Credit Courses for Science Divers

BSC 4934/BSC 5936 AAUS Scientific Diving: Methods for Scientists
Summer 2008 at the FSU Coastal & Marine Laboratory

Update: The credit course BSC 4934/BSC 5936 AAUS Scientific Diving: Methods for Scientists has been canceled for summer 2008. To compensate for students who need science diver status to perform research this summer a 4-day non-credit Science Diver workshop will be taught tentatively April 29 - May 2 2008.

Prerequisite: 1.Open water certification through a nationally recognized organization; 2. Ten logged dives past the open water certification; 3. Completed science diving packet of forms; 4. The consent of the instructor to take the course. 5. Must have CPR,First Aid,O2 Administration certification and Rescue Diver certification.

This course is designed to create AAUS qualified scientific divers who wish to participate in scientific diving opportunities here at FSU and abroad. The students will be exposed to a wide range of diving activities including but not limited to: Hydrographic survey using remote sensing equipment, Surface supplied diving, small boat dive operations, validating targets and underwater survey techniques.

In addition to the diving skills the course will include instruction in seamanship and the use of advanced positioning and sounding equipment such as survey grade GPS, Radar, sub-bottom profiler and Side Scanning Sonar.  The course is demanding but will expose the students to the rigors and rewards of carrying out research in the ocean and the very specialized set of skills it takes to make it happen.

All open water dives will be staged out of the FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory in St. Teresa. Included in course will be Hazmat, Nitrox, and an indoctrination to surface supplied diving. Diving schedules will be flexible, weather and equipment permitting. Additional fees for special dives may be required.

Non-Credit Courses for Divers

To apply for non-credit courses, please fill out the Non-Credit Course Application Form. *Courses required for science divers. **Courses suggested for science divers

NAUI First-Aid All Inclusive Course: CPR-First Aid, O2 administration, AED, Blood born pathogens

March 3-5 from 6-9p.m. in Room 307 Bio Unit 1 on FSU Main Campus.
Cost of course $30.00 which includes new cards and books.
NAUI's all inclusive First Aid course is sanctioned by the American Health and Safety Institute (ASHI). The educational material packet contains all the standard first aid information, with additional subjects including: Automated External Defibrillation (AED), Blood-borne Pathogens, Emergency Oxygen Administration and First Aid for Aquatic Life Injuries.

*Risk Management

This course provides divers with an overview of the risks commonly encountered in diving and discusses methods to identify and effectively manage these risks. Also covers "authority, responsibility, and liability" as these terms relate to diving under the auspices of FSU

Hazardous Materials (hazmat) This course is designed to make the student aware of the potentially dangerous chemical exposure when cleaning and repairing SCUBA equipment. Students will also learn the procedures for storing and handling these chemicals.

**Drysuit Diver Students completing this course will have the knowledge and demonstrate in-water emergency procedures, care, and maintenance associated with the use of dry suits.

**Nitrox Diver This course provides the certified diver with information necessary to utilize oxygen enriched air (nitrox) as a breathing medium. The course will include a two hour lecture and at least two open water dives where the student will analyze his or her own mixture, plan and safely execute each dive.

Equipment Repair and Maintenance

Prerequisite: Open Water certification from a nationally recognized organization (e.g., NAUI, PADI, SSI, YMCA)

This course is designed for certified divers who wish to learn more about the equipment side of scuba diving.  This course covers topics from supervision, inventory, and risk management, to cylinder filling, regulator repairs, and compressor maintenance.  Throughout the class, students will be required to stay current on selected readings and attend mandatory lab sessions. Students will be tested periodically on this material.

*40 Hour Surface Supplied Training Certificate Course

Intense training course designed to meet the needs of the scientific diving and the public safety diving community. The course incorporates commercial diving safety measures and regulatory requirements into the diving techniques of the scientist and public safety officers. Surface supplied diving techniques utilize the Kirby Morgan superlite 17B and KMB 18. Course curriculum includes regulatory compliance training including OSHA, DOT, and ADC diving regulations, advanced diving medicine, physiology and physics, line-tended / surface-supplied searching techniques, and certification as a Kirby Morgan Diving Systems International equipment inspection technician.

Full Face Mask Diving

*Rescue Diver Certification

April 1-4 from 6-9p.m. in Room 307 Bio Unit 1 on FSU Main Campus. These dates are for the lecture section only and two dives on the R/V Seminole at the FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory which will be arranged for a later weekend. Cost of course 75.00 which includes cards, books, and the two dives on the R/V Seminole.

This course trains divers in the knowledge and skills needed to manage risks and effectively handle inwater problems and diving emergencies. Included are: assists, transports, surface rescues and rescues from depth involving both boat and shore based scuba divers.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Mike Lavender at mlavender@fsu.edu