Posted by Wayne on September 07, 2000 at 12:33:24:
In Reply to: Re: Rescue in OW versus seperate Rescue class posted by kelphead on September 07, 2000 at 11:08:00:
If there is an instructor not teaching to the standards of the organization, they need to be reported to their dive shop and then to the certification agency for investigation.
The dive shop should try to get the student to take some additional training. I see this as a safety issue for the diver and his/her buddies (he he he I hope this does not start another argument about buddies!). But I also see this as a potential basis for the lawsuit when a death or injury occurs.
The only protection for the instructor is strict adherence to the published standards of their agency. When they dot the 'i's and cross the 't's they usually prevail in the suit. Failure to do the minimum standards leaves the instructor and dive operation wholly on their own to defend why they think they did an adequate job when ALL the training agencies say that they failed to meet the minimum requirements.
I see quite a few classes and my observations are that the instructors her in So Cal do a good job on the basics. They send out newbies that are ready to start diving without a professional guide. We all know they are not fully competent or completely safe until they gain experience. Kinda like my kids and their driving. They took the classes and passed the tests. Then they were able to drive. They scared the stuffings out of me! After some experience, they are becoming good drivers. When they certified as divers, it was the same. We never let them out of our reach until they had enough experience and comfort on scuba. Anyway, I ramble... It is just that I leave for Maui for a week of diving with the wife (no kids! Yippee!) in a week, and the rest of this does not matter as much!
Thanks for pointing out the deficiency with my argument!
Wayne