefits each condition will also aid in understanding of equipment requirements to achieve this.

Achievement Targets

At the end of this lesson, students should:

• Understand what oxygen is
• Understand what conditions resulting from diving incidents can benefit from oxygen administration
• Be able to recognize the relevant signs and symptoms of those conditions
• Understand how the administration of oxygen benefits each of those conditions

DT4 – Casualty Assessment

Lesson Objectives

The previous lesson covered the major diving incidents, their signs and symptoms. This lesson supplements this with a structured and practical approach to assessing a casualty’s condition. It reinforces the need to recognize the subtle signs and symptoms of diving incidents and provides a basis against which to judge them.

Achievement Targets

At the end of this lesson, students should:

• Understand how to conduct a basic assessment of a casualty suffering from a diving incident
• Understand the need for continual monitoring of the casualty to update the assessment if signs and symptoms change

Equipment Required

In addition to the visual aids used for the initial explanation, copies of the Incident Procedure and pens/pencils will be required for all students to use in the subsequent practical exercise.

DT5 – Oxygen Administration Equipment

Lesson Objectives

There are many different types of oxygen administration equipment available. This lesson explains the configuration of oxygen administration equipment appropriate to recreational diving and explains some of the associated operating considerations.

Achievement Targets

At the end of this lesson, students should:

• Understand the configuration of oxygen administration equipment most suitable for use by recreational divers
• Understand the characteristics of each of the components
• Understand equipment maintenance requirements
• Be aware of precautions to take when using oxygen administration equipment

Equipment Required

In addition to the visual aids, a dismantled oxygen set will be required to illustrate each component during the lesson, to show the ‘real thing’.

DT6 – Oxygen Administration In Practice

Lesson Objectives

Administering oxygen to a casualty is not just a question of operating the necessary equipment. There are other considerations to be taken into account. This lesson presents guidance on these wider aspects.

Achievement Targets

At the end of this lesson, students should:

• The practicalities of administering oxygen in the event of a diving incident
• The complementary role of fluid administration
• How to arrange the evacuation of the casualty
• The immediate considerations in the case of missed decompression, and where to get specialist advice on further action
• Why the administration of Entonox should be avoided
• Appropriate safety precautions and limitations

DO1 – DSMB Deployment Mid Water

1. Briefing

2. Dry practice of DSMB use

3. Kit up and buddy check

4. Entry

5. Exploratory dive

6. Ascent with no visual reference

7. DSMB deployment in mid water – approx. 10m depth

• Initial Inflation
• Main Inflation and Deployment

8. Decompression stop at 6m for 3 minutes

9. Exit

10. Debrief

DO2 – Dive Leading Demonstration

1. Briefing

• Overall Lesson Brief
• Demonstration brief
  • “Trainee’s” diving experience
  • Dive profile and route
  • Breathing gas management

2. Kit up and buddy check

3. Entry

4. Exploratory dive – depth not to exceed 20m

• Buddy monitoring
• Navigation
• Depth/time and breathing gas management
• Dive interest

5. Exit

6. Kit removal

7. Debrief

• Demonstration debrief
• Overall debrief

DO3 – Dive Leading Practice

1. Briefing

• Overall Lesson Brief
• Students dive plan and brief
  • “Trainee’s” diving experience
  • Dive profile and route
  • Breathing gas management

2. Kit up and buddy check

3. Entry

4. Exploratory dive – depth not to exceed 20m

• Buddy monitoring
• Navigation
• Depth/time and breathing gas management
• Dive interest

5. Exit

6. Kit removal

7. Debrief

• Students dive debrief
• Overall debrief

DO4 – Shot Recovery by Simple Lift

1. Briefing

2. Dry Practice

• Equipment familiarity
• Inflation technique
• Lifting bag size
• Air supply implications

3. Kit up and buddy check

4. Entry

5. Shot repositioning and recovery, approximately 10m

• Lifting bag attachment and partial inflation
• Lifting bag controlled inflation
• Reposition shot weight
• Recover shot weight
• Shot weight/lifting bag restrained by ‘safety’ weight
• Shot weight lifted to surface

