Primary Assessment
The primary assessment is the first and most crucial step in managing any emergency situation. In this part of the course, you’ll learn how to systematically evaluate a scene for safety and assess a victim’s condition.
This involves determining whether the environment is safe for you and others to assist, checking for responsiveness, and quickly identifying life-threatening conditions. You’ll master the steps to ensure an open airway, assess breathing, and detect circulation issues by checking pulse and skin condition. Recognizing the severity of injuries early enables you to prioritize your actions effectively, ensuring that the most critical needs are addressed first. You’ll also practice how to monitor the victim’s condition as it evolves, ensuring your response adapts to changing circumstances until professional help arrives.
First Aid and CPR Skills
This section equips you with practical, hands-on knowledge to respond to a range of medical emergencies. You’ll learn how to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), a life-saving technique used to restore breathing and circulation in an unconscious person. The course covers how to identify when CPR is needed, including specific signs of cardiac arrest, drowning, or asphyxiation.
You’ll also learn to manage common injuries such as cuts, fractures, sprains, and burns, along with specific protocols for diving-related injuries like ear barotrauma and decompression sickness. The focus is on stabilizing the victim until emergency services arrive, minimizing further injury or complications. Through practice, you’ll gain the confidence to remain calm under pressure, providing effective care even in stressful situations.
Emergency Oxygen Administration
Emergency oxygen is critical in treating dive-related injuries, particularly decompression sickness, arterial gas embolism, and near-drowning incidents. In this part of the course, you’ll learn to recognize situations where oxygen therapy can improve outcomes and practice administering oxygen using different delivery systems, such as demand valves, non-rebreather masks, and continuous flow masks. You’ll also be trained on how to manage an oxygen supply safely, including checking pressure gauges, switching cylinders, and ensuring the correct flow rate.
Administering oxygen can significantly reduce the severity of symptoms and buy valuable time until professional medical care becomes available. Understanding these skills is essential for divers, as quick access to oxygen is often the difference between a full recovery and serious complications.
With the SSI React Right Course, these components are brought together to create a comprehensive emergency response skill set. You’ll leave the course prepared to handle emergencies confidently, not just underwater but in everyday situations. At Dive Subculture Technical, with the support of DiverGems, we ensure that your training is practical, thorough, and empowering—giving you the tools to be ready when it matters most.