TECHNICAL DIVING

My Personal Statement

Nitrox Resort Diver

This program is designed to provide recreational divers with an introductory experience to the benefits of EANx diving. The diver may elect to dive the "mix" on EANx tables or conservatively using their dive computers on air tables with an added diver safety margin. The program does not certify divers as EANx divers and does not count toward EANx Diver certification.

Nitrox Diver
This program provides recreational divers a safer breathing medium for enjoying dives in 40 fsw (12 msw) to 130 fsw (39 msw) depth range. The diver may elect to dive the mix on EANx tables or conservatively using their dive computers or air tables with an added diver safety margin. The IANTD Nitrox Diver certification is adaptable to being taught as a single program or by combining it with a variety of advanced or specialty diver courses.

Deep Diver
This program has been developed to provide responsible training to divers who plan to dive to 130 fsw (39 msw) on air. The IANTD Deep Air Diver program trains divers in skills, performance, theory and planning of deep dives. This program remains within the commonly practiced depth of 130 fsw (39 msw). It is the first sanctioned program to provide proper international training in safe deep diving skills and performance. It is recommended that this program be taught in conjunction with the IANTD EANx Diver program.

Advanced Nitrox Diver
This program is designed to extend the divers knowledge with O2 mixes of 22 to 40% and up to 50% for decompression. It further develops diving skills and provides a greater understanding of the Nitrox diving concept.

Cavern and Wreck
The Cavern and Wreck training programs develop wreck diving skills and cavern diving skills within limits of light penetration. These programs are designed to ensure divers are aware of self-responsibility and capable of risk management in overhead environments. The programs may be taught using either air or Nitrox.

Divemaster
This program is designed to provide responsible training for those persons wishing to supervise standard IANTD divers, including Nitrox Divers, Advanced Nitrox Divers and Deep Air Divers. IANTD Nitrox Divemasters may supervise and assist in all open water IANTD diver programs but cannot conduct training exercise's unless under the direction of a qualified IANTD instructor.

Mixing and Blending Technician
This program is intended to teach detailed technical information to mixing and blending technicians. It is intended to explain the standards, properties, equipment, oxygen safety, handling and cleaning procedures for mixing or blending diving gases other than air, such as Nitrox (EANx).

Trimix Gas Blender
This program has been designed to train competent personnel in the safe handling of oxygen and the preparation of Trimix.

Technical Diver Supervisor
This program is designed to provide recognition of leadership qualifications of competent divers. A Nitrox Technical Diver Supervisor is a leadership or instructor in training rating. Nitrox Technical Diver Supervisors may supervise divers in open water and students in all standard courses (except Overhead Environment) Advanced Deep Air Diver, and Nitrox Technical Diver under the direction of a qualified IANTD instructor.

Normoxic Trimix Diver

The IANTD Normoxic Trimix Diver program is aimed at those who wish to dive in the zone between 130 fsw (39 msw) and 200 fsw (60 msw) but are not comfortable doing so on air. The course uses normoxic mixtures and consists of 12 dives and one three (3) hour confined water session. Six (6) dives are on air to depths between 100 fsw (30 msw) and 130 fsw (39 msw) and six (6) dives involve practicing specified skills at depths between 30 fsw (9 msw) and 90 fsw (27 msw). All dives will be performed with two (2) stage cylinders. Four (4) Trimix dives are also made in the course with two (2) at depths up to 165 fsw (50 msw) and two (2) at depths up to 200 fsw (60 msw). This is an intense seven (7) day program enabling the graduate to be qualified to dive normoxic Trimix to 200 fsw (60 msw). It does not qualify the diver to use hypoxic mixtures to participate in dives deeper than 200 fsw (60 msw). The text for the course is IANTD's Technical Diver Encyclopedia, associated Technical Diver Workbook, Slides and newly developed Water-proof Tables.

Trimix Diver
The IANTD Trimix Diver program is dedicated to those individuals already involved in deep diving activities. The Trimix course is not designed to be used as an enticement to divers who are content to remain in normal recreational or Nitrox diving limits. Trimix affords a safer method for deep water exploration for divers who must dive deep or perform with a clear head in intermediate depths. The IANTD Trimix program establishes the need to be self-sufficient.

Trimix Diver Supervisor
This program provides certification and recognition for leadership levels of Trimix diving. A Trimix Diver Supervisor is a leadership or instructor in training rating and prerequisite for IANTD Trimix instructor. IANTD Diver Supervisors may supervise and assist in all open water IANTD Diver programs but cannot conduct training exercises unless under the direction of a qualified IANTD instructor.

Introductory Cave Diver
The design of this program provides an introduction to the cave diving environment of recreational divers.

Technical Cave Diver

This program is designed to provide advanced training in cave diving skills. This multiple disciplined program covers survey diving, stage/multi-stage diving, DPV diving and side-mount diving.

