"Global Thinking for - Conservation :: Safety :: Education :: Training"
Cavern Diver: This course develops
the minimum skills and knowledge for cavern diving, and describes the
dangers involved with cave diving. Planning, environment, procedures,
techniques, problem solving, and other specialized needs of cavern
diving are covered. Problem solving in cavern diving includes, but is
not limited to: body positioning (trim), buoyancy control, emergency
procedures, line following, and propulsion techniques. Accident analysis
forms the basis of this learning experience. Special emphasis on the
unique environment includes silting, entanglement, disorientation, and
equipment modifications. The Cavern Diver Course is in no way intended
to provide instruction for cave diving.
This course level is an entry level program for those interested in cave
diving, and is also a safety program for open water divers. It can be
combined with the Basic Cave Diver course.
Basic Cave Diver: This course covers the basic principles of
actual cave diving. Accident analysis forms the basis of the training.
Basic Cave Diver follows the Cavern Diver course as the Cave Diving
Section's second step in the development of safe techniques for cave
diving. The basis of this course is aimed at perfecting basic skills and
the mastering of techniques and procedures required for the most
elementary of cave dives. Cave dives are planned around very limited
penetrations so that the diver may progress into cave diving at a
conservative pace. The Basic Cave Diver course is not intended to train
divers for all facets of cave diving.
This course develops the minimum skills and knowledge required for
limited penetration cave diving. Dive planning, cave environment,
procedures, techniques, problem solving, and other specialized needs of
cavern/cave diving are covered.
This course level can also be combined with the Cavern Diver course.
Apprentice Cave Diver: This is the third in a series of cave
diver development training courses. Emphasis is upon dive planning and
skill perfection through actual cave dives. Techniques learned through
the earlier Basic Cave Diver and Cavern Diver courses are critiqued and
expanded. Exposure to different cave-diving scenarios is the foundation
of this training.
The Apprentice Cave Diver course level represents the first half of the
training ultimately required to complete the Cave Diver level, and is
not intended to prepare divers for evaluating all facets of cave diving;
a time-limited training card is issued upon completion. It is intended
to expose students to basic fundamental principles of cave diving.
Students are encouraged to move on to the next level of training before
attempting to plan and execute complex cave dives.
The Apprentice Cave Diver course can be combined with the Cave Diver
course.
Cave Diver: This is the fourth in a series of cave diver
development training courses. Exposure to more sophisticated cave-diving
scenarios is the foundation of this training. Complex cave dive planning
and execution is emphasized. Techniques learned during the previous
training levels are refined in more challenging cave diving
environments. The basics of underwater cave surveying are introduced.
This course level can also be combined with the Apprentice Cave Diver
course.
Stage Diving: This is a specialty course level, intended to help
develop the participant's skills and knowledge in extended penetration
diving with the use of a stage cylinder. Longer decompression and more
complex navigation concerns are covered.
DPV Pilot: The purpose of the DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle)
Pilot specialty course is to expose the trained cave diver to the basic
fundamentals of the safe operation of diver propulsion vehicles in
underwater caves while under the direct supervision of a qualified DPV
Pilot Instructor. The student is able to build practical experience in
the field under controlled conditions. Safety practices, procedures and
techniques common to most DPV's used in the unique environment of a cave
are covered. Conservation considerations such as low-impact operation
are emphasized. Potential emergency situations are simulated and
practiced.
Sidemount Diving: A specialty course level, designed to expose
the experienced cave diver to alternative cylinder and harness
configurations when back-mounted cylinders are not appropriate or
available.
Basic U/W Cave Surveying: A specialty course level, designed to
provide the participants with the fundamentals of surveying underwater
caves. It is intended to motivate more divers to survey caves, to
encourage the use of cave maps in dive planning, and to increase the
quantity of published cave maps. Additionally, this program is to
promote standardization for all survey projects.
Cartography: This specialty program is a data management-oriented
program and is designed to introduce the basics of underwater cave map
presentations. The goal of this program is to develop an ability to
complete the surveying and map-making process and actually produce a
map.
Recovery Diver: The Recovery Diver Program is a specialty
two-part program. The first part is a management-oriented program as
described in the Recovery Specialist. The second part introduces
Procedures, Techniques, and Equipment required for the extraction or
rescue of a diver/divers lost in a cave. This program requires land
drills and in-water training.
Deep Cave Diver: The purpose of the Deep Cave Diver course is to
provide the Cave Diver training for the safe planning and execution of
mixed gas diving in caves to depths not exceeding three hundred (300)
fsw/ninety (90) msw. The diver will be introduced to the proper and safe
use of helium as a breathing gas, along with oxygen and nitrox for
staged decompression. This course will emphasize precision and accuracy
in all aspects of the dive beginning with advanced pre-dive planning.
Safety will be a primary focus of this course due to the depths to which
dives will be made.
Overhead Nitrox Diver: The purpose of the Overhead Nitrox Diver
course is to provide divers with the basic knowledge and skills
necessary to safely use enhanced air nitrox (Nitrox) as a breathing
medium. The course covers the use of Nitrox mixtures with an oxygen
content ranging from twenty two percent (22%) to forty percent (40%) and
may be taught as a single specialty or combined with other NSS-CDS
courses.
Rebreather Cave Diver: The purpose of the Rebreather Cave Diver
specialty course is to provide divers with the basic knowledge and
skills necessary to safely utilize rebreathers (either semi-closed or
fully-closed) in overhead environments while under the supervision of a
Rebreather Cave Diver Specialty Instructor. The diver will be exposed to
the special hazards involved in using rebreathers in overhead
environments, as well as the techniques and procedures used to mitigate
the risks to a reasonable level. The program will also instruct
candidates in how to plan overhead environment dives with open circuit
dive partners.
NOTE: This last Standard is in development, and will be
incorporated upon approval by the Training Committee and the Board of
Directors.
