Divers Alert Network (DAN)

If you are an active diver, you need what I am going to bring up next. Divers Alert Network (DAN) is an organization that offers dive insurance, and a multitude of training classes. It is not associated with any one dive organization, but to diving in general. At the present time there are at least 14 different classes offered. I am going to touch on a few of them here. If you ever have a chance to get to Durham, NC, stop in, they will give you a tour. In fact, they can also arrange for you to see the Chambers at Duke University Hospital.



Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries
As a recreational diver, you can receive training to provide vital first aid that can make a difference to a scuba diver with decompression illness. The DAN Oxygen Provider Course provides entry-level training in the recognition and management of possible diving-related injuries using emergency oxygen first aid.


Advanced Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries
This advanced-level program is designed to train existing DAN Oxygen Providers to use the MTV-100 or a Bag Valve Mask while providing care for a non-breathing injured diver.


First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries
Serious hazardous marine life injuries are rare, but most divers experience minor discomfort from unintentional encounters with fire coral, jellyfish and other marine creatures. This course teaches divers to minimize these injuries and reduce diver discomfort and pain.


On-site Neurological Assessment for Divers
Learn how to conduct a neurological assessment on a potentially injured diver in this course. The information gained in this assessment can help convince a diver of the need for oxygen first aid, and help a dive physician determine the proper treatment.


Diving Emergency Management Provider Program
Learn the knowledge and skills from several courses into one single approach to dive emergency management.


Diving Emergency Specialist (DES)
Learn about DAN’s new recognition program for divers who are interested in dive safety.


Diving Medical Technician
Take the next step in diving education. Become a DMT and learn about providing care for divers involved in dive accidents.

Click on this picture above to be taken directly to the Duke University Hyperbaric Chambers and Medicine Department. There is also a link to see the complete layout of the 7 chambers. Check out the photo album on the site for more pictures - (past and present).


Layout of Hyperbaric Chambers Check this out, you will be amazed.


Click on these two pictures to see an enlarged view of the control panels. Click on the above small pictures to go to DAN Specialty Courses.
There is more to DAN then I can cover here in this short time. You need to go to the web site and check it out. Divers Alert Network

What is AOWD ?

Simply put AOWD stands for Advanced Open Water Diver. What is this rating according to PADI ?

After the basic Open Water training the next logical step is to get the Advanced Open Water Diver certification. This rating consist of 5 dives that may span over two days or could be in 5 separate days. Basically you look at all the advanced specialties that PADI offers, and you are going to make the first dive of these specialties in 5 of them. However there is an exception. You must make the deep dive and the navigation dive as 2 of the dives. The other three can be a choice from a wide list of dives. Some of the choices are as follows: Altitude, wreck, night, dry suit, photography, search and recovery, drift, DPV (Dive Propulsion Vehicle), Enriched air, PPB (Peak Positive Buoyancy) and Boat just to name a few.

Once you have picked your 5 dives you must complete the text readings, and knowledge reviews in them. The advanced book will have all the other dives listed as well, you are only responsible for the 5 dives you pick.

Once you have done your 5 dives, the readings, and knowledge reviews you will awarded the Advanced Open Water Diver Certification card (or C-card).

But why do I need this certification. Remember I said you need to do the deep and navigation dives as part of you 5 total dives. The reason stems around those dives.

When you go on a dive trip, the DM(Dive Master) of the boat will ask for C Cards. If you have the Advanced Card they know you have had training in diving deep and navigation. Most dive operations take divers to spots that have the potential for a deep dive. If you had the training they know that they do not have to worry about your going deep and hurting yourself. They know you had the training.

Now for Navigation. In the Open water course we teach you to use a compass on the surface and underwater in a straight line. In this dive, we will teach you how to do a square, and a tri-angle. Every dive you do will have in it some form of navigation skills. Every diver need more advanced training in this area, and what you learn in the advanced course is that more advanced training. Not the end all to navigation, but a start.

Once these 5 dives are completed, you will be given credit for the first dive if you chose to go on and complete the entire specialty rating for those dives, Which I highly recommend.

Check out my sponsors links for soem FREE items.