Andrea, Vice President of Lifeguard Systems and RIPTIDE, a NAUI & ACUC course director, and a PADI, DAN, and Red Cross Instructor, teaches over 1000 surface rescue and dive personnel annually. She co-authored with Walt Hendrick such videos and books as Ice Diving Operations, Surface Ice Rescue, Scuba Instructor Readiness Series, Field Neurological Evaluations, Public Safety Dive Operations, Blackwater Contingency, and Homicidal Drowning Investigations, was the managing editor of SORTIE Magazine, manages the www.wateroperation.com discussion group, and has over 100 published articles. She is a noted public speaker, award winner, a NYS EMT.
Andrea has been teaching dive teams how to find bodies and evidence since 1987, and co-founded nonprofit RIPTIDE to assist law enforcement with homicidal drowning investigations. She is a medicolegal death investigator with Dutchess County M.E. Office, is a noted author, speaks at Coroner and Forensic conferences nationwide, and has received acknowledgements such as the DAN-Rolex Diver of the Year Award.
Andrea teaches over 1500 police, fire, EMS, and sport diver personnel annually worldwide, in everything from U/W vehicle extrication, instructor-level rescue, field neurological evaluations, to blackwater searching. Vice President of Lifeguard Systems & RIPTIDE, a course director, a noted public speaker, award winner, RIPTIDE e-zine editor, and the www.wateroperation.com on-line discussion group manager, she is one of the leading trainers in the water rescue and recovery industry today. Her main mission is to keep you alive and well. Send questions/comments to az@teamlgs.com
What Sport Divers can Learn from Public Safety Divers
Sport divers can become safer, stronger, and more confident by using several public safety diving techniques. Learn how to manage zero visibility situations, become more self-sufficient, and most importantly become reflexive with well-proven contingency procedures for self and buddy rescue. Divemasters and instructors will learn invaluable tools to prevent, recognize, and manage a variety of diver problems. Turn “emergencies” into mere inconveniences. Topics will address gear configuration, dive planning, and dive procedures for such issues as entanglements, out-of-air incidents, high air consumption, stress and panic, solo diving, and currents.