Survial Swimming

Introducing a new class- Emergency Swimming.

We conducted this class for the first time this weekend. This is designed to help people stay alive after having to enter the water while in the back country, after falling out of a boat, or any other activity that might take you near still or moving water.

We covered how water moves, hypothermia and other medical problems, proper safety equipment, PFD use, throw rope use, self rescue, survival swimming, and rescuing panicked swimmers.

This class went great with a mix of classroom, pool work, and the last few exercises in a slow moving river.

PADI Rescue Diver Certification

Since completing my dive certification in November 2009, I have had abundance of opportunities to continue my in-water education.

This was a two weekend course teaching the skill necessary to rescue myself or my partner given an emergency. For me this is a prerequisite to becoming a public safety course but is a class all divers should take.

The class was held both in confined water (pool) and open water. Skills included towing a tired diver, assisting with out of air emergencies, locating a lost diver, helping a panicked diver and culminated with having to tow an unconscious diver a quarter mile with doing rescue breathing.

I know I am much more confident and ready to start organizing dive trips as part of our possible activities.

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Although it was not a company trip, I spent the last week on a mission trip to Guatemala. I have been involved in different aspects of search and rescue since I was 15 years old. This trip was a chance to give back. Searching for missing persons, rescuing flood victims, and so many other things are due are considered community service but this was a chance to teach the firefighters, USAR workers, and military of Guatemala how to conduct rescue operations. For more information see my fitness blog fatlete.blogspot.com.