SCUBA DIVING: THE SAFE WAY IS THE ONLY WAY

by Kathy Wechsler

Theres no question that scuba diving unlocks a magnificent world filled with beauty and discoveries of underwater life. For people with disabilities, scuba diving is extremely liberating and opens doors that were previously closed.

"A lot of people just love the feeling of weightlessness under water," says Jim Gatacre, founder and president of Handicapped Scuba Association International. He explains that, because you dont feel the effects of gravity under water, youll experience greater movement and "be able to fly" through the water.

Rules Are Rules

Gatacre, who lost partial use of his right arm in 1972, stresses that the same safety rules apply to people with or without disabilities when scuba diving. Being comfortable in the water is important, and every diver should be accompanied by a certified buddy.

"We train anybody who is physically, medically fit for diving," said Gatacre of San Clemente, Calif. Hes trained people with conditions including multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, paraplegia, quadriplegia, blindness and brain injuries.

"We have methods to certify them so that they can dive safely."

Gatacre says mobility impairments arent a limitation for scuba diving because so much can be done to compensate for lack of movement. Some people rely on their upper-body strength to move them through the water, and others find webbed gloves helpful. A significantly less mobile person, wearing a vestlike buoyancy compensator, can make the dive with a specifically trained instructor or dive buddy and be pulled through the water.

Scuba diving equipment can be very heavy, but putting it on in the water keeps it from putting pressure on your bones because its weightless in the water. Some people may need assistance getting into the equipment, but are still fully capable of diving.

Gatacres team also advises divers about topics like sun burning and tissue breakdown, which may apply to specific disabilities, he said.

While mobility limitations dont prevent someone from scuba diving, other considerations do. Nothing can offset the problems caused by a weakened respiratory system. Seizure disorders such as epilepsy are also problematic because having a seizure under water is especially dangerous, Gatacre said.

Diving isnt a good choice for people with uncontrolled diabetes with a tendency toward convulsions, severe asthma and other respiratory obstructions or weaknesses, which can be fatal.

Getting Certified

Those who want to begin a certification course should bring written medical permission from a doctor. If instructors see any red flags in your application, they may require a physical exam.

If medically approved, theres no reason why people with neuromuscular diseases cant dive. But first, you have to get certified.

"An instructor goes through a lot of training to learn about all of the dangers, how to solve emergencies and how to use the equipment properly," said Gatacre, whos been diving and involved in HSA International for 30 years. Diving without certification is dangerous. Besides making it possible to dive, your certification card allows you to buy air for your scuba tank and book scuba trips on boats.

Theres a lot to learn before youre ready to dive. Your certification course will give you the knowledge and confidence you need to make for an enjoyable diving experience through a combination of lectures, confined water practice and open water exercises. The buddy system always applies, no matter how experienced you may be, because accidents can happen to anyone.

HSA International certifies a person to one of three levels, based on safety tests. Level A certification is given to a person who has passed every performance requirement and has demonstrated an ability to perform a basic rescue if another diver were to have a problem. Level B divers arent able to rescue another diver in distress, so they must dive with two buddies to make it safe for everybody on the team. Divers get level C certifications if they need assistance with certain skills such as swimming, and they require two buddies.

Determined to Dive

"Rules for scuba diving are all pretty much the same," said Gatacre, adding that most HSA International dives are from 20 to 85 feet deep. "Ours are a little more detailed, but it wouldnt hurt any diver to pay attention to our rules."

Other organizations, listed in "Diving Resources," have similar rules and programs.

A one-time, 90-minute, sample dive like the one Andy Vladimir tried costs around $65. Complete certification can cost around $300. Dive trips may cost up to $1,000.

In support of diving for people with disabilities, HSA International often offers trips to make sure places are accessible and to educate the staff about various disabilities.

"We conduct tours like that to various dive destinations in the Caribbean, South Pacific and so on," Gatacre said. "Theres more than just getting certified with us. We train the instructors and then we will refer you to instructors if you need an instructor. Thats important too."