Technical Wreck Diver
This program trains divers in safe wreck penetration diving and the technical utilization of Nitrox for wreck exploration and the use of Nitrox and oxygen for decompression.

Wreck Diver Supervisor
This program provides certification and recognition for leadership levels of wreck diving. A Wreck Diver Supervisor is a leadership or instructor in training rating and prerequisite for IANTD Wreck Instructor. IANTD Wreck Diver Supervisor may supervise wreck dives and lead wreck tours but cannot conduct training exercises unless under the direction of a qualified IANTD Cave Instructor.

Nitrox Instructor
This program ensures professional, quality training to IANTD divers. An IANTD Nitrox Instructor teaches Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox and Open Water Nitrox Diver programs.

Advanced Nitrox Instructor
IANTD Nitrox Instructors who have gained experience teaching may obtain additional training in order to teach the Advanced Nitrox and Deep Diver programs. Advanced Nitrox Instructors also train Dive Masters and may offer additional specialties.

Cavern and Wreck Instructor

These programs develop qualified IANTD Wreck or Cavern Dive Instructors. This program may be taught in either wrecks, caverns, or a combination of both.

Technical Instructor Development Program
The program trains qualified IANTD Technical Divers who are not already Scuba instructors to teach IANTD Technical Diving Programs. This program is offered only to IANTD Technical Divers with outstanding experience and knowledge. To participate, the individual must be recommended by a current IANTD Instructor. Upon teaching three non-technical programs, the newly certified IANTD Instructor may progress as defined in the IANTD Standards and Procedures.

Technical Instructor
This program has been designed to provide a more in depth knowledge of Nitrox and technical diving application. This individual is charged with teaching divers who use custom blends of Nitrox for bottom mix, travel mixes and decompression mixes.

Technical Cave Diver Instructor
This program develops competent instructors for teaching the safe usage of Nitrox mixtures while cave diving.

Technical Wreck Diver Instructor
This program provides a responsible approach for the training of high quality wreck penetration instructors.

Normoxic Trimix Instructor
Fulfilling a need for Trimix advantages at shallower depths than the traditional Trimix training, Normoxic Trimix Instructors provide training in the use of Helium mixes in intermediate depth dives.

Trimix Instructor
This mixed gas program was developed by leading diving educators, diving physiologist's and the most experienced gas divers in the technical diving community. The IANTD Trimix Instructor represent the standard of excellence in mixed gas applications for recreational diving.

Gas Blending Instructor
There are several programs designed to promote the safe practices of gas blending. The EANx Gas Blender and Trimix Gas Blender programs are taught by qualified IANTD Instructors to provide specialized training to personnel who are involved with filling cylinders and operating filling stations. In addition there are programs for Life Support Systems Technicians who repair and maintain diving equipment.

Instructor Trainer
Program information available upon request through your local IANTD Nitrox/Trimix facilities.

Rebreather Diver & Instructor Specialty
This program enables students to learn the essentials of rebreather technology & practical use of rebreathers. The courses are designed to work in conjunction with manufacturers programs specific to each rebreather unit.

Instructor Specific Specialties
DPV, Accident Management, Stress Management, and other specialized programs are available. Please inquire to IANTD HQ.

Advanced Diving Medicine & Recompression Chamber Operations
This program teaches physicians, allied medical, dive supervisors and dive rescue personnel the proper techniques for medically evaluating dive candidates, early recognition of the signs/symptoms of DCS and EAA field management (First Aid), evacuation of diving accident victims, pharmaceutical agents, total recompression chamber operations and the use of gases during hyperbaric exposures and medical equipment in the hyperbaric environment.

Getting to know gases
Narcotic properties and mass

* Atomic Mass Units.

** Solubilities, S, are quoted in milliliters of dissolved gas per milliliter of solvent.

*** Relative Narcotic Potencity Units are dimensionless (referenced to nitrogen in observed effect). The least potent gases have the highest index.

Saturation and desaturation speeds of inert gases are inversely proportional to the square root of their atomic masses. Hydrogen will saturate and desaturate approximately 3.7 times faster than nitrogen, and helium will saturate and desaturate some 2.7 times faster than nitrogen.

The quantity of gas dissolved -- moles not cubic feet -- is one factor that will dictate the potential size of bubbles formed within a person's body, and hence it's important to consider the solubilities of gases. Higher gas solubilities promote bigger bubbles. Looking at the table then, we can say that helium is preferable to hydrogen as a light gas, while nitrogen is perferable to argon as a heavy gas. Neon solubility roughly equals nitrogen solubility. Narcotic potency correlates with lipid (fatty tissue) solubility, with the least narcotic gases the least soluble. What do you think are oxygen's protential for narcosis?

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