Dive RAID International has introduced two new courses designed to bridge gaps between its technical and recreational programmes – Nitrox Plus and Decompression Diver.
The RAID Nitrox Plus course is designed for recreational divers who wish to extend their underwater time and gain insights into technical diving but without having to make a major investment in new kit, says RAID. It is concerned with using two cylinders (single plus stage) to provide the security of extra gas down to the 40m recreational limit, and learning the most efficient way to set it up and use it.
The course focuses on using nitrox for dives with maximum safety stops of 10min, and incorporates a conservative gradient factor.
Decompression Diver is designed as a “soft introduction” to staged decompression diving, using sidemount or twinset, and allows for dives to 40m using three cylinders, two carrying bottom gas and one with decompression gas between 50 and 100% oxygen. The course can be combined with RAID sidemount or twinset training.
Students must be experienced open-water divers aged 18 or above with 30/25hr or more logged under water with Deep, Nitrox (or Nitrox Plus) and Explorer 30 or Advanced 35 specialities. RAID Deco 40 instructors or higher can conduct the course.
The students will be expected to complete at least one confined-water dive and a minimum of four open-water training dives over at least three hours. One or more of these must be a deco dive.
Free emergency response certs
For its trainers, meanwhile, RAID is offering free First Aid Instructor and Oxygen Provider Instructor certification if they apply before the end of April 2025.
The goal is “to have well-trained First Aid and Oxygen Providers present on every dive, at every site, around the world”, says the agency – thus making diving “a little safer”.
By the end of 2025, the intention is for all RAID leadership professionals to hold both certifications. For existing RAID instructors who have yet to gain them it is making the credits available for no fee until the end of April, after which candidates will need to pay the equivalent of US $50 each for them.
Also on Divernet: ‘BE THE BEST BUDDY EVER!’ SAYS RAID, RAID SCUBA INSTRUCTORS INVITED TO EMBRACE FREEDIVING, RAID COURSE GUIDES OC DIVERS DOWN TO 100M
