Public safety divers work in law enforcement or search and rescue. Public safety divers differ from recreational divers in a few key ways, including their training, dive locations, and dates, and their special equipment. Public safety divers have to be responsible for protecting the natural environment, human lives, and property. A public safety diver will also be well-equipped for the unique challenges of law enforcement work and the many tasks it entails.
Training requirements
Public safety divers must complete several training courses. The first stage of the course includes knowledge development in classroom settings. The course will teach students about various techniques to conduct searches and resolve missions. Students will also learn about the different equipment required to conduct such missions. The second phase involves multiple dives where students can practice their search and recovery skills in controlled environments. These courses are for public safety divers, who may wish to dive in hazardous or contaminated areas.
ERDI is the simplest of all public safety diver training programs. It has been approved for training by OSHA, STATE, NFPA. The next course is ERDI Level II, which covers advanced techniques of emergency response diving. It also includes the use full face masks and dry suits. After completion of the training, the ERDI card is issued. An ERDI instructor certified in your area of expertise will be able certify you.
Public safety divers are an integral part of law enforcement
It is vital to not underestimate the role of public safety diver in 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. In fact, the roles of both divers and investigators are critical to the success of law enforcement operations.
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. LEOs, investigators and police radio operators communicate using spoken codes during land-based investigations. These codes can't be used underwater. To communicate with investigators, divers typically learn American Sign Language.
Gear required
Divers in public safety have access to a wide variety of safety gear. Some are provided by the government, others must supply 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 should be a standard piece of gear. Public safety divers don't dive in contaminated water. It is equally important to have high-quality gear.
PSD courses combine different diving specialties. These include advanced diving, rescue dives and master diving. Divers can also learn technical skills, nitrox and how to help in recovery and salvage operations. PSD divers may need to be certified in other types or in a specific environment if they are required by a larger department. These divers might be asked to perform rescue and search missions under conditions not experienced by a professional diver.