Divemaster Roles and Responsibilities

Divemaster Roles and Responsibilities

Objectives

• Identify and discuss the roles of the NAUI divemaster.

• List and describe the duties of the NAUI Divemaster.

• Distinguish between the roles and duties of the NAUI divemaster.

Definitions

• Role– A function or office assumed by someone

• Duty– Conduct based on moral or legal obligation.– Any action, task, etc. Required by or relating

to one’s occupation or position.

(Taken from Webster’s New World Dictionary)

Divemaster Roles

• NAUI leader role model– Promote NAUI = promote yourself

• All Assistant Instructor Roles– When acting as an AI– See later slides

• Emergency management leader– As long as you are the most qualified

• Dive activity Organizer and coordinator– Certified divers only

Divemaster Roles

• Dive trip Organizer and leader– Certified divers only

• Diving Advisor– Private/recreational– Professional– Transfer Responsibility

• Underwater guide– Arranged in advance– Business contract

Divemaster Duties

• All AI duties and responsibilities– When assisting

• Planning, organizing, promoting and coordinating diving activities for certified divers.

• Conducting pre-dive equipment inspections– Transfer responsibility

• Announce everyone is responsible for his/her own equipment• You are all certified divers

– Perform inspections• For everyone or no one• Only by request• Not at all

Divemaster Duties

• Helping divers estimate weighting requirements– Transfer responsibility– Provide estimates

• For everyone • For no one• Only by request• Not at all

Divemaster Duties

• Helping divers prevent or resolve problems – When is the best time to do this– Suggested techniques

• Get to know your divers• Listen• Ask open ended questions• Be approachable not judgemental• Anticipation/Advanced visualization• No undue pressure

Divemaster Duties

• Guiding certified divers underwater– When pre-arranged

• Managing emergency situations– Until instructor or more qualified individual

takes over

Acting as an Assistant Instructor

Objectives

• Describe the relationship between the divemaster and the instructor.

• Describe the relationship between the divemaster and the students.

• Describe who other than instructors, may escort entry level students, when they may do so, and the maximum allowable ratio.

Divemaster/Instructor Relationship

• Instructor is in charge• Teaching/supervision Style vs Technique

– What if the instructor is unsafe?

• Standards• Burnout• Job description

– What does the instructor expect of you?

• Challenging students• Compatible styles and personalities

Divemaster/Instructor Relationship

Divemaster/Student relationship

• Responsible for teaching– Skills demo must be teaching quality– Knowledge of scuba theory– Equipment knowledge and comfort

• Responsible for student safety

• Role model as a diver

Instructor / Student Ratios

Maximum ratios apply to ideal conditions!

Entry Level• Instructor alone

– 8 students

• Instructor with 1 active-status assistant– 10 students

• Instructor with 2 or more active status assistants– 12

Instructor / Student Ratios

Courses beyond entry level• Instructor alone

– 10 students

• Instructor + 1 Active status assistant– 16 students

• Instructor + 2 active status assistants– 20 students

• Instructor + 3 active status assistants– 22 students

Active Status Assistants

• NAUI Instructor– Active status– Sustaining with insurance

• NAUI DMs active status• NAUI AI active status• NAUI Skin Diving Instructor

– Scuba certified– Rescue certified

• Other agency members with corresponding ratings

Escorting Students

• Certified assistants may escort students during– Surface excursions and exits– Ascents and exits– Temporarily attend to students while the

instructor conducts a skill with other students.

Touring

• During the second or subsequent open water dives, pairs of students may be escorted on tours

• The instructor must evaluate the following skills for each student before that student is allowed to tour with a certified assistant:

Touring

Student skills to be evaluated:• Regain, replace and clear a regulator• Regain primary regulator from behind the

shoulder• Mask clearing including removal and

replacement• Hover without support or significant movement• Give, recognize and respond appropriately to

common underwater communications

Touring

• Share air with another diver as both donor and recipient

• Monitor air supply and, upon request, communicate amount remaining

Training Assistant

Does not count toward ratios but may escort 2 students on underwater tours

Requirements• NAUI Advanced or Equivalent• NAUI Scuba Rescue or Equivalent• CPR and FirstAid• Navigation

– Reciprocal course within 10 feet– Square pattern within 10 feet

Training Assistant

• Assist divers simulating– Muscle cramp– Anxiety– Breathing difficulty– Signs of pre-panic

• Assist/escort a tired and an incapacitated diver to safety

• Be in charge of and satisfactorily act as an escort during an open water dive for 2 other divers

• Demonstrate a satisfactory scuba diver rescue