Description

Where adventure meets responsibility, and one of the most rewarding courses you’ll ever take. You’ll develop the crucial skills to prevent, recognize and manage dive emergencies, from self-rescue techniques and stress awareness to assisting other divers, handling panic situations and responding to an unresponsive diver at the surface and underwater. The course sharpens your judgment and situational awareness, making you a safer, more confident diver and a genuine asset to any buddy team. Prerequisites include current CPR and first aid training so you’re prepared to act when it counts. Challenging and confidence-building in equal measure, Rescue Diver is a key stepping stone toward the Master Scuba Diver rating and professional-level training such as Divemaster.

Embark on a journey where adventure meets safety with the SDI Rescue Diver Course. Gain the confidence and skills to become the diver everyone relies on, skilled in managing dive emergencies and providing essential first aid.

Dives included: no fixed number of dives; the course is skills- and scenario-based, conducted in confined and open water (suggested 12 hours, ~8 in open water).

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 18 years; 10 with parental consent (divers under 15 earn the Junior Rescue Diver rating)
• Proof of SDI Advanced Adventure Diver (or equivalent), OR SDI Open Water Scuba Diver plus 15 logged open-water dives
• Current First Response Adult & Child Emergency Care Provider and Oxygen Administration Provider certification (or equivalent), where local law permits; these may be combined with the Rescue Diver course
• Complete a medical statement — physician approval required for relevant conditions

What You Will Learn

• Accident prevention and stress recognition
• Self-rescue and diver-assist techniques
• Managing panicked divers at the surface and underwater
• Search patterns and surfacing an unresponsive diver
• In-water rescue breathing and egress
• Emergency management, planning, and equipment

Required Equipment

• Complete open-water scuba kit
• Dive computer, compass, and surface signaling device
• Pocket mask/barrier device for rescue breathing
• Exposure protection appropriate to conditions

Course Requirements & Standards (SDI)

• Prerequisite: current First Response Adult & Child and Oxygen Administration Provider certification (where local law permits)
• Rescue skill development in confined/open water plus scenarios
• Conducted with an SDI Instructor
• Requires SDI Advanced Adventure Diver, or Open Water plus 15 logged dives; key prerequisite for Divemaster and professional training

After This Course

Advance toward the Master Scuba Diver rating, or begin professional training with the SDI Divemaster course.