| 1. General This course is the HSA Open Water Buddy Certification Course. It is designed to prepare certified Open Water SCUBA Divers, and above, to be effective and safe dive buddies for certified Scuba divers with wide variety of disabilities. |
2. Course Objectives
This Course is a complete Certification Course in buddy diving with divers with disabilities.
3. Qualification of Graduates
When successfully completed, course graduates will be considered competent to dive with and assist in open water Skin and Scuba diving activities with certified divers with disabilities, providing that:
a. Diving activities approximate those in which the diver was trained.
b. Dive site environment and conditions resemble those encountered during training.
c. Diver complies with all HSA recommended diving procedures.
d. Dive buddy is an HSA member in good standing.
4. Who May Teach
This course may be taught by an active Handicapped Scuba Association Instructor in good standing.
5. Prerequisites for Entering Course
a. Minimum Certification of HSA Level A Open Water Scuba Diver, or equivalent certification.
b. Minimum of thirty-six (36) logged scuba dives, not including training dives, within two (2) years prior to the starting date of the Dive Buddy Course.
c. Minimum rescue skills. Successfully challenged HSA Physical Performance Standards IC. 41 and 42, II C. 31 and 32 or equivalent Performance Standards.
d. Minimum air sharing skills. Successfully challenged HSA Physical Performance Standards
I.C. 26,27,28, 31 and 32; II.C. 21, 22 and 24 or equivalent Performance Standards.
6. Required Academic Requirements
a. Meet or exceed academic requirements of the HSA Open Water Dive Buddy Course
b. Sign-off HSA Guidelines for Safe Diving in a classroom setting.
7. Required Course Minimums
a. The number of classroom hours is determined by the time required to complete all the HSA Dive
Buddy Course Lectures. Recommended minimum 6 hours.
b. The number of confined water hours is determined by the time required to complete all the HSA
Dive Buddy Course confined water exercises. Recommended minimum 6 hours
c. Number of open water dive eight (8) to complete all of the HSA Dive Buddy Course open water exercises.
