Public safety divers work in law enforcement or search and rescue. Divers who are public safety divers have a few key differences from recreational divers. These include their dive locations, training and equipment. Public safety divers have to be responsible for protecting the natural environment, human lives, and property. Public safety divers will be equipped to handle the unique challenges and many tasks of law enforcement.
Training requirements
Public safety divers must complete several training courses. The first phase of this course is knowledge development in the classroom. Students will learn about different techniques for conducting searches and resolving missions. Students will also learn about the different equipment required to conduct such missions. 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 useful for public safety divers looking to work with hazardous or contaminated water.
ERDI is the simplest of all public safety diver training programs. It is approved and recognized by OSHA, STATE, NFPA. The ERDI Level II Course is the next. It covers advanced techniques such as emergency response diving using dry suits and full faces masks. After the training, you will receive your ERDI certification card. A certified ERDI instructor will be able to certify you.
Role of public safety divers within law enforcement
It is vital to not underestimate the role of public safety diver in law enforcement. Many of them work undercover, and they may come across criminals as well as suspects in the sea. The role of these professionals is not to belittle the role of police officers and investigators, although both of these roles are very different. Both investigators and divers are crucial to law enforcement operations' success.
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 be in patrol boats or small boats and then transform into scuba gear as soon as they reach 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 is required
There is a wide range of safety gear used by public safety divers. Some are provided by the agency while others must provide their own. It is best for all divers to be uniformly geared up, as it makes zero visibility environments much easier to manage and allows for more efficient maintenance. A full face mask is essential gear. Public safety divers often dive in contaminated waters, around submerged vehicles, and around bodies of water. Equally important is the quality of the gear.
PSD courses combine several dive specialties. These include advanced diving, rescue dives and master diving. Divers might also be trained in technical skills and nitrox for rescue and recovery. PSD divers might also need to be trained for other types of diving in a more specialized environment. These divers could be called upon to perform rescue or search missions in conditions not available to a sport diver.