Medic First Aid

The Medic First Aid course at Correct Diving is 16 hours covering general first aid and dive-specific emergency response. It's a prerequisite for the Advanced Open Water Diver course here, so most divers working through the I.R.T.D.A. progression will take it at some point. The certification is valid for three years before renewal.

Theory covers the human body, primary and secondary casualty surveys, CPR, recovery position, shock treatment, fractures, transport techniques, hypothermia, hyperthermia, eye injuries, and bandaging — a broad syllabus that's useful outside diving as well. The written exam has 30 questions.

Practice sessions cover the full emergency sequence: scene assessment, primary survey, airway and pulse checks, CPR, recovery position, secondary survey, and transport with one, two, or more helpers. Bandaging techniques cover bruising, sprains, fractures, eye injuries, and burns. All of this runs in a classroom setting at the base, with the covered classroom space and terrace available for larger groups.

No prior experience or logged dives are required. Minimum age is 14. The follow-on Oxygen Provider course builds on this certification and adds oxygen therapy protocols for dive emergencies specifically.