National Park Service US Department of the Interior National Park Service DIVING MANAGEMENT FIELD MANUAL – 4 2019 Law Enforcement, Security, and Emergency Services FM-4 FM-4 Introduction Diving Safety and Operations Manual Page 2 This Diving Safety and Operations Manual (FM-4) contains all required elements of NPS Diving Management Reference Manual 4 (RM-4), a standalone NPS document, as well as information specific to FM-4. Elements of RM-4 appear in Italic and contain RM-4 in the section number. Per NPS policy, RM-4 is controlled and issued by signature of the Associate Director, Visitor and Resource Protection. Elements of FM-4 appear without RM-4 in the section number. Per NPS policy, FM-4 elements are controlled and issued by the NPS National Dive Control Board. Control + Click on a Section Name in the Table of Contents will hyperlink you to the section within the document. Control + Click on a Section Number within the body of the document will hyperlink you back to the main Table of Contents FM-4 Table of Contents Diving Safety and Operations Manual Page 3 Table of Contents Policies 2.5.1 Criteria for Deviation from Chapter 1 Implementation Standards Written Report RM -4, 1.1 Introduction RM -4, 1.2 Applicable Standards Chapter 3 Administrative Procedures RM -4, 1.3 Scope RM-4, 3.1 Medical Examination RM -4, 1.4 Requirement 3.1.1 Medical Examination RM -4, 1.5 Procedure for Change Requirements RM -4, 1.6 Record of Change RM-4, 3.2 Hazardous Duty / Environmental RM -4, 1.7 Implementation Differential Pay RM-4, 3.3 Physical Fitness Chapter 2 Operational Control RM-4, 3.4 Diving Reciprocity RM-4, 2.1 Organizational Levels and 3.4.1 Reciprocity Details Functions 3.4.2 Institutional Reciprocity RM -4, 2.1.1 Director and Deputy 3.4.3 Letters of Reciprocity Director RM-4, 3.5 Specialized Diving Authorizations RM -4, 2.1.2 Associate Director, RM-4, 3.5.1 Volunteers in Parks (VIP) Visitor and Resource RM-4, 3.5.2 Temporary Authorization Protection to Dive RM -4, 2.1.3 Chief, Law Enforcement, RM-4, 3.5.3 Special Circumstances Security, and Emergency RM-4, 3.6 Dive Equipment Services RM -4, 2.1.4 Park Superintendent or NPS Program Manager Chapter 4 Training and Certification RM -4, 2.1.5 National Diving Control Requirements Board (NDCB) 4.1 Scope RM -4, 2.1.6 Dive Program Manager 4.2 Waiver of Requirements RM -4, 2.1.7 Regional Dive Officer 4.3 Training Provisions (RDO) 4.4 NPS Blue Card Certification RM -4, 2.1.8 Dive Safety Officer (DSO) 4.4.1 Pre-NPS Certification RM-4, 2.1.9 Park Dive Officer Requirements 2.1.10 NPS Course Director (CD) 4.4.2 Requirements for NPS Blue Card 2.1.11 Dive Supervisor Certification 2.1.12 Dive Examiner (DE) 4.4.3 Annual Re-Certification 2.1.13 NPS Diver 4.4.4 Periodic Training Requirements 2.1.14 NPS Lead Diver 4.4.5 Types of Certification or Status RM-4, 2.2 Diver Certification and 4.4.6 Depth Authorization Continuing Education 4.4.7 Revocation of Blue Card RM-4, 2.3 Dive Program Reviews 4.5 NPS Dive Leadership 2.3.1 Dive Program Review Details 4.5.1 NPS Dive Leadership Training RM-4, 2.4 Incident/Accident Reporting, 4.6 Dive Classification Training Investigation and Review Requirements RM-4, 2.4.1 General Incident/Accident 4.6.1 Maintenance Diving Reporting and 4.6.2 Public Safety Diving Recordkeeping 4.6.3 Scientific Diving Requirements 4.7 Dive Mode Training RM-4, 2.4.2 Incident/Accident 4.7.1 Open Circuit Scuba Investigation 4.7.2 Rebreather RM-4, 2.4.3 Incident/Accident Review 4.7.3 Hookah RM-4, 2.5 Deviation from Standards and 4.7.4 Surface Supplied 4.8 Specialty Breathing Gas Training FM-4 Table of Contents Diving Safety and Operations Manual Page 4 4.8.1 Oxygen 5.5 Breathing Gases 4.8.2 Nitrox 5.5.1 Air 4.8.3 Mixed Gas 5.5.2 Oxygen 4.9 Specialized Diving Environments 5.5.3 Nitrox Training 5.5.4 Mixed Gas 4.9.1 Required Decompression 5.6 Specialized Diving Environments 4.9.2 Cave and Overhead 5.6.1 Required Decompression 4.9.3 Shipwreck Penetration 5.6.2 Cavern, Caves, Flooded Mines, 4.9.4 Ice Diving and General Overhead 4.9.5 Altitude Diving Environments 4.9.6 Diving In Current 5.6.3 Shipwreck Penetration 4.9.7 Other Specialized Environments 5.6.4 Ice Diving 4.10 Specialized Diving Equipment Training 5.6.5 Altitude Diving 4.11 Compressor Operation and Cylinder 5.6.6 Diving In Current Filling 5.6.7 Additional Specialized Diving Environments Chapter 5 Diving Operations 5.7 Specialized Diving Equipment 5.1 Program Dive Supplement 5.2 Required Equipment and Diving Chapter 6 Equipment Procedures for All