DAN Diving First Aid (DFA) Provider
Be the person your dive team can count on when something goes wrong.
Diving First Aid is more than an emergency oxygen course. This comprehensive DAN training combines diving-specific first aid, emergency oxygen, BLS, CPR, and practical rescue skills to prepare you to respond confidently when a diver—or anyone else—needs help.
The course is taught by a DAN (Divers Alert Network) instructor, a globally recognized leader in dive safety, education, emergency assistance, and medical research. DAN has been serving the diving community for decades, helping divers and dive professionals better understand, prevent, and respond to diving-related injuries and emergencies. DAN training is widely respected throughout the recreational and professional diving community.
With a background in emergency and critical care medicine, your instructor brings real-world healthcare experience to the classroom while keeping the training focused on practical situations you may encounter on a dive boat, at the shore, or anywhere an emergency occurs.
What You’ll Learn:
The course provides hands-on training in the initial assessment and management of an injured or ill person, including:
– Patient assessment and emergency scene management
– Basic Life Support (BLS) and CPR
– Emergency oxygen (O2) administration
– Recognition and management of diving-related injuries including decompression illness, hazardous marine life, and more
– Injury and shock management
– Basic first aid and emergency response skills
– Practical skills for responding to emergencies involving divers
The emphasis is on developing the knowledge, skills, and confidence to recognize an emergency, provide appropriate first aid, and stabilize a patient while additional medical care is arranged.
No Experience Required
You do not need to be a healthcare professional—or even a diver—to take this course. The training is designed for anyone who wants practical emergency-response skills. No previous healthcare, first-aid, or diving experience is required.
– For divers: Provides an excellent foundation for becoming a more capable and prepared buddy.
– For dive professionals: Provides qualified training for those pursuing certifications such as Divemaster and Instructor.
– For non-divers: The skills are useful anywhere an emergency can happen.
Be the go-to first-aid provider in your dive team. Be prepared to help a buddy, a fellow diver, a family member, or anyone else who needs assistance—on the boat, at the beach, at home, or anywhere an emergency occurs.
Your Instructor
The course is taught by Jon Miller, a Physician Assistant with experience in emergency and acute care medicine, a former EMT, Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) provider, and a current DAN Dive First Aid Professional. He is also a Divemaster at the shop and an experienced recreational and technical diver.
This combination of healthcare, emergency-response, and dive experience brings a practical perspective to the course, with an emphasis on understanding what to do, how to do it, and why it matters when faced with a real emergency.
Course Format
The course takes place over two days and begins with self-guided DAN e-learning that students complete before attending the in-person portion.
Once the e-learning is complete, all classroom instruction, hands-on skills development and scenarios, and testing take place in person at the dive shop.
Upon successful completion, students become a DAN Certified Professional First Aid Provider.
Course Details
– Course Fee: $325
– Duration: 2 days (plus e-learning)
– Format: Self-guided e-learning + in-person training at the dive shop
– Students should bring water and comfortable clothes, snacks/lunch
Includes:
– DAN Diving First Aid training and certification
– Self-guided e-learning
– In-person classroom instruction
– Hands-on skills development
– Testing and certification registration
– Student training kit