Oregon Coast Aquarium Volunteer Dive Program

NOTE: Since many of you have expressed interest in this program, we've obtained permission from the aquarium to post the information here.

Joining the Volunteer Dive Team - Divers may join our volunteer dive team by attending an aquarium diver training program conducted at the Aquarium or at a designated training facility, plus attending an orientation. Though not required, all volunteer divers are also encouraged to attend a 30 hour training program conducted by the aquarium (see training below) to achieve the maximum experience.

Training
Required: An Oregon Coast Aquarium "Habitat Diver" course has been developed specifically to meet the needs of the dive program here at the Aquarium, and is required of all volunteer divers. The curriculum includes watermanship/scuba skills evaluation, underwater communications and full face-mask diving, underwater naturalist, plus habitat diving and tending techniques. The training includes classroom sessions, pool sessions, and a full weekend of aquarium orientation and habitat dives (see Orientation, below). Several training facilities have been designated to provide the training. These facilities are listed at the end of this document. We also conduct the course here at the Aquarium several times each year. Call the facility of your choice to learn the dates of their next designated training. Volunteer divers are responsible for the training fees. If no training classes are scheduled at the facility nearest you or if further information is required, contact the Oregon Coast Aquarium Dive Safety Officer at 541-867-3474 extension 5302.

Optional: The Aquarium also offers a 30-hour course of training which is optional for volunteer divers and required for all other volunteers. Beginning in March, every Tuesday evening for ten weeks, trainees attend a 6-9 p.m. class held in the Aquarium's theatre. The fall training begins in September and are conducted on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Staff and experienced volunteers give talks about the animals, habitat, and marine biology of the Oregon coast as well as the animals exhibited in the Aquarium. There are also components dedicated to the development of interpretive skills. Divers who wish to attend this optional training are asked to contact the coordinator of volunteer services, Irene Van Dusen, at jiv@aquarium.org or call 541-867-3474 extension 5315.

Orientation - An orientation weekend at the Oregon Coast Aquarium will be scheduled upon completion of the academic and confined water portion of the Habitat Diver Training course. This will include an induction session on the history, mission, staff structure, and funding of the Aquarium, plus a review of policies and procedures. It will also include a tour of the facility, incident and emergency management, equipment handling, role of the surface tender, role of the shift captain, check out dives, habitat dives, and animal husbandry techniques.

Prerequisites - Volunteer divers must hold Advanced Open Water certification (or equivalent), current First Aid and CPR, have a minimum of 50 logged dives (25 in cold water), and be cleared medically fit to dive by a physician. As a minimum, divers are expected to possess an Advanced Open Water Diver level of diving knowledge and have good to excellent diving and watermanship skills.

Equipment Needs- Volunteer divers provide the following equipment: mask, fins, thermal protection, buoyancy compensator, regulator and weight belt. Thermal protection includes drysuit (with appropriate undergarments) or wetsuit, plus gloves, hood, and boots as needed. The aquarium provides steel cylinders for the divers.

Scheduling - Volunteer diver positions require a commitment of at least one 6-7 hr shift every three weeks. Each team has a shift captain assigned by the Dive Safety Officer. The day of the week you volunteer is determined by your availability and the Aquarium's needs. We are committed to providing a quality volunteer diving experience and believe we can do this best within the structure of teams. Committing to a fixed schedule and becoming a part of that team will be of most benefit to all involved.

Commitment - We are asking you to commit a minimum of one full year to the Aquarium. We realize that this is a major commitment, and we want you to consider it carefully. Do you have that much time? Is it important to you? We are happy to answer your questions before you make that final decision.

Current Dive Shops - Following are a current list of dive shops that are offering the required training. Please contact them to ask about their next scheduled training, or contact the Dive Safety Officer for a schedule of Aquarium-hosted training courses.

Coordinator of Volunteer Services, J. Irene Van Dusen, 541-867-3474 ext 5315, jiv@aquarium.org