Underwater Art Exhibit “Haven’s Wreck Secrets”

Underwater-ArtWith the approval of the Genoa Coastguard and under the patronage of Arenzano City, Genova, on May 12, 2012 the underwater photographic exhibit on the VLCC Milford Haven’s wreck will open.

The wreck itself will host the pictures taken by the underwater photographers Aldo Ferrucci and Massimo Mazzitelli, authors of the project, to show visitors the hidden and less accessible (due to the maximum depth) parts of the wreck. The twenty pictures sized 140×100 cm, printed with a special marine-agents-resistant ink, will show the wreck’s heart, the engine’s room and other narrow and amazing spaces such as the propeller and the rudder.

The pictures will be fixed on stainless steel stands and placed on the quarterdeck and on the funnel, at about 32/35 metres. Aldo Ferrucci and Massimo Mazzitelli will introduce the live underwater exhibit opening. A special guest of the underwater event will also be in attendance – Patrizia Maiorca, apneist.

With its 250m/820ft of length and 51m/167ft of width, the wreck lays at 80/262ft on the bottom. Twenty years after its sinking, the Haven is now an artificial oasis for underwater life growth: A landmark for fish passing by; a place of appointment for wreck enthusiast divers. It is a perfect training place for technical diving newbies and for experienced technical divers as well.

At 4:00 pm, a conference titled “Haven’s Secrets” will take place at Grand Hotel in Arenzano, Liguria. The Rotary Club and the military authorities will be special guests.

The day after, on May 13th, the exhibit will open to the public and will stay open to enthusiasts until September.

Massimo Mazzitelli, a diver since 1987, developed the idea of the underwater exhibit. An enthusiast of underwater life and an experienced underwater photographer, Mazzitelli has participated in a number of events, conferences and photo exhibitions during his career.

Aldo Ferruci is an accomplished photographer and author for several trade magazines in Italy and Europe. Ferruci was awarded the Trident d’Oro for his work on the film Oceans by Jacques Perrin, as Dive Saftey Officer and underwater cinematographer. An SDI TDI Instructor Trainer, Ferruci also represents SDI TDI Italy regional office.

Underwater Art Exhibit is a project in cooperation with Centro Servizi Sub Sas, SDI TDI Italia, Rebreather Training, Haven Diving Center Arenzano, Techdiving Savona, CVI Service Genova by Mario Lauria, Agostino Chiappe.


www.underwaterartexhibit.com

info@underwaterartexhibit.com


Contact SDI, TDI and ERDI

If you would like more information, please contact:

SDI
Tel: 888.778.9073 | 207.729.4201
Email: Worldhq@tdisdi.com
Web: https://www.tdisdi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SDITDI

Public Safety Dive Team Workshops offered by ERDI and DUI

Drysuit-Demo-TourAfter the incredible success of the Public Safety Dive Team Workshop events in San Diego, Alabama and Massachusetts, ERDI is very happy to be involved in the upcoming event in Pennsylvania. Come join ERDI, DUI and your fellow public safety divers and pick up a tip or two and share some knowledge and experience.

To learn more about ERDI™, including the eLearning modules available, please visit https://www.tdisdi.com or call 207.729.4201

To learn more about the DUI events please visit www.DUIDiveOps.com.

Here is a schedule of events available at this publishing

  • May 18 – Bethlehem, PA – Dutch Springs
  • Aug 10 – Mukilteo, WA – Lighthouse Park
  • Sept 7 – Ottawa, OH – Gilboa Quarry
  • Sept 21 – Metropolis, IL – Mermet Springs
  • Oct 19 – Rawlings, VA – Lake Rawlings
  • Nov 2 – Chiefland, FL – Manatee Springs
  • Nov 9 – Terrell, TX – Clear Springs Scuba Park

Contact ERDI

If you would like more information about ERDI, please contact:

ERDI
Tel: 888.778.9073 | 207.729.4201
Email: Worldhq@tdisdi.com
Web: https://www.tdisdi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicSafetyDiving

Public Safety Diving: The Mental and Physical Preparations

erdi_course3Several years back, during an informal meeting to discuss the standards to be adopted for one of several new ERDI Diver Ops programs, one of the senior members of ERDI’s advisory panel – a senior law enforcement officer and active dive-team trainer – commented that “Being a successful Public Safety Diver is about 40% Physical, 80% Mental, 35% Training and Equipment, 10% Luck… and the remainder is Math!”

