International Diving Institute

Last updated

International Diving Institute
Formation2004
Founded at North Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Purpose Commercial diving training
CEO
Carver Laraway
Website www.idicharleston.edu
Formerly called
East Coast Dive Connection
[1]


The International Diving Institute (IDI) was a private, for-profit technical school in North Charleston, South Carolina. [2] [3] [4] Originally a scuba diving shop called East Coast Dive Connection (ECDC), the school was founded in 2004 when it offered advanced dive training, especially in the use of surface supplied air, underwater welding, [5] rigging and hyperbaric chamber operation, leading to a certification required for commercial divers working on oil platforms in the offshore oil industry and for diving operations in the United States that are regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. [6]

Contents

History

E. Lee Spence with KM17 Diving Helmet Spence with KM17 Dive Helmet.jpg
E. Lee Spence with KM17 Diving Helmet

In 1996, Sergio Smith, a former US Navy diver and member of its Seabee program, established a scuba diving shop called East Coast Dive Connection (ECDC), located in Summerville, South Carolina. [7] [8] The dive shop sold and serviced scuba gear and offered recreational scuba classes. [9] The company was then turned into a school in 2004, establishing its campus in North Charleston, with underwater archaeologist E. Lee Spence as a co-owner, and retaining the Summerville location as a dive shop. [10] [11] [3] In 2004, it was renamed to International Diving Institute and the underwater welding curriculum was added. Both Smith and Spence have served as instructors. [1]

In 2016, 12 members of the Seabee Underwater Construction Team 2 (UCT 2) enrolled in IDI's wet welding course. Of the 12, only two people had previous experience in surface welding. [12] In 2017, members of UCT 2's Construction Diving Detachment Alpha (CDDA) participated in the two-week underwater welding certification course. [5]

Governance

IDI was licensed by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education as a non-degree occupational training institution. [13]

IDI was one of fewer than a dozen professional diving schools operating in North America. [14] [15] It was a member of Association of Diving Contractors International [16] and trained to the Standards published by the Association of Commercial Diving Educators, the American National Standards Institute, and the Sea Research Society. [10]

Admissions and school structure

Admission requirements were: 18 years or older, GED or high school diploma, US citizen, and passing a diving physical exam. [17] Students were not required to have previous experience. [18] Palmetto Business Daily reported that tuition was $18,100 for the 201718 year with 21 students enrolled. [2]

Curriculum

Student diver practices underwater welding at IDI Student diver practices welding underwater at IDI.JPG
Student diver practices underwater welding at IDI

IDI offered programs in Air/Mixed Gas Surface Supplied Welding, Underwater Welding, HAZWOPER/HAZMAT for general and commercial diving, ROV pilot, Underwater Burning, and Diving Supervisor. [19] Courses typically ran for 640 hours over 16 weeks, and met certifications for OSHA and commercial diving jobs. [20] [11] Of those hours, about half were classroom lecture and the other half were practical applications as required by Association of Dive Contractors International. [16] Some additional training courses for certifications ran another two weeks. [21] Training was done on-site in the wet tanks, at the dive stations in the Cooper River, and also nearby piers. [11]

Campus

IDI was situated at an old Navy base on the Cooper River in North Charleston, South Carolina. Its facilities included a two-story building with classrooms, offices, and work areas. Workshops included: metal fabrication, welding, a clean room for gas systems fabrication, and diesel compressor training area. There were hyperbaric chambers for compression/decompression. [10] The school had three wet tanks. The main tank was 48,800 gallons and was 20 feet deep, and in 2009, a tube was appended to enable students to practice working in confined spaces. A second tank was used for installing in confined spaces with minimal visibility and also for rigging and hoisting. A third tank was used for wet welding. The school also had access to the Cooper River in which dive stations had been installed. [11] [20] The school had a dive shop that also serviced other divers besides the students. [11]

Notable staff

Related Research Articles

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Recreational diver training is the process of developing knowledge and understanding of the basic principles, and the skills and procedures for the use of scuba equipment so that the diver is able to dive for recreational purposes with acceptable risk using the type of equipment and in similar conditions to those experienced during training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recreational diving</span> Diving for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment, usually when using scuba equipment

Recreational diving or sport diving is diving for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment, usually when using scuba equipment. The term "recreational diving" may also be used in contradistinction to "technical diving", a more demanding aspect of recreational diving which requires more training and experience to develop the competence to reliably manage more complex equipment in the more hazardous conditions associated with the disciplines. Breath-hold diving for recreation also fits into the broader scope of the term, but this article covers the commonly used meaning of scuba diving for recreational purposes, where the diver is not constrained from making a direct near-vertical ascent to the surface at any point during the dive, and risk is considered low.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professional diving</span> Underwater diving where divers are paid for their work

Professional diving is underwater diving where the divers are paid for their work. Occupational diving has a similar meaning and applications. The procedures are often regulated by legislation and codes of practice as it is an inherently hazardous occupation and the diver works as a member of a team. Due to the dangerous nature of some professional diving operations, specialized equipment such as an on-site hyperbaric chamber and diver-to-surface communication system is often required by law, and the mode of diving for some applications may be regulated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scuba diving</span> Swimming underwater, breathing gas carried by the diver

Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface breathing gas supply, and therefore has a limited but variable endurance. The name scuba is an anacronym for "Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus" and was coined by Christian J. Lambertsen in a patent submitted in 1952. Scuba divers carry their own source of breathing gas, usually compressed air, affording them greater independence and movement than surface-supplied divers, and more time underwater than free divers. Although the use of compressed air is common, a gas blend with a higher oxygen content, known as enriched air or nitrox, has become popular due to the reduced nitrogen intake during long or repetitive dives. Also, breathing gas diluted with helium may be used to reduce the effects of nitrogen narcosis during deeper dives.

Scuba Schools International (SSI) is a for-profit organization that teaches the skills involved in scuba diving and freediving, and supports dive businesses and resorts. SSI has over 3,500 authorized dealers, 35 regional centers, and offices all over the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navy diver (United States Navy)</span> US Navy personnel qualified in underwater diving and salvage

A United States Navy diver may be a restricted fleet line officer, Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) officer, Medical Corps officer, an Unrestricted Line Officer who is qualified in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Warfare (1140) or an enlisted who is qualified in underwater diving and salvage. Navy divers serve with fleet diving detachments and in research and development. Some of the mission areas of the Navy diver include: marine salvage, harbor clearance, underwater ship husbandry and repair, submarine rescue, saturation diving, experimental diving, underwater construction and welding, as well as serving as technical experts to the Navy SEALs, Marine Corps, and Navy EOD diving commands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scuba Diving International</span> Recreational diver training and certification agency

Scuba Diving International (SDI) is a Scuba training and certification agency. It is the recreational arm of Technical Diving International, a technical diver training organization.

The World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC) was founded in 1999 and is dedicated to creating minimum recreational diving training standards for the various recreational scuba diving certification agencies across the world. The WRSTC restricts its membership to national or regional councils. These councils consist of individual training organizations who collectively represent at least 50% of the annual diver certifications in the member council's country or region. A national council is referred to as a RSTC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States military divers</span> Underwater divers employed by the US armed forces

The US employs divers in several branches of the armed forces, including the navy, army, marines, air force and coast guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Divers Institute of Technology</span> Private, commercial educational institution for the training of commercial divers

Divers Institute of Technology (DIT) is a private, for-profit educational institution for the training of commercial divers and located in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1968 in Seattle, Washington, Divers Institute of Technology is located on the North end of Lake Union near Gas Works Park in the Wallingford district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diver certification</span> Certification as competent to dive to a specified standard

A Diving certification or C-card is a document recognizing that an individual or organization authorized to do so, "certifies" that the bearer has completed a course of training as required by the agency issuing the card. This is assumed to represent a defined level of skill and knowledge in underwater diving. Divers carry a qualification record or certification card which may be required to prove their qualifications when booking a dive trip, hiring scuba equipment, having diving cylinders filled, or in the case of professional divers, seeking employment.

The Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme (ADAS) is an international commercial and occupational diver certification scheme. It has mutual recognition arrangements with other equivalent national schemes. ADAS qualifications have international recognition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diver training</span> Processes to develop the skills and knowledge to dive safely underwater

Diver training is the set of processes through which a person learns the necessary and desirable skills to safely dive underwater within the scope of the diver training standard relevant to the specific training programme. Most diver training follows procedures and schedules laid down in the associated training standard, in a formal training programme, and includes relevant foundational knowledge of the underlying theory, including some basic physics, physiology and environmental information, practical skills training in the selection and safe use of the associated equipment in the specified underwater environment, and assessment of the required skills and knowledge deemed necessary by the certification agency to allow the newly certified diver to dive within the specified range of conditions at an acceptable level of risk. Recognition of prior learning is allowed in some training standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diving instructor</span> Person who trains and assesses underwater divers

A diving instructor is a person who trains, and usually also assesses competence, of underwater divers. This includes freedivers, recreational divers including the subcategory technical divers, and professional divers which includes military, commercial, public safety and scientific divers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of scuba diving</span>

