you did ask old boy, an insight into to the world of the Senior service's brave boys......
SAR divers are non-commissioned aircrew who have completed tours on Anti-Submarine or Commando Squadrons and are fully qualified ships' divers. To be selected as a SAR diver each candidate must successfully complete a 2 day aptitude test, this is then followed by a demanding SAR specialist course before becoming a full time SAR aircrew member.
The course includes diver-drops from heights of 40 feet from an aircraft both day and night with a complete diving kit on, and the final week is spent at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton practising rescuing people from the "Dunker". This is a submersible replica of an interior of a helicopter used to train crews to survive and escape from helicopters that have ditched in the sea and subsequently sunk.
SAR divers have the option to go on and train as paramedics. 771 squadron is fortunate enough to have 3 out of the 4 fully trained Royal Naval paramedic SAR divers.
More often than not the diver will be winched down to the casualty especially in the case of land, cliff and coastline rescues. When rescuing people from lilos, lift rafts, or anything that is affected by the downdraft of a hovering aircraft, the diver will jump into the water and swim to the casualty unweighted, that is, with a buoyancy aid, fins, mask and snorkel.
For sinking vessels, crashed aircraft or searching for casualties drowning under the water, the diver will use breathing apparatus which consists of inverted twin 5litre scuba tanks full of compressed air which weigh 41lbs/20kgs. Two sets of tanks are always carried on the aircraft, each one allowing 50 minutes diving time dependent on the depth of the dive, strength of the tide and difficulty of the task involved.
At the extreme the apparatus allows the diver to dive to a safe depth of 30 metres for a maximum time of 18 minutes. Beyond these parameters the diver would either have to adopt a slow stop-go safe return routine to the water's surface, which in the case of an emergency is not acceptable; or following a rapid ascent to the surface, require his quick passage to the decompression chamber located in Plymouth. SAR divers wear a wetsuit all year round, despite the bitter cold seas in winter around the UK, which unlike a dry suit or warmer diving gear, is more flexible in use and much easier to maintain.
it may add a small amount of extra cost to a units budget, but you must admit it is worth it.....
The diver's protective gear and breathing equipment ensure his advantage at sea over anybody else in a marine life saving operation.
