Rescue Diver Certification

The Rescue Diver course is widely considered the most valuable certification a recreational diver can earn — not because diving is dangerous, but because the skills it builds make you a more aware, more capable, and more confident diver in any situation.

The course focuses on accident prevention first and response second. You'll learn to recognize the early signs of stress in yourself and other divers, manage tired or panicked swimmers, and handle underwater emergencies ranging from lost divers to unresponsive victims at the surface. The training is challenging in the best way — most divers finish the course with a noticeably different perspective on how they approach every dive.

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Prerequisites

To enroll, you must be at least 12 years old, hold an Adventure Diver or Advanced Open Water certification (or equivalent from another agency), and have current first aid and CPR training completed within the last two years. If your CPR and first aid aren't current, IDC offers the Emergency First Responder course — which satisfies this requirement — for an additional $150. The two courses can be completed together.

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After purchase, we'll send a confirmation email with instructions for booking your course dates.

The course runs over two days and is completed through PADI eLearning combined with in-water training at IDC. After finishing the online portion at home, you'll complete a short eLearning Quick Review on arrival to confirm your understanding of the safety material. From there, the training moves to the water.

Your instructor will take you through ten rescue exercises in open water — with or without an initial confined water practice session depending on your comfort level — followed by two full Rescue Diver scenarios in open water.