Featured Dive Group: Handicap Scuba Association

The Handicap Scuba Association is an international not-for-profit organization that specializes in bringing the sport of scuba diving to persons with disabilities. Since 1981, the group has been reaching out to the handicapped community, in hopes of “improving their physical and social well-being”.

What exactly is the difference when training people with disabilities? First, the standards of training have a higher degree of safety and must meet guidelines set by the HSA Physical Performance Standards. This training is extremely precise and specialized because it allows them to teach people with varying levels of disabilities.

There are also different levels of diving certifications. While the student gets an open water certification, he or she is given a “grade”, which designates how many people they must dive with. A level “C” diver, for example, must dive with 2 buddies, one of which must be certified as a rescue diver; a level “B” diver can dive with 2 able-bodied buddies; and an “A” level diver can dive with one buddy.

Scuba instructors and even buddies must also go through specialized training. Both receive almost the same type of training, though buddies are focused more on recreation, while instructors go through more rigorous training, including excercises which are designed to simulate disabilities, allowing the would-be instructors to experience what is would be like to dive as a person with disability.

The HSA has qualified instructors and trained dive buddies in over 45 countries around the world. There are about 4000 people in the network, half of which are qualified dive instructors. For more information, please visit their website.