Diving is Risky Business
RAID’s UNIQUE QA SYSTEM HELPS… Playing in water can be dangerous. There are risks associated with diving of every description. This is something we have to accept and learn to deal with if we want to go diving. The goal of any RAID instructor is to deliver this message, but, more importantly, it’s to dive students the knowledge, skills, and techniques to manage those risks. Making them disappear is impossible. The best any of us can do is to identify, mitigate, and avoid, but risk is always a factor to consider. RAID professionals are chosen to represent the agency and to deliver the RAID brand of training for many reasons: skill, empathy, knowledge, spirit, desire. These traits are probably shared by the majority of instructors across the diving industry, but we try to go further. In part, student safety is a function of standards and sticking to them. RAID’s standards exceed by far the minimums accepted as ‘good enough’ across the industry. Shortcuts, courses that are hurried and packed to the maximum possible, are discouraged and policed heavily. RAID students, every one of them, takes part in that process by default. They are required to complete a questionnaire about their training as part of the final course assessment. That is 100 percent of students, not a select few. RAID cannot guarantee student safety, no agency can, but we come closer than most to being able to make that promise.
What does RAID stand for…
A REMINDER FROM WHEN DRI WAS FORMED Regardless of whether you are a student taking your first breathe underwater, or a professional instructor teaching every specialty RAID offers, it is really important to understand what your training agency stands for. In other words, what are its core beliefs and how do they influence how you will progress as a diver, a dive professional, or a dive shop owner and operator? First off, RAID is a diving agency for divers, by divers. Like you, our love of the water knows no bounds. The people who work at RAID are not office clerks and bean counters… they are divers. This means that no matter what role that person plays at the agency, they are focused on making the experience fun, safe, technologically advanced and as inclusive as possible for our members and their students. Our vision is to be the benchmark brand for quality dive training globally through improved technology, training techniques, a proactive quality control system and ensuring the highest standard of dive instruction. The measure of our success is not the number of divers we train but the quality of the divers we help to create. Every diver we train is an ambassador for RAID. Our Mission is simple and based on that vision: RAID believes in the application of technology, superior yet inclusive instruction and environmental responsibility to improve the quality, enjoyment, and safety of the scuba experience for a new generation of divers. RAID FOR DIVERS | RAID FOR DIVE PROS | RAID MEANS OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS GROWTH ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2022.
January RAID Special
NITROX IS THE ANSWER Signing up for a nitrox class seems to be a no-brainer to some divers; they understand the benefits right away and have no hesitation taking the plunge and enjoying the benefits. But perhaps a fair percentage of these are the lucky ones whose instructors offered nitrox training as part of their open water training. And certainly, that’s a great place to start. However, others may take a little more convincing. Whichever camp one is in, the simple fact is that the introduction of nitrox — essentially refined compressed air with a carefully measured ‘squirt’ of extra oxygen taking the place of some nitrogen — is one of the greatest, most innovative advances in recreational diving of the modern era. It’s right up there with late-generation personal dive computers and online learning. There are all the well documented benefits: Extended Bottom Time: Reduced Decompression Stress: Less Post-Dive Fatigue: Shorter Surface Intervals, and so on. But as well as nitrox helping to expand one’s diving opportunities, the RAID course teaches valuable skills that make for more knowledgeable divers, which we think means better divers. These ‘extra’ skills include tighter attention to dive planning, careful equipment choices, gaining a better understanding of gas toxicity and contaminants, and learning how to analyse and label diving gases (an essential step in safe diving practices). Your local RAID Dive Centre can explain how nitrox can make your diving a valuable investment to enhance your diving safety, enjoyment, and opportunities. And if you are already a nitrox user, ask about NITROX PLUS.
