THINK LIKE A DIVER. ACT LIKE A RESCUER.
The PADI Rescue Diver course is one of the most rewarding and formative experiences in any diver’s career. It prepares you to handle emergencies both underwater and on the surface, improving your personal safety and your ability to assist others.
Many divers say this is the course where they truly learned what it means to be responsible, aware, and prepared.
What You Will Learn
During the Rescue Diver course, you’ll gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to:
- Prevent and manage common dive-related problems
- Recognize signs of physical and emotional stress in divers
- Handle real-life underwater emergencies, both for individuals and groups
- Perform self-rescue, rescue a panicked diver, or assist an unresponsive diver
- Coordinate search, recovery, and evacuation operations
- Improve communication, awareness, and teamwork
The course combines classroom (or online) study with in-water training and realistic emergency scenarios.
Participation Requirements
- Minimum age: 12 years
- Certification: PADI Adventure Diver (with completed navigation dive)
- Certification: EFR (Emergency First Response) Primary & Secondary Care within the past 24 months
(If you're not EFR certified yet, you can add it to your Rescue Diver program)
Course Structure
- Knowledge development (in person or through eLearning)
- Confined water practice sessions
- Realistic open water emergency scenarios
- Debriefing, evaluation, and personalized feedback
Why Take the Rescue Diver Course?
- Prepares you for more complex and challenging dive environments
- Is a required step toward becoming a PADI Divemaster
- Significantly improves your awareness and safety in the water
- Helps you become a confident and reliable dive buddy, ready to assist others when needed
Get Ready to Make a Difference
The Rescue Diver course is demanding but incredibly rewarding. It will challenge you, help you grow, and give you valuable skills you can use on every dive—anywhere in the world.