He got the biggest laugh of the morning, but his point was well taken: when we think about fitness to work in the varied environments, and under the stress levels common in the realm of PSD, we have to access ALL aspects of dive readiness. Forgetting one of the key elements that makes a well-rounded team and “fit for service” team members is a potential time-bomb for everyone involved and the communities being served.

Let’s deal with the physical aspects first.

It should be obvious to everyone involved in any aspects of Public Safety Diving that a higher than average level of physical fitness is required. But where is the bar set? What’s adequate and what’s unacceptable? For a team leader, these are critically important questions; but team members must also ask themselves these questions. As a PSD team member, you owe it to yourself and your teammates to know that you are physically ready to meet the demands of the job. Without a specific benchmark to compare one’s performance to, how is it possible to know the answer?

Outside the published ERDI standards for diver testing and prerequisites, the dive agency does not make any hard and fast recommendations about cardio, stamina, strength, and flexibility. Various departments and PSD teams usually have existing guidelines and, in general, these seem to serve adequately. However, internally – and when asked for specifics, for example by a team leader putting together a new PSD group – we default to the published fitness guidelines for the US Marshal Service.

One of the advantages of these guidelines is that they cover physical fitness guidelines for men and women, and from young recruits fresh out of the academy to veterans close to retirement age. They also have values for cardio-vascular stamina, strength, AND flexibility. There are several other tests and benchmarks which may also be followed, but you’ll find the US Marshal guidelines at:
https://www.usmarshals.gov/careers/fitness_men.html
https://www.usmarshals.gov/careers/fitness_women.html

ERDI_41_1Mental preparation is not as simple or straightforward to gauge, but still vitally important to consider and work at, since the stress of going from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye, has strong effects on both body and mind.

Few departments have the resources to invest in psychological testing or to administer personality and behavioral testing for its PSD teams. Therefore, for most PSD team members, the mental aspect of prep and fitness is almost entirely self-policed. As such, before a stressful operation – and surely that describes most PSD events – one has to ask: “Am I focused, rested, confident and honestly ready to manage the mental tax associated with this dive?”

We recognize today the potential existence and role played in ongoing mental health by both Acute Stress Response (ASR) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the type of work typically taken on by rescue and recovery teams. While critical counseling is sometimes available in larger organizations, this support is seldom offered to volunteer teams. Sometimes all that is available in these cases are strategies for prevention.

The most effective and simplest method is pre and post-event debriefing. Sure it would be helpful to have professional guidance and counseling; but ANY form of open and supportive debate can help and should NEVER be discounted. In fact, a thorough and detailed briefing AND debriefing should be part of every PSD team’s protocol for EVERY call. This gives the whole team – divers, surface support, admin staff and so on – a chance to go over tactics before the dive, and to share and learn what worked and what can be improved afterwards.

Perhaps one of the factors with the most influence on a PSD team’s mental fitness is TRAINING. Part of the function of training is to ensure that every member of the team understands their responsibilities and role before, during and upon completion of PSD team operations. Knowing that everyone has an overview of your job, and what you are being called on to do, can have a tremendously positive effect on everyone… from the lead diver and line tender to the person answering the phone back at the station.

While the exact mix of physical and mental fitness may be up for debate – does 40:80 sounds about right? – there is no doubt that being prepared to perform effectively and efficiently demands an open mind and a thoroughly professional approach that can only be achieved through hard work and a supportive team structure. For more on these topics, please contact ERDI.

