JavaScript disabled!

ERD Small Boat Operations

This course is designed to expand a diver’s knowledge in Small Boat Operations and is primarily intended to provide the minimum knowledge and skills that an individual must demonstrate to qualify to stand watch and/or perform other specific routine duties necessary for the safety, security or proper operation of a small craft in emergency response diving.

Who this course is for:

  • Any member of an emergency first response team who responds to operations in/near water
  • Any member of an emergency first response team who would like skills and knowledge needed to safely operate a small craft in accordance with local regulations
  • Any member of an emergency first response team who needs to utilize a small craft in the safe performance of emergency response diving

Course prerequisites:

  • Minimum age 18
  • Qualified to operate a small craft in accordance with local regulations
  • Current CPR, first aid and oxygen administration certification

What you can expect to learn:

  • Operational and time critical risk management
  • Three levels and four principles of Operational Risk Management (ORM)
  • Steps of the ORM process:
  • Small boat/rigid inflatable boats characteristics
    • Launching special teams from a small boat
    • Basic operation fundamentals including visibility, signals and lights
    • Navigation fundamentals including the utilization of five types of buoys
    • Start-up and shut down fundamentals including oil sump, transmission, overheating, and loss of steering
    • Radar systems and variables that can affect their ranges
    • Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and indications of malfunctions
  • Dive team applications of small boat operations including prepping the boat, deploying divers, diver-boat communications, recovering dives, and unloading

What’s in it for you and your team?

  • After successful completion of the ERDI Small Boat Ops Course, responders will be able to safely perform diver deployments from a small boat. They will also be well trained in the operations, expected to understand how to recognize the presence of hazardous conditions, protect themselves, secure the area, call for additional resources, activate an emergency plan, assess conditions and attempt a reach or throw rescue

ERD Small Boat Ops minimum requirements:

  • Prepare small boat for deployment and supervise loading/unloading of cargo/personnel
  • Deploy/recovery SAR swimmer and two divers, utilize surface hand signals
  • Conduct two towing scenarios
  • Make port/starboard landings and transit four-way point using GPS
  • Demonstrate VHF/Handheld radio transmissions
  • Complete and pass exam

How to take this course!

  • Find your local dive center: here
  • Find an Instructor for this Course: here

pdf Course Standards & Procedures

Related Blog Articles

erdi ambassadors

Like what you’re reading? Go VIP

Join the 100,000+ subscribers getting exclusive content, private Q & A’s,
awesome interviews and more. No spam, ever. Just great stuff!

Signup for our Newsletter

SDI TDI ERDI PFI