Public safety divers can be individuals working in law enforcement. The training and dive locations of public safety divers are different from recreational divers. They also have special equipment and specific dates. Public safety divers are responsible for protecting the environment and the lives of others on the surface. A public safety diver is also equipped for law enforcement and all the tasks that it involves.
Training requirements
Divers in public safety have to complete several training requirements. The first part of the course focuses on knowledge development in a classroom environment. The course will teach students about various techniques to conduct searches and resolve missions. They will also learn the requirements for various equipment. 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 for public safety divers, who may wish to dive in hazardous or contaminated areas.
The ERDI course is one of the most basic public safety diver training programs. It has been approved by NFPA and STATE as well as OSHA. The next course is the ERDI Level II course, which covers advanced techniques for emergency response diving, including the use of dry suits and full face masks. After completing the training, an ERDI certificate card will be issued. ERDI instructors can 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 working undercover and might encounter criminals and suspects in open ocean. These professionals are not to belittle police officers or investigators. However, both these roles are important. The success of law enforcement operations depends on the contributions of both investigators and divers.
While LEOs may use dive teams in some cases to respond to water-related crimes, in most cases they can also respond to land-related 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. During land-based investigations, LEOs and investigators communicate using spoken codes on police radio frequencies. When underwater, these codes are defeated. Therefore, divers will typically learn American Sign Language in order to communicate with investigators.
Gear is required
Divers using public safety gear have access to many different types of safety gear. Some of the gear is provided by agencies while others have to provide their own. As a rule, divers should all be equipped in the same manner. This makes it easier to manage zero visibility areas and simplifies maintenance. A full-face mask is a must-have piece of gear. Public safety divers do not dive in contaminated water, or around vehicles or bodies that are submerged. Equally important is the quality of the gear.
PSD courses combine parts of several diving specialties. These may include advanced dives, rescue dives, and master divers. Divers might also be trained in technical skills and nitrox for rescue 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 might be required to rescue or search in situations that are not possible for a sport diver.