The history of scuba diving is closely linked with the history of the equipment. By the turn of the twentieth century, two basic architectures for underwater breathing apparatus had been pioneered; open-circuit surface supplied equipment where the diver's exhaled gas is vented directly into the water, and closed-circuit breathing apparatus where the diver's carbon dioxide is filtered from the exhaled breathing gas, which is then recirculated, and more gas added to replenish the oxygen content. Closed circuit equipment was more easily adapted to scuba in the absence of reliable, portable, and economical high pressure gas storage vessels. By the mid-twentieth century, high pressure cylinders were available and two systems for scuba had emerged: open-circuit scuba where the diver's exhaled breath is vented directly into the water, and closed-circuit scuba where the carbon dioxide is removed from the diver's exhaled breath which has oxygen added and is recirculated. Oxygen rebreathers are severely depth limited due to oxygen toxicity risk, which increases with depth, and the available systems for mixed gas rebreathers were fairly bulky and designed for use with diving helmets. The first commercially practical scuba rebreather was designed and built by the diving engineer Henry Fleuss in 1878, while working for Siebe Gorman in London. His self contained breathing apparatus consisted of a rubber mask connected to a breathing bag, with an estimated 50–60% oxygen supplied from a copper tank and carbon dioxide scrubbed by passing it through a bundle of rope yarn soaked in a solution of caustic potash. During the 1930s and all through World War II, the British, Italians and Germans developed and extensively used oxygen rebreathers to equip the first frogmen. In the U.S. Major Christian J. Lambertsen invented a free-swimming oxygen rebreather. In 1952 he patented a modification of his apparatus, this time named SCUBA, an acronym for "self-contained underwater breathing apparatus," which became the generic English word for autonomous breathing equipment for diving, and later for the activity using the equipment. After World War II, military frogmen continued to use rebreathers since they do not make bubbles which would give away the presence of the divers. The high percentage of oxygen used by these early rebreather systems limited the depth at which they could be used due to the risk of convulsions caused by acute oxygen toxicity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of underwater diving</span> List of articles related to underwater diving grouped by topical relevance

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to underwater diving:

Recreational scuba certification levels are the levels of skill represented by recreational scuba certification. Each certification level is associated with a specific training standard published by the certification agency, and a training programme associated with the standard., though in some cases recognition of prior learning can apply. These levels of skill can be categorised in several ways:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underwater Construction Teams</span> Navy construction battalion underwater construction units

Underwater Construction Teams (UCT) are the United States Navy Seabees' underwater construction units numbered 1 and 2 that were created in 1974. A team is composed of divers qualified in both underwater construction and underwater demolition. Possible tasks can be: battle damage repairs, structural inspections and assessments, demolition of waterline facilities or submerged obstructions, installation of submerged surveillance systems, or harbor and channel clearance. As needed, teams may test and or evaluate new or existing aquatic systems or equipment. Extending construction, whether vertical or horizontal, beyond the shoreline and waterline is their specialty. Reflecting Seabee tradition, teams are expected to execute underwater construction anywhere, anytime, under any conditions.

Association of Diving Contractors International, abbreviated as ADC or ADCI, is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting standards and issuing certifications for commercial diving skills.

References

  1. 1 2 "Owners / Instructors". International Diving Institute. Archived from the original on June 7, 2005. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Cost of college was unchanged for all students at International Diving Institute". Palmetto Business Daily. July 3, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "International Diving Institute Opens a World of Possibilities with Commercial Diving". cDiver. December 11, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  4. "Guide to underwater welding salary and careers". Water Welders. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Seabee Dive Detachment Hones Underwater Welding Skills". Seabee Online . April 20, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  6. "International Diving Institute Commercial Diving and Underwater Welding Training Facility". PALM Charter High School. December 5, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  7. "EAST COAST DIVE CONNECTION, LLC, Summerville, South Carolina, SC 29483-6824". www.usaopps.com. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  8. "International Diving Institute in Summerville, SC 29483". Chamberofcommerce.com. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  9. "BBB Business Profile - International Diving Institute, LLC". Better Business Bureau . Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 "About". International Diving Institute. Archived from the original on June 23, 2005. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Bax, Alan; Williams, Jill, eds. (July 2010). "International Diving Institute, Charleston, South Carolina" (PDF). International Diving Schools Association . No. 16. p. 6.
  12. "UCT 2 Technicians Further Underwater Welding Capabilities". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service . April 29, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  13. "Directory Licensed non-degree (occupational training) institutions" (PDF). South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  14. American Welding Society. "Underwater Welding : Education". American Welding Society. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  15. Association of Diving Contractors International (November–December 2008). "Commercial Diving Schools (alphabetical by country)". Underwater Magazine. Vol. 20, no. 6. p. 46. Retrieved July 6, 2018 via Issuu.
  16. 1 2 "International Diving Institute Civil Suit". April 1, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2018 via Scribd.
  17. "Admissions - IDI". International Diving Institute. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  18. Thelen, Colby (February 6, 2017). "Red, White and Blue-Collar: High paying jobs and where to find them". Counton2.com (WCBD TV website) . Nexstar. Event occurs at Click first video for news segment broadcast on Commercial Diving / IDI. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  19. "Commercial Diving & Underwater Welding Training". International Diving Institute. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  20. 1 2 "Rebecca Ziegler, International Diving Institute Scholarship Recipient, Begins Commercial Diver Training". California Diver. July 12, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  21. "International Diving Institute Complaint Review Charleston, South Carolina Regarding Program Length". Ripoff Report . March 25, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2018. At the International Diving Institute, we provide an ADCI commercial diving course. This includes 640 hours of classroom and practical studies over the course of 16 weeks. We also offer an additional 2-week course in advanced underwater welding for those interested in pursuing a Lloyds Register certification. An ADCI certification is only processed for students who attend all training sessions and complete testing with satisfactory grades.