Course Overview:  This is a certification course for certified scuba divers who desire to assume greater rescue capabilities during diving activities. Training emphasizes accident supervision and management with practical applications in open water. This course is designed specifically to provide the knowledge and skills necessary to:

Help prevent diving accidents.Recognize life-threatening diving situations.Correctly initiate / supervise rescue / assist procedures.Effectively perform in-water rescue / assist techniques and procedures.Correctly manage rescue assistants during and after rescues.Provide immediate, effective post-rescue aid.Correctly manage a diving emergency with adjustments for local variants.


This course is a recommended prerequisite for Master Scuba Diver and a required prerequisite for Assistant Instructor, Divemaster, and Instructor certifications. Upon successful completion of this course, graduates are considered competent to engage in open water diving activities and perform assists and rescues when diving situations dictate their use, provided that the diving activities and areas dived approximate those of training.


Course Prerequisites: Students must be 17 years old and hold an advanced open water rating from a nationally recognized agency for scuba diver certification. First Aid, CPR, and oxygen administration certification from an accredited certifying body are preferred; if students don’t posses this rating, certification will be issued upon successful completion of this course for an additional fee. Students should be comfortable in the water as they will have to demonstrate both swimming and scuba related skills during the confined water training session of this course. Students are required to complete and sign liability and medical waivers.


Course Schedule: This course is taught from April to early November (dependent on water temperature). Students who possess drysuits allow this course to be taught through the winter months.


Course Length: The advanced rescue diver certification takes two weekends to complete, but can be tailored to the students timeline. The course is broken down into three parts:


Classroom: made up of home study and classroom setting that includes first aid and CPR initial or refresher certification. A written test will be administered; minimum passing score is 75%.Confined Water Training: consists of swimming skills, scuba skills, and rescue skills and scenarios.Open Water Dives: a minimum of four open water dives will be completed that focuses on rescue evolutions and scenarios.


Course Fees: Please contact instructor for current course pricing. Fees include student training kit (textbook, DVD, student workbook, dive tables, audio tapes, and miscellaneous accessories) and certification costs. Students are expected to have their own personal dive gear, but if gear is needed it can be rented for a minimal additional fee.


* Upon successful completion of this course, students will be awarded certification from either NAUI or SDI.