The PADI Rescue Diver Course is one of the most rewarding and challenging courses in recreational diving. Designed for certified divers who want to expand their knowledge and skills, this course prepares you to prevent and manage diving emergencies, both minor and major, using a variety of realistic scenarios.

You'll learn to become more confident in your diving abilities, improve your situational awareness, and be better prepared to assist others in need — whether you're diving with a buddy or supervising a group.

What’s Involved:

The course includes knowledge development, confined water training, and open water rescue scenarios:

1. Knowledge Development

   • Self-study or eLearning modules covering topics like:

     • Recognizing and managing stress in other divers

     • Emergency management and equipment

     • Rescuing panicked and unresponsive divers

     • Accident prevention and response planning

2. Confined Water Practice

   • Hands-on skill sessions in a pool or confined water setting to:

     • Practice self-rescue techniques

     • Learn how to respond to tired, panicked, or unresponsive divers

     • Master surfacing, exiting, and providing in-water rescue breathing

3. Open Water Scenarios

   • Two or more realistic rescue scenarios where you'll apply your skills in real-world conditions.

   • These scenarios may include missing diver searches, in-water rescues, and managing an emergency scene.

Prerequisites:

• Minimum age: 12 years old

• PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification (or equivalent)

• Current Emergency First Response (EFR) certification (or another recognized CPR/First Aid course within the past 24 months)

Why Take the PADI Rescue Diver Course?

• Become a more aware, responsible, and confident diver

• Prepare for leadership roles like Divemaster or Instructor

• Gain peace of mind knowing you can help yourself and others in an emergency

RESCUE EXERCISES TO BE COMPLETED

TIRED DIVER
Assist a tired (rational) responsive diver at the surface

PANICKED DIVER
Rescue a panicked (irrational) dive

RESPONSE FROM SHORE, BOAT OR DOCK
Assist a (responsive diver) in distress

DISTRESSED DIVER UNDERWATER
Correctly identify and respond to a diver simulating overexertion, panicked or out-of-air Emergencies.

MISSING DIVER
Quickly and efficiently search for and locate a missing diver using an underwater search pattern.

SURFACING THE UNRESPONSIVE DIVER
Use controlled positive buoyancy as an aid to ascent.

UNRESPONSIVE DIVER AT THE SURFACE
Make contact with and check for breathing on an (unresponsive diver) at the surface.

EXITING THE UNRESPONSIVE DIVER
Remove a breathing, (unresponsive diver) from the water both with and without assistance.

FIRST AID FOR PRESSURE-RELATED INJURIES AND OXYGEN ADMINISTRATION
Demonstrate steps and procedures for administering oxygen to a breathing, unresponsive diver with suspected decompression illness. Administer oxygen to a non breathing diver while using a pocket mask for rescue breathing.

RESPONSE FROM SHORE/BOAT TO UNRESPONSIVE DIVER AT THE SURFACE
Respond to a diver emergency that requires attending to a non breathing, (unresponsive diver) on the surface, demonstrating in water rescue breathing, exiting the water and then providing CPR.

RESCUE SCENARIOS TO BE COMPLETED

SCENARIO 1 – UNRESPONSIVE DIVER UNDERWATER
Search for and locate a missing diver during an accident simulation..

SCENARIO 2 – UNRESPONSIVE DIVER AT THE SURFACE
Effectively responding to an unresponsive, non breathing diver during an accident simulation. Evaluation, tow, in water rescue breathing, removing equipment, exiting and providing CPR. All required equipment is included in the published price but at this level, you should be thinking about acquiring some of your own equipment. Comfort and reliability of your equipment is a fundamental factor Rescue and Professional divers.