IANTD – Diver Stress & Rescue

Most of the time, divers are taken care of while participating in dives and rely on the guide or professional in case of a problem. For divers in team or buddy pair, they have to count on each other. This is why an IANTD – Diver Stress & Rescue certified individual makes an excellent buddy or invaluable team member.

In any case, it is good to know what to do in the event of an emergency. Divers who react quickly and correctly can make all the difference in the outcome of diving emergencies. But the best response to an emergency is to avoid it all together. Knowing how to recognize and prevent problems before they arise is the best quality of an IANTD – Diver Stress & Rescue certified diver.

Structure and components of the course

The theory behind prevention, cause, response and treatment of diving emergencies.

The course cover topics like physiology, psychology, illnesses and symptoms and logistics just to name a few.

A lot of the course parts relates or is followed by First Aid and CPR protocols and procedures. This is why this prerequisite is important. It is a good thing to know what to do in the water but we also need to know what to do once are out of it.

Pool sessions with the instructor

During pool sessions, participants will learn to evaluate and to react in the best way to divers and some other water-related emergencies. This is important because of the water environment techniques used on land needs to be applied differently.

The open water dives of the course

Over 4 to 6 open water dives, participants will have to put to use their knowledge and skills to react properly to simulated emergencies. Maximise resources, where to find them and put into application the in-water rescue skills learned in the course is the main goal of the dives. Always remember there is no such thing as a good or bad rescue, only the decision to act or not is.

Course schedule and time

The IANTD – Diver Stress & Rescue can be completed in 4 days however we strongly recommend 5 days to get the most out of the course. This allows you to get the most of the course and more time with your instructor. Remember you are paying for education, not just another card. Depending on the selected options for the course the schedule may vary. Our flexibility allows us to create the best course to fit our client’s needs. On days that trips are planned participants must be present at the dive center at 7:30 in the morning if they choose to not use our free shuttle service.

Schedule of the IANTD – Diver Stress & Rescue course with the bare minimum of 4 days without the IANTD – React-Right course

Prerequisites of the IANTD – Diver Stress & Rescue course

To take part in the IANTD – Diver Stress & Rescue course you must be at least 15 years old. It is also required to have a basic diver certification such as the IANTD – Open Water Diver or any other equivalent. For those less than 18 years old, they have to obtain signed permission from the parents or legal tutor.

Another requirement for the course is to have a First Aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR certification as the IANTD – React-Right or other equivalent certificates. It needs to be valid and completed or refreshed within the past two years.

Requirements at glance:

• Be certified as an IANTD – Open Water Diver or an equivalent certification delivered by a recognized agency
• Have a certificate as a CPR and First Aid provider with the IANTD – React Right course or other equivalent certificates
• Be at least 15 years old

What is included in the IANTD – Diver Stress & Rescue specialty course

Sunscreen and towel must be the only thing you need to bring with you as our packages and prices include everything you will require.

• The IANTD learning material in electronic format lifetime available
• The instructor
• The certification card in electronic format (available in a plastic format on special request)
• Rental of the full kit of gear including; mask, fins, snorkel, short wetsuit, regulator set, buoyancy compensator and weight system. Compass, slates, dive computer, tank, and fills are included as needed
• A minimum of 4 open water dives depending on the added options of course
• Meals and snacks when taking part in trips which include breakfast and lunch, as well as fruits, refreshments, tea, coffee, soft drinks, electrolyte drink and of course drinking water.

Prices and packages offered for the course

Packages start with the basic course including 4 dives and spread over 4 days, Packages can be customized with different options from the beginning or later in the course. This flexibility provides a much more individual and personalized learning environment and can accommodate our customers busy holiday schedule.

Important things to keep in mind with the IANTD – Diver Stress & Rescue course

The SSI – Diver Stress & Rescue is like no other course. Participants will not learn new techniques or procedures that can be applied to everyday diving. The course is designed to give the diver a toolset and a structured thinking to be applied for in-water emergencies. And a big part of the course is to provide the insight on how to spot and prevent problems or dangerous situations before they occur.

For the course, dive sites are picked on a daily basis by our professionals and cannot be selected by the participant.

Courses will take place no matter the weather or sea conditions as long as it does not create greater risks and safety concerns compared to normal diving activities. It actually good practice in the case of this course as we never what the conditions will be in the event of an emergency situation.

Because of the extra risk and concerns associated with deeper water, the depths of the dives are set at the discretion of the instructor. Logistics of the course can also influence the depth for some emergency ascent exercises.

This course is not a professional public safety course for civilian emergencies. This type of rescue is better left with the experts. This course is meant for recreational diving.

What comes after the IANTD – Diver Stress & Rescue course

This course is quite complete by itself but there are some good complementary ones such as the IANTD – Search & Recovery which teach you the use of search patterns. There is also the IANTD – Navigation courses from which you learn to navigate underwater like a pro. If you want to take it one step further you can also become an IANTD – Dive Guide. This course opens doors to work anywhere in the world.

• See the other IANTD – Specialty Courses
• Start a career in diving as an IANTD – Divemaster