The Georgia Police Academy recently conducted the Public Safety Diver Course, August 29 through September 2. The Public Safety Diver course, PSD, is offered as a second week of further learning for divers after taking Diving Accident Response Techniques, DART.
Week one, DART, starts in the pool at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center’s main campus. This course is the intermediate phase of the Public Safety Diver Program.
Due to the environments in which Public Safety divers are required to dive, many hazards exist (entanglements, cold water, zero visibility, currents, etc). Dive team members must care for themselves and other members of the team.
DART focuses mostly on SCUBA rescues involving entangled, tired, panicky, unconscious, and missing divers. The first week slowly transitions to lake practicals. The second week, the Public Safety Diver course, is conducted at the Lake Tobesofkee in Macon, GA. During the training exercise, PSD students search for a murder weapon, five shell casings, and a victim in the lake. In the pictures shown, the students are specifically looking for evidence. The victim had already been found and identified.
If you missed out on these opportunities, don’t worry! DART will be offered again on March 20, 2017, and PSD will be offered again on April 3, 2017.
Prerequisites for DART: (1). The student must have successfully completed the Diving Accident Response Techniques Diver Qualification Test. (2). The student must have medical clearance to participate in a dive class. (3). Open water diver certification by NAUI, PADI, NASDS, SSI, YMCA, or IDEA.
Prerequisites for PSD: (1). The student must be able to perform the following timed and scored exercises: 15 meter swim, 500 yard swim, 15 minute water tread, 800 yard snorkel swim, 100 yard inert tow, object retrieval (see Watermanship Test for passing requirements), and a SCUBA evaluation. (2). Successful completion of DART. (3). CPR and First Aid Certification. (4). Medical Clearance. (5). Open water diver certification by NAUI, PADI, NADS, SSI, YMCA, or IDEA.
