My Octopus Goes Where?

THE DIVE INDUSTRY IS FULL OF DEBATES. Should you use a jacket-style, back-inflate, or backplate and wing buoyancy compensator? A canister light or a cordless light? A weight belt or integrated weights? Regular fins or split fins?

Prepare for Safe Dive Travel

If it took two planes, a boat and a hike to get somewhere, getting out will usually be similarly complicated. With that in mind, always prepare for safe travel.

Female diver sits on the edge of a boat and gives a thumbs up to the camera. In the background are two male divers.

Tank Safety

Do you fully understand relevant safety standards and maintenance practices of cylinders? Gain an education on how to safely transport cylinders, inspect life support equipment and more.

Line of scuba tanks

Teaching Rescue: Am I Qualified?

WHEN ASKED TO DESCRIBE THEIR FAVORITE COURSE, many divers will discuss the challenges and triumphs they experienced during their rescue class. Instructors often describe rescue as the most rewarding course […]

dive rescue course at DAN

Tips for Better Oxygen Administration

Dive-accident victims benefit from the use of oxygen in two fundamental ways. Learn how they benefit and how to administer oxygen.

Woman lies in beach chair wearing oxygen mask

Tips for Safer Boat Diving

Boat diving can become much safer with the implementation of practicing better attention to detail and situational awareness. With these two practices, you can have a safer boat diving experience.

Close-up image of a weight belt

After the Accident

Being involved in a traumatic event can take a toll on everyone: dive professionals or rescue divers who perform a rescue, lay providers who help with CPR and first aid, and dive buddies or bystanders.

Old Habits Die Hard

Make it your standard practice to gently and completely turn on your air. If you’re an instructor, consider not teaching students the quarter-turn back. Dive operations should instruct their staff not to perform the quarter-turn-back practice on customers’ cylinders. Confusing the direction of a handwheel does not happen only to new or inexperienced divers. There have been anecdotal reports of divemasters on busy boats accidentally turning off customers’ cylinders and then performing only a quarter-turn on.

A diver underwater gives an out of air signal by putting his hand across his throat.

Go Get DAN!

Emergencies can happen anywhere — even at a tradeshow. A DAN member recounts their memories of helping a badly wounded person and how their DAN first-responder skills helped.

Aerial view of a busy convention center showcase floor

Freediving Safety Awareness

Interest in breath-hold diving, also known as freediving, has grown exponentially over the past decade. Most individuals who enjoy watersports have held their breath underwater at some point, but most do so without formal training or awareness of the known dangers despite the ready availability of this lifesaving information.

formal training, breath-hold diving