How To Be A Better Diver
THERE’S ABSOLUTELY NO SECRET… IT’S LIKE PLAYING PIANO! When it comes to scuba diving, there’s no such thing as being a natural. Same thing goes for rebreather diving and freediving. There are folks who seem to have zero problem being relaxed in the water. And these are the ones who manage to look like they know what they are doing: always. These are the people who look natural, and make it all seem so amazingly easy. But look closely and you’ll find out that to get that way, they had to work at it just like the rest of us. Probably the question most frequently asked of experienced divers — the people who look like naturals — is, ‘HOW?’ How do you make it look so easy and why does it look like your dive gear is painted on? Well, the answer is simple and universal. One of our RAID cave instructor-trainers summed it up perfectly. When asked how long it took her to learn to do the reverse frog kick so well. She, thought for a moment and answered, “about 23 years. Since I first learned to dive. And I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.” Diving, at least making it look natural and easy, comes with hours in the water. It’s not about how many classes you’ve taken or how deep you go or how much gear you own. It’s all related to time. And although exactly how much time does seem to vary from person-to-person (some get it in a few hours while others take a ‘little’ longer), the secret is getting in the water and diving. And more to the point, it’s about diving with a purpose. When you’re trying to bring your game up to a higher level, dive with the goal in mind. Build on the basic skills you picked up in class. Focus on the fundamentals, buoyancy, trim, breath-control, situational awareness. RELAX. Hit your favourite dive spot, and keep it simple. Use a pool if one’s available. Most of all, steal the technical diver’s habit of practicing skills at the end of EVERY dive. Run through the basics, from regulator shutdowns to mask removal: the most complex to the simplest. They all count, and it’s guaranteed that you will benefit from the practice. Think of it as learning the scales for those early childhood piano lessons that we all “LOVED”. Before you know it, you’ll be playing Chopin like a pro. TELL US WHAT SKILL YOU HATE DOING MOST!
So, What Now?
HERE’S WHAT TO DO AFTER EARNING YOUR RAID OW20 The most important thing and the best advice is ‘Go Diving!’ Graduates from a RAID open water course have the basic skills to enjoy basic scuba diving and have fun doing it. Although we’d love to have you sign up for a specialty course right way, it’s far better for you to get a little experience logged with a dive buddy. In essence, to go our and have some fun. Just remember to “Keep it real, stay within your comfort zone, and stay safe.” When the time comes to broaden your understanding and knowledge, speak to your RAID instructor about next steps. A lot will depend on where you dive and what’s available in your area, or if you have dive travel in mind and what to take the adventure on the road. The list of possibilities is long. Take a look at our FREe-Learning if you haven’t already checked it out. Do a little research and you’re sure to find something to interest you and help you progress at your speed. However, one course we do recommend is NITROX. Most divers find diving with nitrox has several real advantages over plain air. In any event, congrats and do keep diving. This is a water world.
Static Apnea Special
WHY BREATH-HOLDING IS IMPORTANT TO SCUBA DIVERS This month, RAID is shining a spotlight on the benefits of static apnea training for scuba divers. Odd that something divers are told NOT to do — hold their breath — can offer such a long list of rewards. Static apnea is listed as a freediving discipline where a person holds their breath underwater for as long as possible without swimming or moving around. As a stand-alone skill, it is a competitive category for freediving. However, static apnea training can offer several benefits for scuba divers too, enhancing their overall diving experience and safety. And the added bonus is that Static Apnea training is available from most RAID instructors because we feel it is such an important and fundamental skill that sits at the very core of being comfortable and ‘at one’ with the water. Here are some key advantages: So, incorporating static apnea training into a diver’s routine can provide substantial advantages, not only in their diving skills but also in ensuring a safer and more enjoyable experience.
