Why This Course Matters
When a diving injury happens, time matters. So does knowing what to do with the oxygen kit sitting on the boat.
The DAN Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries course teaches you to recognize possible diving injuries, safely operate emergency oxygen equipment, and provide potentially lifesaving first aid while professional medical care is on the way.
Emergency oxygen is the preferred first aid for suspected scuba diving injuries. Providing a high concentration of oxygen can improve oxygen delivery to injured tissues and help accelerate the elimination of inert gas.
The goal is not to diagnose decompression sickness on the deck of a dive boat. The goal is to recognize trouble, call for help, and start doing something useful.
At a Glance
- Course: DAN Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries
- Prerequisite: Current DAN BLS, CPR: HCP, or other nationally recognized full CPR certification
- Scuba Certification: Not required
- Format: Self-paced DAN eLearning followed by instructor-led, hands-on training
- In-Person Training: Approximately 3–4 hours
- Certification: DAN Emergency Oxygen Provider, valid for 2 years
- Class Size: Private or small-group instruction
- Training Area: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC
- Equipment: Emergency oxygen training equipment and supplies provided
What Will You Learn?
This course combines the knowledge behind oxygen first aid with practical experience using the equipment you may encounter on a dive boat or at a dive site.
Knowledge and practical skills include:
- Recognizing signs and symptoms of decompression illness and other possible diving injuries
- Understanding respiration, circulation, and the role of oxygen in diving emergencies
- Oxygen safety, handling, and equipment precautions
- Scene safety and initial patient assessment
- Identifying, assembling, and operating emergency oxygen equipment
- Administering oxygen using a demand inhalator valve
- Using a nonrebreather mask
- Using a bag-valve mask and manually triggered ventilator for assisted ventilations
- Monitoring an injured diver while awaiting professional care
- Developing a practical emergency assistance plan
We practice these skills with actual training equipment. Knowing what a demand valve does and being able to assemble one correctly while somebody is having a very bad day are two different things.
How the Course Works
Step 1: Complete DAN eLearning
Complete the knowledge-development portion through DAN eLearning at your own pace. You’ll learn about diving injuries, oxygen physiology, equipment safety, and emergency-response procedures before we meet.
Step 2: Hands-On Skills Training
Then we get our hands on the equipment.
You’ll practice assembling oxygen systems, selecting and using delivery devices, assessing patients, and responding to realistic scenarios.
I teach privately and in small groups so there is time to practice, ask questions, correct mistakes, and repeat skills until you’re comfortable with the equipment.
This is practical emergency training, not a checkbox exercise.
Who Should Take This Course?
You don’t need to be a dive professional, or even a certified scuba diver, to learn emergency oxygen first aid.
This training is particularly useful for recreational divers, divemasters, instructors, trip leaders, boat crews, surface-support personnel, and family members who spend time around diving activities.
One important prerequisite: You must have current qualifying full CPR certification. If you need CPR training, you can take DAN Basic Life Support: CPR & First Aid first, or we can arrange both courses together.
Why Divers Should Know How to Use Oxygen
We spend plenty of time learning how to prevent diving emergencies. Buoyancy, gas management, controlled ascents, buddy procedures, and emergency skills all matter.
But sometimes prevention isn’t enough.
Maybe your buddy surfaces confused, unusually weak, short of breath, or complaining of pain. Maybe it’s somebody else on the boat.
You don’t need to determine exactly what’s happening before you start helping.
Recognize the problem. Activate emergency medical services. Get the oxygen going. Monitor the diver. Keep doing what you’ve been trained to do until professional care takes over.
That’s what this course prepares you for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be scuba certified?
No. The course is open to divers and non-divers. It is especially relevant to anyone who may assist during a diving or water-related emergency.
Do I need CPR certification before taking this course?
Yes. Current qualifying full CPR certification is required. DAN Basic Life Support, CPR: HCP, or another nationally recognized full CPR program can satisfy this prerequisite.
Can I complete this course entirely online?
No. You’ll complete DAN eLearning before attending an instructor-led, hands-on skills session. Practical experience with oxygen equipment is required for certification.
Do I need to bring my own oxygen equipment?
No. All necessary emergency oxygen training equipment is provided for the course.
Should I take Emergency Oxygen or Diving First Aid?
If you already have qualifying CPR training and specifically want emergency oxygen skills, this course is a great choice. If you want a more comprehensive program combining CPR, first aid, emergency oxygen, neurological assessment, and hazardous marine life injury care, consider DAN Diving First Aid.
Ready to Get Trained?
An emergency oxygen kit is only useful if somebody nearby knows how to use it.
This course gives you the knowledge, equipment practice, and hands-on repetition to become that person.
Questions about prerequisites or scheduling? Ask Frank.