6. DSMB deployment in mid water, approximately 10m depth

• Initial inflation
• Full inflation and deployment
• Ascent to surface

7. Exit

8. Debrief

DO5 – Rescue Management Scenarios

The following are example scenarios:

• Scenario 1:
  One of a pair of divers has a coughing fit underwater, loses his mouthpiece, and goes unconscious. His buddy brings the casualty to the surface using a CBL where he is found to be not breathing. The divers surface 100 meters from the shore. The remainder of the diving party is on the shore.
• Scenario 2:
  A mass of bubbles erupts at the surface. A lone diver then appears at the surface as though from a rapid ascent, flounders about, and quickly goes unconscious.
• Scenario 3:
  Two pairs of divers are diving from a cover boat. One pair of divers surface and are recovered. Divers should actually be recovered so that they and their equipment are recovered/stowed as is their normal practice.
  The second pair of divers then surface with one diver being raised by a CBL. The casualty is found to be unconscious and not breathing at the surface.
• Scenario 4:
  Three pairs of divers are diving from a cover boat. One pair of divers surfaces and is recovered. Divers should actually be recovered so that they and their equipment are recovered/stowed as is their normal practice.
  A second pair is alongside the boat being recovered. One diver of the second pair is recovered into the boat when the throttle is accidentally knocked, putting the boat into gear (simulated) and running over the second diver before it can be returned to neutral. The second diver’s leg has been badly lacerated by the prop.
  A third pair of divers is still underwater.

DO6 – Diving and Rescue Skills Review

1. Briefing

2. Kit up and buddy check

3. Entry

4. Mask clearing – 15m

• Partial mask clear (optional)
• Full flood (optional)
• Remove & replace

5. AS ascents from 15m

• Student acting as donor
• Student acting as recipient

6. Exploratory dive

7. Weight check with low air contents – 2m depth

8. Weight/weightbelt jettison – standing depth

• Jettison casualty’s weightbelt/weights
• Jettison own weightbelt

9. Exit

10. Debrief

DO7 – Rescue Skills Review

1. Briefing

2. Kit up and buddy check

3. Entry

4. Rescue from 15m

• CBL from 15m to 6m
• Normal ascent from 6m
• Secure casualty at surface
• Tow for 50m without further RB

5. Exploratory dive

6. Exit

7. BLS Skills

• Single rescuer BLS
• Two rescuer BLS
• Swapping roles

8. Debrief

DP1 – Dive Management 1

Lesson Objectives

During Sports Diver training, students were introduced to dive marshalling activities when they acted as an Assistant Dive Manager. This lesson builds on and expands this experience to encompass all the responsibilities of a Dive Manager. This is done by students ‘shadowing’ their instructor and being involved in all the activities necessary to plan and manage a day’s diving at a site known to the branch. The objective is to fully prepare the student to take on the role of Dive Manager.

Achievement Targets

At the end of this lesson, students should:

• Understand the role and responsibilities of the Dive Manager
• Understand the scope of activities necessary to plan and manage a branch dive to a dive site known to the branch
• Understand the planning and preparation necessary in advance of the dive
• Understand the considerations for safe diving operations at the dive site
• Understand how to ensure adequate dive monitoring
• Understand how to delegate activities

DP2 – Dive Management 2

Lesson Objectives

This lesson follows as a repeat of the content of Dive Management 1, but with the student taking the lead role and the instructor providing support. It provides further consolidation of the aspects covered in the previous lesson while enabling the student to take much more responsibility for making the diving happen.

Achievement Targets

At the end of this lesson, students should:

• Be competent and confident in their abilities to perform the role of Dive Manager for diving at sites known to the branch, including:
  • Identifying the scope of activities necessary
  • Carrying out the necessary planning and preparation in advance of such dives
  • Identifying and accommodating all considerations for safe diving operations at the dive site
  • Ensuring adequate dive monitoring
  • Delegating activities