News
Boy Scouts Embrace DAN CPR Challenge at National Jamboree

Widespread CPR training has been shown to increase survival rates in certain types of cardiac arrest by as much as 22 percent, and evidence shows that hands-on training is the most effective way of ensuring long-term skills retention. Which is why, when asked to support the 2017 National Scout Jamboree with CPR training and safety outreach initiatives, Divers Alert Network enthusiastically answered the call of duty.
With more than 40,000 Boy Scouts, leaders, and parents in attendance, the National Jamboree offered an extraordinary opportunity for DAN to nurture a culture of safety among youths. Held in July 2017 at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in New Hope, West Virginia, the Jamboree was the latest of the quadrennial meetings of all national Scout troops and guests from the international scouting community.
Even for trained professionals, CPR can be a challenging skill to master. The use of analog manikins and the infrequency of refresher courses often leads to loss of proficiency and ineffective CPR administration. To address this, and to challenge the Scouts in a fun and educational way, DAN provided a CPR Challenge event using an electronic patient simulator. The simulator — which measures the effectiveness of compressions, ventilations and airway management — displays resuscitation data and cues on a monitor in real-time. Participants and their instructors can see the effects of their efforts, and the results are often illuminating as previously unknown skills deficiencies are identified. Scouts were challenged to perform two-person CPR on the electronic manikin and scored on their performance. Top scores in the CPR challenge won DAN First-Aid Kits, and all Scouts went home with a special DAN National Jamboree challenge coin, educational materials, and stickers. The challenge reinforced the importance of training and regular skill refreshers for all participants, highlighting the fact that recently trained Scouts could often out-perform physicians and professional healthcare providers who had not regularly practiced CPR.
“The synergy between DAN’s Mission and the Boy Scouts of America, whose motto is ‘Be Prepared,’ offers the perfect opportunity to build and strengthen a culture of safety among the next generation,” says DAN President and CEO Bill Ziefle. “During the Jamboree, DAN not only trained nearly 2500 Scouts in CPR techniques but also provided first-aid and dive safety information to nearly 25,000 participants. Outreach of this type is extremely important, both in increasing first-aid and CPR awareness and in supporting those who would like to learn to dive safely. We would like to thank DAN Board Member Kathy Weydig for introducing us to this opportunity.”
In addition to the CPR Challenge, DAN outreach at the event also included logistical support for Jamboree staff and volunteers, along with education and consultation to participating troops, non-profit organizations and businesses with connections to the diving community.
“The DAN CPR Challenge was a big hit with the Scouts,” says Mike Meenehan, Leader of the Jamboree Scuba Team. “On behalf of the BSA and the scuba activity staff, I want to express my sincere thanks for DAN’s efforts at the Jamboree and support of the scouts.”
CPR and first-aid training are proven, lifesaving skills that all dive professionals should not only have, but also teach. Since cardiac disease is implicated in 30 percent or more of diving incidents, and is the number one killer worldwide, everyone should be prepared to respond or aid in response with CPR skills. DAN encourages all dive instructors, divemasters and dive leaders to earn their DAN Instructor rating and offer this training to their students, certified divers and community at large. The DAN Diving Emergency Management Provider (DEMP) instructor course — which covers four foundational first responder programs, including Basic Life Support (CPR and First Aid), Neurological Assessment, Emergency Oxygen, and First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries — provides skills all recreational divers and non-diving community members should have in their “response tool box”. DAN First Aid and CPR courses meet the 2015 ILCOR and American Heart Association standards, and are US Coast Guard and American Camp Association approved.
Find a DAN Instructor Trainer today to learn more and start your training.
Source: www.divenewswire.com
Gear News
New 60m Reel and Dive Torch Combo from Northern Diver

Northern Diver have launched a new 60m Reel & Dive Torch Combo.
The innovative Northern Diver line reel has a unique design and it has been manufactured from a combination of anodized aluminium and synthetic polymers, to make it strong, lightweight and corrosion resistant. The free-flowing spool has a thumb operated spool-lock, to ensure controlled line deployment and a ‘sprung’ reel handle. Allowing the handle to extend whilst in use, if wearing gloves but springs back to half its length, for easy storage. Supplied complete with 60m (197’) of high-vis orange reel line.
The reel also incorporates an attachment point on the top and rubber fixing band allowing you to easily mount Northern Divers Varilux Micro Dive Torch. Ideal for hands-free directional light, ideal for lining out in reduced visibility (within a wreck). Other torches of a similar size to the Micro may be mountable but you should check dimensions first.
Check out https://www.ndiver.com/60m-reel-dive-torch-combo for more.
Marine Life & Conservation
Reefs Go Live returns for new season

