Individuals who are involved in law enforcement and search and rescue are called public safety divers. Public safety divers differ from recreational divers in a few key ways, including their training, dive locations, and dates, and their special equipment. You will be responsible to protect the environment, lives and property of all those you care for. A public safety diver is also equipped for law enforcement and all the tasks that it involves.
Training requirements
Public safety divers require a variety of training requirements. The first phase of the course involves knowledge development in a classroom environment. Students will learn about different techniques for conducting searches and resolving missions. Students will also learn about various equipment required for such missions. The second phase is comprised of multiple dives. This allows students to practice their search, recovery, and search skills in controlled settings. This course is for public safety divers who wish to work in dangerous or contaminated water.
ERDI is the simplest of all public safety diver training programs. It is approved by NFPA, STATE, and OSHA. The next course is the ERDI Level II course, which covers advanced techniques for emergency response diving, including the use of dry suits and full face masks. After the training, you will receive your ERDI certification card. An ERDI instructor certified in your area of expertise will be able certify you.
Role of public safety divers within law enforcement
It is important to recognize the importance of public safety divers for law enforcement. They are often undercover officers and may encounter suspects or criminals in the ocean. The role of these professionals is not to belittle the role of police officers and investigators, although both of these roles are very different. The success of law enforcement operations depends on the contributions of both investigators and divers.
Some LEOs will use dive teams to combat crimes in the water. However, many times they will respond to incidents on the ground as well. The divers will typically be deployed in patrol vehicles or small boats, and change into scuba gear once they arrive on the water's edge. LEOs and investigators communicate with each other using spoken codes via police radio frequencies when conducting land-based investigations. These codes cannot be broken underwater. For communication with investigators, divers will often learn American Sign Language.
Gear needed
Divers in public safety have access to a wide variety of safety gear. Some gear can be provided by the agency and others must purchase their own. Ideally, all divers should be geared up in the same way, which makes zero visibility environments easier to manage and streamline maintenance. A full-face face mask is an essential piece of gear. Public safety divers generally dive in contaminated water or around submerged bodies or vehicles. It is equally important to have high-quality gear.
PSD courses combine elements from several diving specialties. These may include advanced dives, rescue dives, and master divers. Divers may also learn technical skills and nitrox to assist in recovery and salvage operations. A larger department may also require PSD divers to be trained in other types of diving or in a specialized environment. These divers may be called on to perform rescue and search missions in conditions that a sport diver would not encounter.