On Saturday, April 14, Cindy and I had the opportunity to participate in the 3rd Annual Diver Education Conference hosted by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Department. The program is primarily designed for first responders, but we found the topics to be very interesting and applicable to traveling divers, free divers, scientific divers, really nearly any diver looking to better understand more about diving.

MC’d by Chuck Rawlinson, owner of Depth Perceptions Diving Services and Instructor Amanda Harrison, the program ran smoothly and was well presented.

Presenters included Paul Buechner who gave two presentations - one on Shallow/Deep Water Blackout and the second on First Aid for Marine Life Injuries. John McKenny on Diving Risk Assessment, Dr. Sam Miller III who presented an amazing program on the development of the SCUBA regulator, Karl Huggins of the USC Hyperbaric Facility spoke on diver panic and the correct weighting of divers, Dr. Sam Miller IV, presented on medical and cosmetic implants and diving and Mike Von Alvensleben, Director of Training at the Kirby Morgan Pro Dive Training Center spoke about changes in the commercial/professional dive equipment community and announced the opening of the Kirby Morgan Professional Dive Training Center on Santa Maria California. Between talks, participants were treated to a stunning display of restored double-hosed regulators provided by Tom Southwick that generated much interest and comment.

The event was held at the PG&E Energy Education Center - a spectacular venue in the San Luis Obispo foothills. The rolling hills and clusters of California Live Oak trees would suggest that you were miles from civilization, but in fact the center is less than a half mile from a convenient PCH off ramp.

The conference venue

San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Dive Team Display

Food was provided at the event and was bountiful and excellent. The buffet-style lunch was build your own cold-cut sandwiches with a variety of salads, luscious fruit bowls (Biggest and sweetest strawberries I’ve ever tasted) and a medley of waters and soft drinks.

Though I have been diving for many years, it is a real pleasure to go to a conference and walk away with a bunch of new knowledge and information that was presented in a very enjoyable format.

Racing up to San Luis Friday night through the rain, I was having second thoughts, but the trip was so very much worth the effort for the program presented. If you didn’t go, you really missed a great program and should consider making it to next years conference.
Stay wet.

• Re: 3rd Annual Diver Edudcation Conference Report SDM 07:29:12 04/19/12 (0)