4.11 Medical Examination

The applicant for training shall be approved by a licensed physician to be medically qualified for diving before proceeding with the training as designated in Sec. 4.20 (see Sec. 6.00 and Appendices 1 through 6).

4.12 Swimming Evaluation

The applicant for training shall successfully perform the following tests, or their equivalent, in the presence of the Diving Safety Officer, or an examiner approved by the Diving Safety Officer.

4.12.1 Swim underwater without swim aids for a distance of 25 yards without surfacing.

4.12.2 Swim 400 yards in less than 10 minutes without swim aids.

4.12.3 Tread water for 10 minutes, or 2 minutes without the use of hands, without swim aids.

4.12.4 Without the use of swim aids, transport another person of equal size a distance of 50 yards in the water.

4.21 Practical Training

At the completion of training, the trainee must satisfy the Diving Safety Officer or the instructor of his/her ability to perform the following, as a minimum, in a pool or in sheltered water:

4.21.1 Assemble, adjust and don scuba equipment and complete pre-dive equipment check for self and buddy

4.21.2 Enter water with full equipment.

4.21.3 Clear face mask.

4.21.4 Demonstrate air sharing, including both buddy breathing and the use of alternate air source, as both donor and recipient, with and without a face mask.

4.21.5 Demonstrate ability to alternate between snorkel and scuba while kicking.

4.21.6 Demonstrate understanding of underwater signs and signals.

4.21.7 Demonstrate simulated in-water mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

4.21.8 As a diver, demonstrate the rescue, from the bottom, of a diver simulating unconsciousness and transport of the victim to safety.

4.21.9 Demonstrate ability to remove and replace equipment at the surface and while submerged.

4.21.10 Demonstrate proper weighting and competency in the use of the buoyancy system at the surface and the ability to achieve and maintain neutral buoyancy while submerged.

4.21.11  Demonstrate watermanship ability which is acceptable to the instructor.

4.22 Written Examination

Before completing training, the trainee must pass a written examination that demonstrates knowledge of at least the following:

4.22.1 Function, care, use, and maintenance of diving equipment.

4.22.2  Physics and physiology of diving.

4.22.3  Diving regulations and precautions.

4.22.4  Near-shore currents and waves.

4.22.5  Dangerous marine animals.

4.22.6  Emergency procedures, including buoyant ascent and ascent by air sharing.

4.22.7  Currently accepted decompression procedures.

4.22.8  Demonstrate the proper use of dive tables.

4.22.9  Underwater communications.

4.22.10  Aspects of freshwater and altitude diving.

4.22.11  Hazards of breath-hold diving.

4.22.12  Planning and supervision of diving operations.

4.22.13  Diving hazards.

4.22.14 Cause, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of the following: near drowning, air embolism and related injuries, carbon dioxide excess, carbon monoxide, squeezes and blocks, oxygen poisoning, nitrogen narcosis, exhaustion and panic, respiratory fatigue, motion sickness, decompression sickness, hypothermia, hyperthermia, hypoxia/anoxia, and other diving maladies.

4.23 Open Water Evaluation

The trainee must satisfy an instructor, approved by the Diving Safety Officer, of his/her ability to perform at least the following in open water:

4.23.1  Demonstrate effective pre-dive dive site orientation and dive planning including the recognition of potential hazards and discussion of emergency procedures.

4.23.2 Assemble, adjust and don scuba equipment and complete pre-dive equipment check for self and buddy.

4.23.3 Surface dive to a depth of 10 feet in open water without scuba.

4.23.4  Demonstrate proficiency in air sharing, including ascents, utilizing both buddy breathing and an alternate air source, as both donor and receiver.

4.23.5  Enter and leave open water or surf, or leave and board a diving vessel, while wearing scuba gear.

4.23.6  Kick on the surface 400 yards while wearing scuba gear, but not breathing from the scuba unit.

4.23.7  Demonstrate skill and judgement adequate for safe diving.

4.23.8  Demonstrate, where appropriate, the ability to maneuver efficiently in the environment, at and below the surface.

4.23.9  Complete a simulated emergency swimming ascent.

4.23.10 Demonstrate clearing of mask and regulator while submerged.

4.23.11 Demonstrate proper weighting and competency in the use of the buoyancy system at the surface and the ability to achieve and maintain neutral buoyancy while submerged.

4.23.12  Demonstrate techniques of self-rescue and buddy rescue.

4.23.13  As a diver, demonstrate the rescue, from the bottom, of a diver simulating unconsciousness and transport of the victim to safety.

4.23.14  Demonstrate ability to remove and replace equipment at the surface and while submerged.

4.23.15  Demonstrate understanding of underwater signs and signals.

4.23.16  Demonstrate proper ascent including a safety stop.

4.23.17  Navigate underwater.

4.23.18 Plan and execute a dive.

4.23.19  Successfully complete 7 open water dives, of which 6 must be scuba, for a minimum total in-water time of 4 hours, of which 2 hours cumulative bottom time must be on scuba. No more than 3 training dives shall be made in any one day.

This permit signifies that a diver has completed a minimum of 40 hours of training with at least 7 ocean or open water dives, and possesses a nationally recognized diving certificate.