It’s official! Spartan Scuba is now certified to teach all of your required or desired First Response courses, including:
Why First Response?
A few years ago, “International Training Inc (ITI) formed First Response Training International to fill a need in the layperson rescuer market. ITI was experienced in developing materials and support for instructors conducting several courses in various activities, some practical and technically complex. ITI took that knowledge and applied it to the outdated and underdone layperson rescuer market in hopes of creating a better and more informed rescuer. First Response Training International strives to provide the most up to date systems for learning and the best customer service to providers and instructors.”(1)
Prior to the creation of First Response, each training organization under ITI (think SDI, TDI, ERDI, etc.) had a course their instructors could teach combining CPR and O2 provider, but there was little continuity between the management and delivery of the course quality.
While we were all notified by our parent organizations when FRTI was being rolled out, not many instructors made the crossover, much less the connection – all of the previous instructor certs were worthless! Technically speaking, if you didn’t crossover to being a First Response instructor, then you weren’t adhering to the new standards and procedures, and the certifications being handed out were basically BS.
Don’t believe me…
….do your own search. Navigate to the TDISDI.com website and try to find ANY shop authorized to teach CPR/AED, 1st Aid, or O2 provider. You can’t, because the courses are no longer listed!
Nope. If you need/want ANY of the safety courses required from Rescue Diver UP, you have to go through a certified First Response International First Response instructor, as shown below. 😬
What’s your point, Vanessa?
The point is, there are only five certified instructors in Oregon, and one of them is US!
You can check out the classes by clicking the links at the top of the page. All course fees include eLearning and classroom time with the instructor (It’s-a-ME!), and completion registration. Certification cards are absolutely unnecessary, unless you’re a collector, and so will incur an extra charge. Otherwise you can print your letter of completion straight from the website after course completion.
We are offering group rates (groups of 3-9, and 10 or more), as well as a one-lump-sum offering for SCUBA divers who need everything, including O2 provider. Please email us at Spartan HQ with your requests for special rates: therealspartanscuba@gmail.com.
In Closing~
I want to take a last moment to give a huge shout out to Chris Lucier of One Dude Diving up in Marysville, WA. Chris is our new ITI Regional Representative for all things diving, as well as an all-around good dude!
I contacted him with a problem, and not only did he help me resolve it, but he personally came out and offered himself up as Divemaster (aka, “Unpaid Dive Lackey”) on my last open water class for Adventure Sports Scuba. Who does that?!
Apparently Chris does. If you need anything relating to our world and you can’t find an answer or help locally, then reach out to Chris at his official email, then watch the magic happen.
Thank you, Chris!
Until next time…
….see you under water!
Congratulations on the new certs!