Search and Recovery

AIM

To instruct Sports Divers in the correct techniques and procedures involved in Search and Rescue projects, and to provide practical experience of underwater search methods and the use of buoyancy for lifting.

INSTRUCTORS

Chief instructor to be a BSAC Open Water Instructor and Advanced Diver. Other Instructors should be BSAC NQI (Club Instructors minimum) who are also Advanced Divers and have done the course as a student.

Ratio - One instructor for every four students.

FACILITIES

Suitable classroom for theory lessons. Suitable open space for dry practice (playing field, car park, beach). Open water area with level seabed, maximum depth 6m. for practical activities. In this instance, limited visibility is helpful!

Equipment requirements: ropes, shotweights, floats etc. to set up all types of search on land and underwater. Sufficient large items for lifting. Sufficient lifting bags, ropes, slings, spare air cylinders for lifting bag inflation, etc. for each group.

APPROVAL

Skill Development Course Registration Procedure applies.

SYLLABUS

Day 1

Assemble, Introductions, Administration

1 Classroom Lesson - The Shotline and its uses - 45 minutes

• When, where and why to use a shotline
• Simple shotline; use of 'waster'
• Lazy shots: top released, bottom released
• How to construct a shotline: line length, weight, buoy
• Provision for decompression stops
• Deployment, adjustment, recovery

2 Classroom Lesson - Search Operations - 45 minutes

• Requirements for an effective search
• The object of the search: the area to be searched
• Searches: circular search, jackstay search, swimline search
• General advice

3 Classroom Practical - Shotline Construction Workshop - 60 minutes
Instructor demonstrates to group, who then practice, how to make up different types of shotline

• Simple shotline; use of 'waster'
• Lazy shots: top and bottom released
• Attaching small lifting bag

4 Practical - Search Techniques- Dry Practice 1 - 25 minutes
Instructors demonstrate each procedure, then gives students the chance to practice:

• Circular search, or
• Jackstay search

5 Practical - Search Techniques - Dive 1 - 100 minutes
Open water lesson during which Instructor teaches and then supervises students while they:

• Deploy the equipment
• Practice either a circular search or a jackstay/swimline search
• Recover the equipment

6 Practical - Search techniques - Dry Practice 2 - 25 minutes
As Practical Session 4, but practicing the other search technique.

7 Practical - Search Techniques - Dive 2 - 100 minutes
As Practical session 5, but practicing the other search technique

Day 2

8 Classroom Lesson - Recovery Operations - 45 minutes

• Buoyancy for Lifting
• Lifting bags: quantity, size
• Attachment of lifting bags to the object
• Air requirements and supplies for filling lifting bags
• Making the lift, bringing the object ashore
• Other ideas

9 Practical - Recovery Techniques - Dry Practicals - 60 minutes
Demonstrations followed by student practice:

• Measure the object, determine what is needed (equipment, air) to lift it; how to lift it
• Inspect/check out lifting equipment
• Prepare slings, inflation cylinders
• Use of slings, clips etc. rather than ropes

10 Practical - Search and Recovery - 1 (6m maximum) - 120 minutes
Working in groups, Instructor demonstrates:

• Attachment of lifting bags to object
• Inflation using dedicated cylinder
• Lifting under control
• Returning object to seabed under control
• Students then practice partial lift of object under supervision.

11 Practical - Practical Search and Recovery - 2- 120 minutes
Working in student groups under Instructor supervision:

• Locate object to be lifted
• Attach lifting bags
• Inflate bags, lifting under control
• Make object secure at surface, bring ashore
• Recover equipment, clear site

(*See Note 2)

12 Classroom - Open Forum - 30 minutes

• Course debriefing
• Issue Students Notes and Course Certification
• Disperse
• Instructor debriefing