Diving Associations

Scuba diving associations are a needed and important part of the diving community. There are many different types of diving associations that assist in different areas of the popular sport. These areas range from certification and equipment as well as special needs for the handicapped. Most educational associations such as the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) are based on standardized learning and composed of mainly self-study, with the exception of practical skills testing in confined or shallow water areas. These courses work in the way that the student studies and learns the information and then a certified instructor helps them to exhibit and test that knowledge in the water for certification. If you are excited about exploring the underwater world this is usually an exciting and fun process where you learn the needed skills to carry out your goals of becoming a scuba diver.

Most divers are fully capable of learning and exhibiting the needed knowledge and physical aspects of diving, however the HSA or Handicapped Scuba Association is a specialized association created to assist individuals with limitations in learning and diving. This prestigious association operates world wide and has formatted its training through the ideas of PADI and NAUI making it a safe and effective alternative for the handicapped. This is a great association that has made it possible for many people who thought they could not enjoy the sport of diving to do just that, explore the environment beneath the surface.

Other recognized institutions of the diving community include the Association of Diving Contractors International, who specializes in the area of safety for the arts and sciences of commercial diving. The ADCI consists of member’s world wide and works to ensure that those companies and members are promoting the best safety standards possible and is recognized for those efforts. Another association in the area of commercial training, education and safety is the National Association of Scuba Diving Schools (NASDS). The main mission of the National Association of Scuba Diving Schools is to train highly skilled and safe professional for careers in the diving industry. Some of these jobs can include search and rescue, film and video production, science and research as well as vessel or ship maintenance.

DEMA or the Diving Equipment Manufacturing Association specializes in the area of assisting with growth the areas of recreational water sports and protecting out underwater landscape and environment. The main priorities of the Diving Equipment Manufacturing Association is to identify and bring forth the main issues that affect the growing sport of diving and snorkeling all while keeping a positive perspective and affect on the diving industry.

Finally in our list of specialized and important associations we have SITA or the Scuba Industries Trade Association. This is an association that represents all different trade areas of the diving industry. This includes schools, manufactures, distributors, charter operations, retailers and publications. The reason this association is so very important is the goals and aims it strive to meet including promotion of the sport, developing dive standards and compliance, representation of other member companies as well as the development and promotion of the laws in the area of protecting divers and other diving interests. These are all important to every dive community and the Scuba Industries Trade Association is in place to see that all is adhered to and everyone is in cooperation for the best outcomes for all concerned, as are all these agencies and associations. They are all a very important part of what makes scuba diving and other water sport safe and accessible to all.