How do you take a subject like accident prevention and management and turn it into fun? Call it the PADI Rescue Diver program!

The PADI Rescue Diver program develops your knowledge and skills so you can effectively perform diver assists and rescues, manage diving accident situations and render first aid. The program is an important step in expanding your knowledge and experience as a diver. PADI Rescue Diver (or equivalent) certification is also a prerequisite for all PADI leadership programs. .

To get into the PADI Rescue Diver program, you’ll need to be certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent) and must be at least 15 years old. The PADI Junior Rescue Diver program is available if you’re between the ages of 12 and 14 and hold a PADI Junior Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent) rating.

You’ll also need to have successfully completed the PADI Emergency First Response program or a sanctioned program in CPR and basic first aid within the past 24 months. The PADI Rescue Diver program covers:

• self-rescue and diver stress
• diving first aid
• emergency management and equipment considerations
• swimming and nonswimming assists
• panicked diver response
• underwater problems
• missing diver procedures
• surfacing the unconscious diver
• in-water artificial respiration
• egress (exits)
• first aid procedures for pressure related accidents
• dive accident scenarios.