TRAVEL continued
During the brief and right before a dive, dive guides can quickly remind their clients to complete a buddy safety check-in. Doing so will aid in strengthening the memories of other divers on the protocols and the reasons why we have a buddy system in the first place. Dive centers, oper-
The 3 points to add to your dive brief: 1. Always be aware of the location of your buddy. You should be two to three fin kicks away in case of emer- gency. Travel together as a duo and do not swim off with- out them.
ators, and tour leaders represent the dive professionals who recreational divers can trust to hold the lion’s share of knowledge and experience. By including a quick three- step reminder in buddy safety protocol dur- ing the dive brief, dive professionals can add an extra layer of protection against lapses of memory and human error. Simple reminders and prevention measures could mitigate more dangerous emergencies, and save your dive business in time, money, and reputation. Divers who experience close calls are much less likely to continue diving in the near future, will likely associate their
2. Equipment review — actually take a look at your buddies' equipment. For example, in case of an emergency, you must be familiar with how they drop their weights. Are they using a weight belt or pockets? How do the pockets release? 3. Get to know them with a brief check-in. What kind of experience does your buddy have? How comfortable do they feel with the dive plan? Do they have any new or unfamiliar equipment? Do they have more cold or warm water dives? Do they seem nervous, stressed, relaxed, or frazzled?
The 3 points to add to your dive brief:
1. Always be aware of the location of your buddy 2. Look at your buddies' equipment.
3. Get to know them with a brief check-in.
As dive professionals, we serve as the first line of defense in preventing dive accidents. Additionally, dive accidents will reflect poorly on your business, and even close calls could result in a decrease in business, as clients feel shaken and that they need time out of the water to emotionally re- cover.
close call with your dive business, and the potential dive accident will ultimately end up reflecting poorly on the business itself. Reminding clients that your business cares
about their health and safety will leave a pos- itive lasting impression and encourage clients to return on future dive trips.
TRAINING
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Tips for Keeping Divers Engaged and Active – by Patrick Hammer, PADI CD-4325
After returning home from DEMA, I took some time to re- flect on the show. I came away with two key points. First, too many dive shops seem to be looking for a "silver bullet" —
nerstone of this industry. You helped it grow, and some- where along the way, we lost that.” He then shifted the conversation to Tec diving until I eventually had to leave. Oddly enough, he didn’t seem interested in hearing what we were doing differently back then. One word came to mind during that exchange: engage- ment . Today, we train divers, certify them, and move on to the next batch. Some instructors even refer to it as a "teabag" approach — dip them in and move on. This mindset has instructors and dive shops so focused on training that they forget about the new divers they’ve just certified. For some, diving might have been just a bucket list item. But with the right engagement, we could turn them into lifelong divers — and maybe even future pro- fessionals.
an easy way to make money or attract travel opportunities. At DEMA, I noticed an interesting sentiment: people felt the industry was stagnant. The second point, which inspired me to write this arti- cle, stemmed from a conversation I had while sitting at a table with a man around 45 years old. He started talking about the state of the industry and how we’re failing to attract or retain new divers and professionals. What struck me most was when he said, “Your generation was the cor-
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