Looking to become the ultimate dive buddy? The SSI Stress & Rescue course is widely considered the most rewarding and challenging program for any recreational diver. It shifts your focus from yourself to the safety and well-being of others, giving you the tools to handle almost any underwater emergency.

 

Master the Art of Rescue

Unlike other courses, the SSI Stress & Rescue program focuses on prevention. You will learn to identify stress in yourself and your buddies before it turns into a problem.

What You’ll Learn:

• Self-Rescue: Handling your own stress and equipment malfunctions.

• Recognizing Stress: Spotting the early signs of panic in other divers.

• Emergency Management: Mastering rescue breathing, surfacing unconscious divers, and first aid.

• Missing Diver Procedures: Efficiently organizing and executing search patterns.

 

Course Prerequisites

To ensure you are ready for this intensive training, you must meet the following requirements:

• Certification: Must be a certified Open Water Diver (or equivalent from another agency).

• Experience: While not strictly required by SSI, most centers recommend having at least 15–20 logged dives to ensure your buoyancy is rock-solid.

• Age: Minimum of 12 years old.

• First Aid Training: You must have a valid React Right certification (or equivalent CPR, First Aid, and Oxygen Provider training) within the last 24 months. Note: Most dive centers in Ponta Delgada offer this as a 1-day "combo" before the rescue course starts.

• Medical Fitness: A completed RSTC Medical Statement and physician's sign-off is required if there is a YES answer to the medical statment.