Decompression Diver
WHEN YOU DON’T WANT TO LEAVE THE PARTY EARLY RAID’s new advanced diving course has been engineered to be a soft introduction to staged decompression diving: it’s a simple but open-ended entry point into all the excitement and challenge of technical diving. This is Sidemount or Twinset diver course. This course allows for dives up to 40 meters /130 feet using three cylinders. This includes two filled with bottom gas (twinset or sidemount see below), and one with.decompression gas. The decompression gas for this course can contain a maximum of 100 percent oxygen when conditions are suitable with minimum of 50 percent recommended. Prerequisites to join this course are for students to be 18 or older, and to be an experienced open water divers with 30 hours/25 hours or more logged underwater with Deep, Nitrox (or Nitrox Plus), and Explorer 30 or Advanced 35 specialties. Decompression diver showcases RAID’s different approach to deep diving, and introduces students to more complex dive planning, the benefits of using a dedicated decompression gas. and smooth team work before, during, and post adventure. The Decompression Diver course may be combined with either sidemount or twinset training and cert cards will be configuration specific. During 2025 rollout phase RAID Deco 40 instructors or higher may conduct the Decompression Diver course. Limited Trimix may be conducted by Deco 40 Trimix instructors or higher. Each student must complete these requirements.
Nitrox Plus: The Missing Link…
A NEW APPROACH TO ADVANCED RECREATIONAL DIVING TECHNIQUES This is nothing to do with cavemen, just something that helps to fill a gap in recreational training from RAID. The brand new RAID Nitrox Plus Course is designed for recreational divers who wish to extend their underwater time and gain insights into technical diving. But without investing in tonnes of new kit. Nitrox Plus provides the essential knowledge and skills to help divers explore new depths while managing the benefits and considerations of nitrox use more effectively than ever. The plus is that this is a two cylinder course which provides the security of extra gas when your adventure takes you to the recreational limit of 40 metres/150 feet. This is also a great opportunity to learn the most efficient way to carry a second cylinder of bottom gas… a great strategy when diving beyond 30 metres/100 feet, or so! This course focuses on using nitrox for dives with a maximum safety stop of 10 minutes and incorporates a conservative gradient factor to ensure safety. Nitrox Plus kit configuration can be:Single cylinder (with or without H or Y valve) of adequate capacity for the planned dive.One standard primary regulator setup fitted with long hose including piston clip.One low-pressure (LP) inflator hose for BCD and dry suit (if appropriate). LP connectors must be interchangeable.One backup regulator with standard hose fitted with neck bungee.One SPG with piston clip.Stage cylinder holding suitable gas volume of bottom mix for planned dives.Stage cylinder rigging kit.Cylinder marking for MOD, Diver Name and Mix (labelled as per RAID cylinder marking standards).Suitable DIN regulator with SPG on a short HP hose.A recreational BCD that has capacity to carry a stage cylinder. OR Wing, plate and harness with single tank adaptor.Personal dive computer.Backup computer or depth dive timer.Wetnotes or wrist slate or finger slate.Primary SMB.1 x reels or spools with adequate line length for the dive depth.2 x cutting devices.Backup Mask.Light where appropriate.Smartphone, tablet or laptop with decompression software (instructor must have, optional for students).Access to an oxygen analyzer. SEE NEW DECOMPRESSION DIVER COURSE HERE>>>
New Training Flowchart
NOVEMBER 2024 UPDATE This updated course listing reflects changes we’ve made to the logical flow of Dive RAID International training progression including the introduction of Nitrox Plus and Decompression Diver. These new courses bridge the distance between Tech and Rec. Dive RAID International promises its members and their students high quality, skills-based instruction that’s always being added to and improved. That’s the nature of technology and at the core of safe, fun, and inclusive diving. That’s The RAID Way™. DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THIS TRAINING FLOWCHART HERE>>>
You Told Us… We Listened!
RAID HAS REARRANGED ITS TECHNICAL DIVING PATHWAY RAID has been helping divers live their dreams since we opened our doors. We’ve lost count of how many students we’ve coached from their first open water cert. to deep trimix CCR and beyond. But times change and the feedback we have been getting asked us to streamline things to reflect what divers making the transition from Rec to Tech are asking for today. And here is the answer to those requests. We’ve shuffled our course outline making it more logical, and better suited to what our students need. The secret behind the shuffle is the addition of a totally new bridging program: NITROX PLUS. DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THIS FLOWCHART HERE>>> VIEW THE MODIFIED TRAINING FLOWCHART HERE>>>
