PERT: Professional Emergency Response Team Training.

Emergency Response Diver-1 This is a course designed to introduce the recreational diver to the basic skills necessary to participate in limited rescue/recovery diving operations. This course will result in either an ERD Apprentice or ERD-1 certification depending upon the experience of the diver. This course will provide successful candidates with an orientation to the field of public safety diving and provide rudimentary skill training for supervised participation in rescue/recovery diving operations. The ERDA or ERD-1 will be able to operate as a basic team member and support person within a dive team organization.

Qualifications of Graduates

Upon successful completion of this course, graduates may participate in limited application recovery/rescue operations, providing that:

• Operations are limited to eighteen (18) meter / sixty (60) feet in depth. Operations are conducted in calm water environments. Dive profiles are kept within no decompression limits. If certified as an ERDA, it is recommended that the diver operate under the supervision of a fully qualified Emergency Response Diver or equivalent until upgrade requirements are met.
• Upon successful completion of this course, graduates are qualified to enroll in:
• The Emergency Response Diver-2 Course.
• The Tactical Diver Course. INDEPTH Basic Nitrox Diver Course. INDEPTH Advanced Recreational Courses.

Student Pre-Requisites

• Minimum age is eighteen (18).
• Have a current certification or training in basic first aid, CPR and training in Oxygen Administration for diving accidents.
• Have a total of at least twenty five (25) logged open water dives including at least ten (10) dives as a participating diver with a public safety, law enforcement or military dive team.
• Have at least one (1) year as an active dive status member of a public safety, law enforcement or military dive team.

Note: Divers failing to meet the PERT experience requirements in three (3) and four (4) above may qualify for participation in the course providing that they have at least ten (10) logged recreational open water dives. These individuals will be certified as ERD Apprentice divers upon successful completion of the course. Upgrades to ERD-1 can be completed in accordance with the current upgrade standard.

Course Structure

1. PERT allows instructors to structure courses according to the number of students participating and their skill level.

Required Course Minimums

• Classroom and briefing hours = Four (4) hours is recommended.
• Confined Water = Four (4) to six (6) hours is recommended.
• Open Water Evaluation Dive = One (1) is required.
• Public Safety Dives = Six (6) is required.

Administrative Requirements

• Submission of a completed Medical Clearance certifying the fitness of the diver for the diving activities to be conducted. The statement must be dated within one (1) year immediately preceding the commencement of training. If the one (1) year period of validity expires prior to the completion of all certification requirements, a new form must be submitted at the time of certification.
• Completion of a PERT liability release form.

Emergency Response Diver-2

The purpose of this program of instruction is to qualify the candidate for certification as an Emergency Response Diver-2. The ERD-2 Candidate will be expected to develop advanced skills in the following areas: Scene assessment, set up and diagramming. Scene safety supervision. Heavy object rigging and recovery. Incident command and control. Diver assignment and accountability. Interviewing techniques and information gathering.Academic training and practical application of the skills in conjunction with the training dives of the ERD-2 class will develop the listed skills. All supervisory activities/decisions will be made under the direct supervision and with the express approval of the dive site's lead instructor or his/her designated subordinate instructor.

Qualifications of Graduates

• Upon successful completion of this course, candidates may engage in rescue/recovery operations and activities under the direct authority of a sanctioned emergency response dive team as long as:
• The activities do not exceed the level of training.
• The geography of the area does not exceed the level of training. Environmental conditions do not exceed the level of training.

Student Pre-Requisites

• The following standards must be met and documented prior to the commencement of any training.
• Minimum age of eighteen (18) years.
• Have a current certification as an PERT ERD-1.
• Have a current certification in Basic First Aid and CPR.
• Documented training or certification in basic oxygen life support for diving injuries within the immediately preceding two (2) years.

Note: Fire Medic, Emergency Medical Technician, or Advanced Life Support Certifications are acceptable and highly recommended to satisfy these requirements. Candidates must submit proof of at least thirty (30) logged open water dives. Additionally, the diver must show that his diving experience satisfies the following requirements:

• Twenty (20) of the dives must be conducted outside of formal training (in service training dives are acceptable for this requirement).
• Five (5) dives to depths of at least eighteen (18) meter / sixty (60) feet.
• Five (5) dives in black water.
• Five (5) search and recovery dives.
• A single dive may be used to meet up to two (2) dive requirements as long as the thirty (30) dive minimum is achieved.
• All qualifying dives must consist of at least twenty (20) minutes of bottom time

Course Structure

PERT allows instructors to structure courses according to the number of students participating and their skill level.

Required Course Minimums

• Classroom and briefing hours = Eight (8) hours.
• Confined Water = Confined water training is not required, however confined water is recommended for swim testing. Open Water Dives = Ten (10) dives totaling at least two hundred (200) minutes of bottom time with no dives deeper than thirty (30) msw / ninety nine (99) fsw.

Administrative Requirements

• Submission of a completed medical exam signed by a physician or state approved medical authority and certifying the fitness of the diver for the diving activities to be conducted. Form must be dated no more than one (1) year immediately preceding certification.
• Completion of an PERT liability release form

Overhead Environment Recovery Diver This is a two (2) phase program. The purpose of phase-1 training is to qualify the ERD-2 diver as an overhead environment diver. Divers already certified as Intro Cave Divers may skip phase-1 training. The purpose of phase-2 is to qualify the ERD-2 for certification as an Overhead Environment Recovery Diver. The Overhead Environment Recovery Diver (OERD) candidate will be expected to develop advanced skills in the following areas:

• Scene assessment, set up and diagramming
• Assessing the overhead structure
• Diver assignment and accountability in the overhead environment
• Search patterns and techniques
• Academic training and practical application of the skills in conjunction with the training dives of the OERD class will develop the listed skills.

