Scuba divers are in safe hands at Kuredu
27 Mar 2018Scuba diving, as with all other adventure sports, comes with risks, but with proper training and adherence to safety rules those risks are kept to an absolute minimum, making diving an enjoyable and safe recreational activity. With its on-site hyperbaric chamber, Kuredu is a safe choice for divers when choosing where to go for a Maldives diving holiday.
Kuredu’s Hyperbaric Chamber
Kuredu is home to one of four hyperbaric chambers in the Maldives, it serves not only emergencies arising from the local resorts but also liveaboards that pass though the area. There are two doctors running the medical center and hyperbaric chamber as well as 13 Prodivers staff that are trained to assist and operate the chamber in the case of a scuba diving related emergency. Not all emergencies come to light during or immediately after a dive, some can present hours later and the doctors, chamber operators and attendants are on call 24 hours a day to deal with scuba related emergencies as they arise. Staff at Prodivers recently underwent a rigorous 10 day Chamber Operator and Attendant training course as well as Basic Life Support and Oxygen Provider courses with the DAN Regional Training and Research Coordinator, Manuel Preto.
General safety advice for diving and snorkelling:
- – Always dive or snorkel with a buddy
- – Use the correct equipment – fins are an absolute must for snorkelers too as the currents can be unpredictable and without fins even the strongest of swimmers can tire and get into difficulty
- – Drink plenty of water before and after your dive or snorkel session in the ocean – this avoids dehydration and, for divers, can help to prevent decompression sickness
- – Follow the advice of dive and snorkel guides – they know the area like the back of their hand and want you to have an enjoyable experience – they also know where all the cool stuff is!
Dive safety guidelines for Prodivers guests can be found here.
Want to help in an emergency?
Emergency First Response
Anyone, divers and non-divers, who would like to refresh or gain knowledge and skills in first aid can do so while on Kuredu with the Emergency First Response course – it could save a life.
PADI Rescue Diver
Divers who would like to learn how to deal with diver emergencies at the surface and underwater, as well as self-rescue when things start to go wrong, should look into the Rescue Diver course – often cited as one of the most challenging yet rewarding courses taken.
PADI Enriched Air Diver
Check the links between diver safety and diving with nitrox too, there are steps divers can take to reduce the risk of DCS and the content of the tank is key.
And just in case the the worst happens and there is a diving emergency – the team at Kuredu are trained and ready to help. Knowing that you’re in safe hands goes a long way in increasing the enjoyment of diving.