Contact ERDI

If you would like more information about ERDI, please contact:

ERDI
Tel: 888.778.9073 | 207.729.4201
Email: Worldhq@tdisdi.com
Web: https://www.tdisdi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicSafetyDiving

7 ERDI Protocols for Keeping on Track and on Target

Have you ever wanted to know what’s important to other ERDI public safety dive teams for ensuring a successful dive call? We personally asked a few dive teams what is important to them for ensuring their team stays on track and on target and this is what they said…

Big Waves Roll in for Public Safety Diving at FDIC

FDICERDI once again made huge waves at the Fire Department Instructor Conference (FDIC) show in Indianapolis, from April 16th through the 21st. FDIC saw a record breaking year with nearly 30,000 attendees, filling the exhibit halls, classrooms and training sites over the course of the show. ERDI’s Representative of the Board, Nestor Palmero states, “This has been a record year as far as attendance. The ERDI booth had an amazing amount of traffic and a lot of interest in our public safety diving training.”

FDIC saw both exhibitors and consumers from all over the globe, and public safety diving was, again, a hot topic.

Standardized training seemed to be one of the focal points for several team leaders looking for training involving their dive teams. Palmero added, “I was impressed with the interest team leaders had in finding a diving agency that could provide a thorough program for their teams.” Palmero also stated, “Many realize that it helps when various different teams that are on the scene together are not only using the same equipment, but are also speaking the same language as far as training goes.”

FDIC LogoHowever, many teams also saw the benefit in ERDI being an affordable solution to top quality training, with sensible membership fees and dues. “People are not too happy having to pay renewal fees at the diver level in order to keep their PSD rating current. Budgets for departments are tight as it is, and we heard this as being a great concern for the teams that were currently training under other programs.”

If you are looking to increase the education and safety of your dive team, you should consider what ERDI has to offer your organization.

ERDI is currently a leader in public safety dive training, with numerous courses and special ops offered to their membership. This includes a growing number of dive courses that are available online, such as ERDI Diver I, ERDI Contaminated Water and ERDI Tender. All ERDI programs are OSHA and NFPA compliant.

Contact ERDI

If you would like more information about ERDI, please contact:

ERDI
Tel: 888.778.9073 | 207.729.4201
Email: Worldhq@tdisdi.com
Web: https://www.tdisdi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicSafetyDiving

Use it or Lose it, Personal Protective Equipment for Public Safety Divers

ERDI-Contaminated-DiverMost Public Safety Divers (PSDs) are involved in some part of Emergency Services; Fire, LE, ALS or BLS. When working for emergency services, we use PPE on every call we make. If we see a person fall off their bicycle, we think nothing about putting on a pair of gloves before we touch them. If we need to enter a structure that is on fire, we automatically don our bunker gear. A police officer puts on a bullet proof vest with the same casualness he puts on a t-shirt. Each of them use PPE every day with no thought or effort; it is not only expected, it is required.

Dry suits tend to be looked upon as a protective tool against cold. They offer thermal protection and are used by the recreational and PSD diving communities for that reason.

Recreational divers using dry suits typically dive in cold water environments up to and including ice conditions. As a practice and objective of diving, they almost always stay within the borders in the water column. Public Safety Divers as a rule, do not.

Public Safety Divers are in the water to locate something. If that something was floating, we would not need divers. Public Safety Divers tend to dive ON the bottom, not within the water column. On the bottom is sediment.

ERDI-contaminated-water-DivingSediment is naturally occurring and consists of a variety of most everything that water touches or is touched by water. It is material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of water. Thus, it includes chemicals, minerals and metals that are not water soluble and have a specific gravity greater than water sink and come to rest in sediment.

Petroleum products are not water soluble. Dioxins are much heavier than water and not water-soluble. Agent Orange is not water soluble. Minerals and metals are heavier than water and are not water soluble. Mercury sinks. Chlorobenzenes are not water soluble and the amount of chlorobenzene in sediment may be 1000 times higher than that of the surrounding water. Which would you want to rub into unprotected?

It does not matter what chemical, mineral or metal we name as a contaminate. If it is in the sediment, it is where PSDs dive. If ANY of those chemicals were spilled on dry land, is there ANY Emergency First Response Department that would allow ANY of their employees to mitigate the hazard WITHOUT PROPER PPE?

If your dive team is using dry suits for thermal protection only, or your team does not see the need for dry suits, then you are lacking the proper awareness of PPE for the job. This would be the equivalent of a Haz-Mat team responding to a chemical spill and dressing in jeans and t-shirts. You probably ask for Dry Suits in your budget requests instead of PPE gear for your divers.

