Most divers who finish Rescue Diver say the same thing afterward: it changed the way they dive. This guide to the PADI Rescue Diver course Belize visitors take with White Sands Dive Shop on Ambergris Caye explains what the course teaches, what you need before you start, how many days to allow and how it links to our First Responder course.
It is written for certified divers who want to become a better buddy, for anyone planning to go on to Divemaster, and for divers who are curious but a little nervous about how hard the course is. Your instructor is Elbert Greer, a PADI IDC Staff Instructor who owns and runs the shop.
How long does the PADI Rescue Diver course in Belize take?
Quick answer: At White Sands Dive Shop on Ambergris Caye, allow 3 days for the PADI Rescue Diver course. It builds the knowledge and skills to perform diver rescues, manage diving accidents and give first aid, through 12 rescue scenarios and a multiple choice test. You also need recent CPR and first aid training, which our First Responder course covers.
What the Rescue Diver course teaches
Earlier courses teach you to look after yourself underwater. Rescue Diver teaches you to look after other people too. Our course is designed to develop the knowledge and skills you need to perform diver rescues, manage diving accident situations and render proper first aid.
The course includes 12 rescue scenarios and a multiple choice test. The scenarios are where the learning happens, because you practice responding to a diver in trouble until the steps feel natural.
- Spotting stress early: noticing the tired, anxious or struggling diver before a small problem becomes a big one.
- Helping a diver at the surface: approaching safely, giving buoyancy and calming them down.
- Handling a diver in trouble underwater and bringing them up under control.
- Managing an accident scene: who does what, who calls for help and what equipment you need.
- First aid for a diver once they are out of the water.
Rescue Diver prerequisites
PADI sets the entry rules for the course. According to PADI’s guide to how hard the Rescue Diver course is, the minimum age is 12, and divers aged 12 to 14 earn a Junior Rescue Diver card. You need to hold PADI Adventure Diver with the Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive, or be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.
PADI also requires CPR and first aid training within the last 24 months. If you do not have it, you can complete our First Responder course on the island before Rescue.
Not there yet? Our Advanced Open Water course on Ambergris Caye includes the navigation dive and meets the certification prerequisite. If it has been a while since your last dive, a scuba refresher course on Ambergris Caye is a sensible first day.
Emergency First Response course in San Pedro, Belize
Our First Responder course is Emergency First Response, designed by Emergency First Response Corp., a PADI corporate affiliate. It has two parts: Primary Care, which covers CPR, and Secondary Care, which covers first aid.
The two parts can be taught separately or together, and they follow current layperson emergency care standards. The course is built around a low stress learning environment, and it is useful well beyond diving, at home, at work or on the road.
First aid matters in diving because some injuries need help fast. The Divers Alert Network describes emergency oxygen as the primary first aid for scuba diving injuries such as decompression sickness, and stresses that it must be given by a trained provider with a good mask fit.
Rescue Diver, First Responder or Divemaster: how they fit together
These three courses are steps on the same path. The table compares what each one covers and who it suits, using our Water Sports page and PADI’s requirements.
| Course | What it covers | Before you start | Time to allow | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Responder (Emergency First Response) | Primary Care (CPR) and Secondary Care (first aid) | No diving experience needed | Ask us when you book | Anyone, and every Rescue Diver candidate without recent training |
| Rescue Diver | Diver rescues, accident management and first aid, with 12 rescue scenarios and a test | Adventure Diver with navigation, or Advanced Open Water; CPR and first aid within 24 months | 3 days | Divers who want to be a better buddy |
| Divemaster | The first professional level: assisting instructors and supervising divers | Age 18, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, first aid within 24 months, a recent medical and logged dives | Ask us when you book | Divers aiming for a career in diving |
Rescue Diver is a prerequisite for the Divemaster course. Our PADI Divemaster course in Belize guide sets out the full list, including the dive count. For the cost of each course, see the current course prices on our Water Sports page.
Is the Rescue Diver course hard?
Many divers dread Rescue more than they need to. PADI’s own writer called it the most challenging and rewarding course she had taken, and divers on forums say much the same. The challenge is mostly mental: staying calm, thinking ahead and working through a problem one step at a time.
There is physical work too, such as towing a tired diver at the surface. You do not need to be an athlete, but you should feel comfortable in the water and have steady buoyancy before you start. A few fun dives on the reef the day before are a good warm up.
How to plan your days
- Check that you hold Advanced Open Water, or Adventure Diver with the navigation dive.
- If your CPR and first aid training is more than 24 months old, add First Responder.
- Keep 3 days free for Rescue Diver, plus time for First Responder if you need it.
- Email us your dates and we will plan the course around your trip.
Once you are certified, put your new skills to use on our local barrier reef dives. Our guide to scuba diving on Ambergris Caye covers the trips, and our guide to learning to dive and PADI courses on Ambergris Caye shows every course we teach.
Who teaches your Rescue Diver course
White Sands Dive Shop is a 5 Star PADI Dive Facility on the beach in San Pedro, a PADI International Resort Association member and licensed by the Belize Tourism Board. It is owned and operated by Elbert Greer, a PADI IDC Staff Instructor. Read more about Elbert Greer, your PADI instructor.
Safety is what students notice about him. Vivake K. Bhalla wrote that Elbert “was very friendly and fun, but equally very strict about safety.” You can read every one of the letters from Elbert’s dive students in their own words.
PADI Rescue Diver course, Belize: your questions answered
How long is the Rescue Diver course at White Sands Dive Shop?
Allow 3 days. The course includes 12 rescue scenarios and a multiple choice test.
What do I need before I start Rescue Diver?
PADI requires a minimum age of 12 and PADI Adventure Diver with the Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive, or Advanced Open Water. You also need CPR and first aid training within the last 24 months.
Can I do my first aid and CPR training on the island?
Yes. Our First Responder course is Emergency First Response, with Primary Care for CPR and Secondary Care for first aid, taught separately or together.
Is Rescue Diver required for Divemaster?
Yes. Rescue Diver is a prerequisite for the Divemaster course, along with Advanced Open Water and recent first aid and CPR training.
Where can I find the price of the Rescue Diver course?
Current prices for Rescue Diver and First Responder are on our Water Sports page. Email Elbert with your dates to book.
Book your Rescue Diver course with Elbert
Tell us your certification level, when you last did first aid training and your travel dates, and Elbert will plan the course with you. Email elbertgreer@fastmail.fm or call 011 (501) 226 2405.