February 24, 2010 by Walter "Butch" Hendrick
For sport divers, drysuits offer a warm advantage that can be used to extend the diving season – possibly all year – and to extend the amount of time divers are actually able to spend in the water. ...
Tenders in the PSD arenaFebruary 23, 2010 by Walter "Butch" Hendrick
As we talk about public safety diving (PSD) we hear a lot about the divers and their training or types of equipment divers need to get the job done safely. But when it comes to tenders they often get...
Drown Proofing Turn Out GearFebruary 23, 2010 by Andrea Zaferes
A firefighter dressed in turnout gear and no personal flotation device (PFD) falls out of a small boat during a flood in New Jersey while attempting to help flood victims. Tragically, he drowns. All firefighters...
Surface Ice Rescue PoleFebruary 21, 2010 by Andrea Zaferes
The ice rescue pole is one of the most versatile, useful, easy to store and transport, inexpensive tools for technician-level ice rescue personnel. Ice rescue poles have seven main functions: to test...
Learning how to Use and Clear an AGA maskFebruary 17, 2010 by Andrea Zaferes
The Desired Learning Outcome (DLO) of clearing an AGA is as follows. Two years from at 0200 hrs, you are called to a submerged vehicle with two passengers. It is cold and rainy. The team is in rescue mode....
Real Life Training for Real Life ScenariosFebruary 3, 2010 by Forest Rothchild
Two dogs were rescued Monday afternoon after spending eight days trapped on Potsdam’s Sugar Island in the freezing weather. The St. Lawrence County Dive Team used a boat borrowed from Brookfield...
Technical Ice DivingFebruary 3, 2010 by Walter "Butch" Hendrick
Technical Ice Diving The words “technical diving” are popping up all around the diving world these days. Sometimes I am not sure how they actually relate; does technical diving mean that we are just...
Sport vs PSD ice divingJanuary 28, 2010 by Andrea Zaferes
In sport ice diving the ice is thick enough to support divers and tenders. They can walk to their pre-cut holes. Back up divers can sit on chairs on the ice. They can shovel a star pattern in the snow...
Training is KeyJanuary 25, 2010 by Walter "Butch" Hendrick
Today’s Fire Rescue services are being tasked with more and more duties that require unique types of training, such as Haz-mat, confined space, vehicle extrication, and other specialties. Because drowning...
Public Safety Diving in the new Millennium, part #2January 22, 2010 by Walter "Butch" Hendrick
Sitting on the river bank some 45 years ago watching my father teach many of the first Public Safety Divers I thought, this is as good as it gets. I remember thinking what PSD would be like fifty years...
