PADI Rescue Diver

What you'll learn

You'll learn to recognise potentially problematic situations before they become emergencies, and to respond using appropriate self-rescue and rescue techniques.

You'll build skills in managing diver stress, assisting a diver in difficulty or in panic, searching for a missing diver and rescuing an unresponsive diver.

A significant part of the course focuses on accident prevention, assessing situations and choosing the most appropriate response.

Course structure

• Theory (PADI eLearning): study of the principles of preventing and managing dive emergencies, with the knowledge development and assessments set out in the programme.
• Rescue exercises: learning and practising the techniques needed to recognise and manage different emergency situations, from assisting a tired or distressed diver to managing an unresponsive diver.
• Search and recovery: exercises dedicated to search techniques and managing a missing diver.
• Rescue scenarios: realistic simulations in which you'll assess the situation, organise the response and put the skills learned during the course into practice.

The course combines theory, practical exercises and final scenarios, with the aim of developing not just individual rescue techniques but, above all, the ability to assess, prevent and manage an emergency.

Prerequisites

• PADI Adventure Diver certification with the Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive completed, or a qualifying certification.
• CPR and First Aid (Primary and Secondary Care) training within the previous 24 months. The Emergency First Response (EFR) Primary and Secondary Care course meets this requirement and can also be completed as part of the Rescue Diver pathway (see the Rescue + EFR bundle).

What's next

PADI Rescue Diver is a requirement for Master Scuba Diver and a key step on the path to PADI professional levels (Divemaster).