Description

Public safety diving is underwater diving conducted as part of law enforcement and Search and Rescue operations. Public safety divers differ from recreational, scientific, and commercial divers who can generally plan the date, time, and location of a dive, and dive only if the conditions are conducive to the task. Public safety divers respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and may be required to dive in the middle of the night, during inclement weather, in zero visibility, black water, or in waters polluted by chemicals and biohazards. All ERDI programs are both Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA compliant). Many of the ERDI programs can be taught at several levels in accordance with NFPA guidelines. The level of participation in the practical portion of the course will determine the final level of certification. The classification levels are Awareness, Operations, and Technician. All ERDI programs are available to public safety professionals regardless of their position within a department.

Training and Certification Levels:

Operations Requires the participant to complete the online or classroom academics and also participate in the non-diving practical segments of the course taught by an ERDI Instructor. Depending on the program an individual is completing, this portion of the training shows how to properly perform and/or supervise non-diving emergency response duties.

Students will learn:

• Equipment Preparation and Selection
• Safety Protocols
• Line Signal Communications
• Multiple Search Patterns
• Evidence and Victim Recovery
• Emergency Procedures and Contingencies
• Documenting the Operation
• Various Roles in a Diving Operation

Other prerequisites:

• Students must be at least 18 years of age
• CPR/First Aid and O2 Provider Certified

Recommended Courses:

• SSI Dry Suit Diving Certification
• Full Face Mask Certification
• SSI Equipment Techniques Course
• SSI Science of Diving Certification Highly Recommended for all non-diver operational roles)
  
  ERDI trains departments on how to make and maintain PSD teams and is the only public safety dive training agency that has its own insurance and endorses its own standards. In fact, some of the largest, most successful, and renown public safety departments use ERDI Programs to conduct training.