We concern ourselves with contaminated water and never consider that the work and diving that we do is not in the water, but rather in the sediment layer under the water. Until we recognize the potential hazards and likely exposures to ourselves and our dive team members, we are accepting the ridiculous idea that firefighters do not need bunker gear, police officers do not need Kevlar vests and paramedics do not need latex gloves.

Dry Suits = Personal Protective Equipment. It is time for us to accept that and work towards better protecting ourselves and our dive teams.

About the Author

Mark-PhillipsMark Phillips

Mark is a 32 year career firefighter and has been an active diver since 1979. Mark holds instructor credentials from 5 scuba agencies and specializes in Underwater Crime Scene Investigation. He has taught from Hawaii to North Carolina and been a consultant for numerous organizations, institutions and manufacturers in the field of Public Safety Diving. He is the author of PSDiver – A Textbook for Public Safety Diving and the Editor / Publisher of the free E-Zine, PSDiver Monthly. He is also a member of International Training’s Training Advisory Panel.


Contact ERDI

If you would like more information about ERDI, please contact:

ERDI
Tel: 888.778.9073 | 207.729.4201
Email: Worldhq@tdisdi.com
Web: https://www.tdisdi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicSafetyDiving

A Tri-Partisan Look at the State of Rebreathers

CCR Pioneers ANDI, IANTD, and TDI to Release Historical Data about rebreathers at Rebreather Forum 3 (RF3)

TDIFor the first time in the history of the scuba diving industry, ANDI, IANTD, and TDI came to an agreement to work together in releasing the total number of divers certified on rebreathers at RF3. Never before has the industry known just how big the CCR (Closed Circuit Rebreather) market is and this data will do just that.

“There is a lot of speculation out there about just how many people learn to dive on CCR’s. With over 20 years of data collectively to provide the industry, I am really glad to participate with Ed Betts, Tom Mount, and Joe Dituri in releasing our certification numbers,” stated Brian Carney, President of TDI.

IANTD“The rebreather industry is fickle and I laud the other big rebreather certification agencies for getting together and setting the record straight. I have never been more excited to be part of this growing culture. Our cooperation is a win for the diving public,” stated Joseph Dituri, Vice President of IANTD.

“Our corroboration will hopefully provide some clarity and result in a stronger, safer industry for all of us,” said Ed Betts, President of ANDI. “Rebreather Forum 3 should be about improving understanding and safety, and safety should not be a competitive issue.”

ANDIDue to the fact that the three companies have slightly different ways of classifying rebreather certifications, the numbers will be broken out as Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced certifications by year. Basic qualifications will include any entry-level program to CCR’s and SCR’s (Semi-Closed Rebreather). Intermediate qualifications will include any training that includes minimal decompression, and finally, Advanced qualifications will include Trimix, and exploratory qualifications. The companies will also be showing the difference between SCR and CCR certifications.

This information will be released after the event for anyone who will not be able to attend. Click here to view the report >

For more information about these three pioneering rebreather companies go to:
www.Andihq.com
www.iantd.com
https://www.tdisdi.com

Join Dive Rite and TDI for the Inaugural Tech Tour

“Dive Something Different, Learn Something New”

Dive-RiteBring your scuba gear and learn from these two tech giants as they collaborate to bring you their underwater world and give you the opportunity to dive with advanced Dive Rite equipment and speak with seasoned technical divers from TDI.

Divers can experience the complete line of Dive Rite gear including TransPacs, Transplates, wings, Dive Rite regulators, Nomad Side Mount Rig, 905 Drysuit and LED/HID lights. Learn best practices with this gear to ensure you have a fun and safe dive.

New product and O2ptima clinics throughout the day. Open to all certified divers… come see what advanced diving gear can do for you!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Saturday and Sunday

9am ‐ 4pm GEAR DEMOS: Available all day long.
Dive Rite staff is on hand to help you with sizing and selection based on your dive needs. TDI staff is on hand to answer training questions and assist divers in determining the next steps in their diving career.