CCMI brings the ocean directly to classrooms around the world through live-stream lessons from underwater
In 2018, the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) launched Reefs Go Live, their innovative, flagship education programme that live-streams directly from underwater on the coral reefs in Little Cayman to students in classrooms around the world in real time. For the 2022 season, the four episodes of Reefs Go Live reached more than 107,000 viewers in 22 countries. CCMI’s Reefs Go Live team hopes to expand their reach with four new episodes and supplemental teaching resources to help integrate the material into classroom lessons.
Science Communications & Development Manager for CCMI, Beth Chafin, is excited to be part of another year of Reefs Go Live:
“Knowing we have an audience that spans the world, our team is energised as we plan and implement our Reefs Go Live season for 2023! We feel that creating a connection to the ocean and sharing the beautiful coral reefs of Little Cayman with others, both locally and abroad, is one of the most important ways to increase support for critical, timely issues such as marine protection and sustainability. At CCMI, we are fortunate to have these stunning reefs at our doorstep; not everyone is so lucky to be this connected to coral reefs, but healthy coral reefs are vitally important to everyone on earth. Bringing the ocean into classrooms and homes through Reefs Go Live allows us to share the work we do at the Little Cayman Research Centre, facilitate real-time interactions between viewers around the world and our experts in the field, and inspire the diverse audience to take positive action for the future of coral reefs.”
The first episode of 2023 will take place on Friday, 31st March at 10 am Cayman time (UTC -5h). The episode, ‘Finding Hope on our Reefs’, will feature what CCMI’s long-term monitoring of Little Cayman’s reefs shows us. The data from the annual surveys reveals important trends in reef health over time that reflect global threats and the benefits of strong local protection. Reefs Go Live hosts will explain why this annual monitoring is important and what the results tell us about the future of our coral reefs that we all depend upon. Viewers of each episode will be able to ask questions of the diver and participate in polls through the online platform to make Reefs Go Live an interactive experience.
Additional episodes for this year will run at 10 am (UTC -5h) on the following dates:
Thursday, 11th May: Adaptation on Coral Reefs
Wednesday, 24th May: Reef Resiliency & Restoration
Thursday, 8th June: World Ocean Day – 25 Years of Coral Reef Research
Registration for Reefs Go Live is free and is only required once to receive access to all episodes: https://donate.reefresearch.org/rgl2023.
Reefs Go Live provides an opportunity for students from all over the world to engage with the stunning ocean environment in its most natural format. As coral reefs around the world face unprecedented pressure, generating increased engagement with these precious ecosystems creates an opportunity to promote marine sustainability in a positive and fun way.
Reefs Go Live utilises streaming technology with underwater video and audio equipment to enable real time broadcasting from Little Cayman’s stunning coral reefs. Little Cayman, a Mission Blue Hope Spot, hosts one of the healthiest reef ecosystems in the Caribbean, which overall remains healthy and shows resiliency to climate change impacts. The broadcasts and education materials draw connections from CCMI’s current research conducted in Little Cayman to the national science curriculum and key ocean literacy principles, making CCMI’s work relevant and accessible to students and viewers of all ages, and emphasizing the relationship that we all have to coral reefs, no matter where we are.
Reefs Go Live is a free education programme that is made possible by the generosity of The Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Foundation. To register for the broadcasts and teaching resources, please visit: https://reefresearch.org/what-we-do/education/reefs-go-live/
-
News1 month ago
Ultimate Raja Ampat – The Last Paradise (Part 3 of 3)
-
News2 months ago
New book by diver aims to inspire teens to protect sharks and the ocean
-
News2 weeks ago
Diving with… Ben Williams and Kay Van Leuven, Sunchaser Scuba, British Virgin Islands
-
News1 month ago
Ultimate Raja Ampat – The Last Paradise (Part 1 of 3)
-
News2 months ago
Take Better Underwater Pictures and Make a Difference
-
Dive Training Blogs4 weeks ago
Divers making the Oceans more diverse
-
Gear News2 months ago
Mares launch new Sirius dive computer
-
News2 months ago
Deptherapy to complete mission with groundbreaking IDP