What it is...

This is probably not the only conversation out there like this. It's most certainly not a new conversation. It's just a vocal exclamation of what really goes on. From training to equipment; team structure and SOP's (standard operating procedures); to what's the best search method--- this blog is all about getting the conversation heard.

Now before I continue, we have to set some ground rules. First, we need to define what a Police Diver is and what a Police Diver is not. Let's define what a Police Diver is not, upfront.

A Police Diver is NOT a Professional Diver. Now before you get your diving ego hurt, let me explain. A Professional Diver is someone who makes a living from diving. They could be a boat hull cleaner, a sport diving instructor, an underwater welder, or a safety diver for movie production. These are people who dive to bring home the bacon. Police Divers are not Professional Divers, they are Police Officers. Their job is to enforce the law. One of the tools they use to do so is diving, just the same as their defensive driver training or dynamic entry training. It's a skill to increase their effectiveness.

Now to define what a Police Diver is, we need to get one thing clear. Sport or recreational diving requires you to use your eyes, while Police Diving requires you to be able to perform your mission entirely blind. This is where Police Divers stand apart from the rest. They have to complete the mission in odd hours of the night, sometimes in water that would never be found on the cover of National Geographic, and in more cases than not, do it without the use of their eyesight. This criteria also applies to Fire Rescue Divers and divers in other emergency response organizations. They are often called Public Safety Divers.
(In a later post we will go over the differences and similarities between the two).

Ok. That's out of the way.

MenFish is about informing and encouraging Police and Public Safety Divers in their already challenging job.
This blog, like I said before, is the conversation. I will be sharing a lot from my experience and lessons learned, but I want to hear from you as well! Send me your stories; comment on posts, or just read the posts and be anti-social.

So...let's get this conversation started!