Please bring your own weights, tanks, mask, fins and exposure protection.

Clinics run continuously

OW Side Mount Clinic
Lights: LED vs. HID technology
Regulators: Regulators designed for advanced diving
Accessories: New line of harness accessories

O2ptima Rebreather Clinic*

4pm CLOSE OF DAY

EVENT LOCATIONS AND DATES

Haigh Quarry, Kankakee, IL – June 9th & 10th 2012
2738 E 2000 North Road, Kankakee, IL 60901, Phone: 815-939-7797

Dutch Springs, Bethlehem, PA – June 16th & 17th 2012
4733 Hanoverville Road, Bethlehem, PA 18020, Phone: 610-759-2270

*A prior briefing is mandatory for divers who plan to demo the O2ptima in-water. Briefing is at the beginning of each session. O2ptima demo divers must be Nitrox certified. Divers will experience the O2ptima on a shallow dive with an instructor. $25 cash payment is due at registration. Two sessions 9-12 and 1pm till close. Space is limited.

For more information please contact TDI:
Tel: 888.778.9073 | 207.729.4201
Email: Worldhq@tdisdi.com
Web: https://www.tdisdi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TechnicalDivingInt

TDI Poseidon MK VI Diver Instructor Course at Headquarters in Florida

PoseidonSpace is limited, but if you are a current CCR instructor and want to get qualified on the new Poseidon MK VI CCR, here is the perfect opportunity!

TDI, in conjunction with staff from Poseidon, will conduct an instructor crossover course for current CCR instructors on May 23rd and 24th at our Corporate Headquarters in Jensen Beach, Florida. This is the perfect opportunity to meet HQ staff, Poseidon staff and network with CCR instructors and the manufacturer. This immediately follows RBF3, so the timing is perfect!

The course fee of $195 includes:

  • Registration and certification fees
  • Materials
  • Use of CCR during the course, including Sorb and gas
  • Weights

Course requirements

  • Diver certification on the Discovery
  • 10 hours of dive time on the Discovery (hours can be logged after the orientation)

Participants would need to provide their own:

  • Thermal protection for 75° F/23° C water
  • Mask and Fins

Instructors will be qualified to train divers on the Poseidon MK VI upon completion of the course.*

This is an opportunity not to be missed! Space is limited, so we recommend contacting TDI Headquarters today to reserve your space. Call us at 888-778-9073. Outside North America call +1 207-729-4201. Email us at sales@tdisdi.com.

If this event does not fit your schedule, not to worry! There will be similar events later in the year at Bonne Terre Mine, Haigh Quarry, Dutch Springs, Mermet Springs and Blue Hole in New Mexico, however this is the only scheduled event at our corporate offices!

*Or after logging 10 hours on the Discovery

The Best Decompression Diving Procedures Program in the Tech Market is Almost Here

decompression-proceduresIf you wanted to take a decompression dive course in the past, wait no longer. Our new and improved decompression procedures course will be available at a TDI dive center near you just in time for you to plan your summer courses. You can take the course online at your own pace or in a classroom with your favorite dive buddies.

The TDI Decompression Procedures course will prepare you for planned staged decompression diving. With a maximum operating depth of 45m/150 feet, this course is your first step beyond the normal sport diving limits.

Brian Carney, Group President for SDI, TDI and ERDI stated, “It has been over 10 years since the last version of our decompression procedures materials were released. Since then our knowledge of decompression theory has expanded vastly. These materials are an in-depth explanation of decompression theory, equipment, and procedures. We are really happy with these updated materials and are sure our scuba members will be as well.”

The new Decompression Procedures products will include the new dive manual, a Knowledge Quest workbook, Instructor Guide, PowerPoint, and Instructor Resource CD. In addition, the Decompression Procedures course will also be available online, increasing TDI’s eLearning Scuba Dive Library once again.

Contact your local TDI Dive center and book a course now. Get ready for a summer of serious diving!

For more information please contact TDI:
Tel: 888.778.9073 | 207.729.4201
Email: Worldhq@tdisdi.com
Web: https://www.tdisdi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TechnicalDivingInt