NPS Diving 6.1 Equipment General Operations 6.2 Equipment Specifications 5.2.1 Personal Safety 6.2.1 Regulators 5.2.2 Buddy System 6.2.2 SCUBA Cylinders 5.2.3 Ascent Procedures and 6.2.3 Weight Systems Decompression Calculations 6.2.4 Buoyancy Compensators 5.2.4 Flying After Diving or Altitude 6.2.5 Full Face Masks and Helmets Increase of Greater Than 1000 6.2.6 Gas Analyzers Feet 6.2.7 Oxygen Handling Equipment 5.2.5 Mixed Equipment Configurations 6.2.8 Rebreathers 5.2.6 Procedures for Adverse 6.2.9 Dive Computers Environmental Conditions 6.2.10 Compressor Design and Location 5.2.7 Emergency Procedures for 6.2.11 Handheld Power Tools Coping with Medical Illness or 6.3 Equipment Maintenance Injury of Divers 6.3.1 Regulators 5.2.8 Emergency Procedures for Fire 6.3.2 Submersible Pressure Gauge 5.2.9 Emergency Deviation from 6.3.3 Depth Gauges Diving Regulations and/or Policy 6.3.4 Dive Computers 5.3 Dive Classifications 6.3.5 SCUBA Cylinders and Valves 5.3.1 Maintenance Diving 6.3.6 Buoyancy Compensators 5.3.2 Public Safety Diving 6.3.7 Diving Helmets 5.3.3 Scientific Diving 6.3.8 Full Face Masks 5.3.4 Training Dives 6.3.9 Rebreathers 5.3.5 Proficiency Dives 6.3.10 Gas Control Panels 5.3.6 Recreational Dives 6.3.11 Air Storage Cylinders 5.4 Diving Modes 6.3.12 Air Filtration Systems 5.4.1 Equipment Required for All 6.3.13 Drysuits Diving Modes 6.3.14 Compressor Operation and Air 5.4.2 Open Circuit Scuba Test Records 5.4.3 Rebreathers 6.3.15 Oxygen Handling Equipment 5.4.4 Hookah 6.3.16 Nitrox Diving Equipment 5.4.5 Surface Supplied Diving FM-4 Table of Contents Diving Safety and Operations Manual Page 5 Classifications Appendices XVII Emergency Medical Information Card I Standard Medical History and XVIII NPS Diving Incident Report Form Examinations XIX Field Neurological Examination II Diving Fitness Medical Evaluation Report III Entry Level/Annual Blue Card Requirements Worksheets IV NPS 40-Hour Core Dive Training V Off‐Duty Equipment User Agreement And Liability Release VI Dive Management System & Dive Google Docs VII NPS Skills Descriptions • Annual Blue Card and Entry Level Swim Test Administration Guidelines • Buddy Breathing, Teaching Of • Five Minute Rescue Tow • NPS Bailout • NPS Buddy Breathing Skill Demonstration • NPS Ditch And Recovery • NPS Gas Sharing Skill Demonstration • NPS Rescue Demonstration • Octopus Sharing, Teaching Of • Simulated Emergency Swimming Ascent VIII Rescue Decision Tree IX US Navy Dive Tables, Rev 7 • Table 9-4: Sea Level Equivalent Depth • Table 9-5: Repetitive Groups Associated with Initial Ascent to Altitude • Table9-6: Required Surface Interval Before Ascent to Altitude After Diving • Table 9-7: Air No Decompression • Table 9-8: Residual Nitrogen Time for Repetitive Air Dives • Table 9-9: Air Decompression Tables • Table 10-1: Equivalent Air Depth X NOAA Oxygen Exposure Limits XI NPS Dive Project Plan XII Dive Emergency Evacuation Plan XIII Dive Safe Practices Worksheet XIV NPS Liability Acknowledgement & Release (Diving) XV Operational Diving Log XVI Definitions of NPS Dive FM-4 Chapter 1-Authorities, Scope, and Implementation Diving Safety and Operations Manual Page 6 Chapter 1 Authorities, Scope, and Implementation RM-4, 1.1 Introduction RM-4, 1.2 Applicable Standards RM-4, 1.3 Scope RM-4, 1.4 Requirement RM-4, 1.5 Procedure for Change RM-4, 1.6 Record of Change RM-4, 1.7 Implementation ______________________________________________________________________________ RM-4, 1.1 Introduction A. The National Park Service (NPS) manages many areas that require underwater diving operations and utilizes diving as a tool to conduct a wide variety of management functions. These operations are essential to the management and use of recreational, natural, and cultural resources, as well as resource and visitor protection. B. NPS dive operations are conducted for many purposes, including those related to science, public service / safety, and maintenance and infrastructure. It is therefore necessary to provide standards and guidance to park superintendents and program managers, and NPS divers in order to standardize safe diving practices. This document, Diving Management, Reference Manual 4 (RM-4), and the NPS Diving Safety and Operations Manual, Field Manual 4 (FM-4) provides those standards and guidance. Together these documents (RM-4 and FM-4) supply a uniform approach to polices, standards, and procedures to be followed in order to achieve the desired service-wide goal of conducting safe diving operations.