Upon successful completion of this course, candidates may engage in overhead environment rescue/recovery operations and activities under the direct authority of a sanctioned Emergency Response dive team.

Qualifications of Graduates

• The activities do not exceed the level of training.
• Penetration does not exceed current level of training and one third (1/3) of the divers gas supply. Penetrations are limited to simple linear swims.
• The area of activities does not exceed the level of training.
• Environmental conditions do not exceed the level of training.
• Graduates are qualified for enrollment in PERT Specialty Programs and PERT Supervisory Programs.

The following standards must be met and documented prior to the commencement of any training. Minimum age is eighteen (18) years. Have a current certification as a PERT ERD-1 diver. Have a current certification as a Cavern Diver by a recognized agency. Have a current certification in Basic First Aid and CPR. Documented training or certification in basic oxygen life support for diving injuries within the immediately preceding two (2) years.Note: Fire Medic, Emergency Medical Technician, or Advanced Life Support Certifications are acceptable and highly recommended to satisfy these requirements. Divers who desire to skip phase-1 training must show proof of certification as an Intro to Cave Diver, Advanced Wreck or higher certification from InDepth, PSAI, TDI, IANTD, NACD or NSS-CDS. The diver must also show proof of at least one (1) logged wreck penetration or cave dive within the immediately preceding six (6) months.

Course Structure

PERT allows instructors to structure courses according to the number of students participating and their skill level.

Required Course Minimums, Phase-1 Training Requirements

• All phase-1 training will be conducted in accordance with all applicable standards as prescribed by the INDEPTH Intro to Cave Course or Advanced Wreck standards currently in effect at the time the course is taught.
• Required Course Minimums, Phase-2 Training Requirements:
• Classroom and briefing hours = Four (4) hours.
• Confined water = Confined water training is not required, however confined water is recommended for swim testing. Open water dives
• Four (4) dives totaling at least one hundred (100) minutes of bottom time with no dives deeper than thirty (30) msw / ninety nine feet (99) fsw.
• Penetrations must be limited to the maximum of the divers current level of training and one third (1/3) of the divers gas supply.

Administrative Requirements

• Submission of a completed medical exam signed by a physician or state approved medical authority and certifying the fitness of the diver for the diving activities to be conducted. Form must be dated no more than one (1) year immediately preceding certification.
• Completion of a PERT liability release form.

Dry Suit Diver

The Professional Emergency Response Team's Dry Suit Diving course is designed to train divers to properly use a Dry suit. It will discuss the types of dry suits, accessories, maintenance and how to make basic repairs.

Age

The student shall be of 15 years of age at the time and location of course entry and conduct.

Certification

The student shall have graduated from an internationally recognized Open Water course. The PERT instructor is responsible for ensuring that the Dry Suit Diving student has demonstrated the appropriate respect and understanding for diving in solo situations. If the student fails to maintain proper control and awareness, etc., the instructor must require additional training until the appropriate standards are achieved prior to certification.

Full Face Mask Diving

The Professional Emergency Response Team's Full Face Mask Diving course is designed to train divers in the use of a Full Face Mask and familiarizes them with the skills, knowledge, planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of using a Full Face Mask in non-overhead environments.

Course Objectives and Qualifications

Upon completion of this course the student will demonstrate on written exam and by in water performance, a complete understanding of the skills, knowledge, planning, organization, procedures, techniques, problems and hazards of using a Full Face Mask in non-overhead environments as presented in the scope of the PERT Full Face Mask Diving course.

Age

The student shall be of 18 (minimum age of fifteen (15) with parental consent) years of age at the time and location of course entry and conduct.

Certification

The student shall have graduated from an internationally recognized Open Water course. The PERT instructor is responsible for ensuring that the Full Face Mask Diving student has demonstrated the appropriate respect and understanding for diving in solo situations. If the student fails to maintain proper control and awareness, etc., the instructor must require additional training until the appropriate standards are achieved prior to certification.

ERD Apprentice Upgrade Procedure

This evaluation process will provide the information necessary for the ERDA qualified diver to upgrade to ERD-1 status.

Upgrade prerequisites

• Current dive status with a sanctioned emergency response or military dive team.
• Current physical exam that certifies the diver's fitness to perform ER dives.
• At least six (6) continuous months in good standing as a member of his/her dive team.
• At least twenty five (25) logged open water dives in environments similar to the diver's working conditions, including at least ten (10) training or response dives with the assigned team. Dives must have at least twenty (20) minutes of bottom time to be counted toward this requirement. Surface assignments will not be used to meet this requirement. Dive logs must be certified as complete and accurate by the chief administrator of the divers team in writing with an original signature.
• It is required that the diver be certified at least six (6) months as an ERDA.
• If more than twelve (12) months has passed since the certification date as an ERDA, the diver must successfully complete the ERD-1 swim test prior to certification.

Upgrade procedure

• Present a log or other acceptable documentation of diving experience.
• Present a letter from the dive team's chief administrative officer indicating time and character of service as well as certification of current membership.
• Present a copy of the ERDA certification Card.
• Complete the required swim test if initial certification is more than twelve (12) months old.
• Submit the required review and certification fees