CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF FREEDIVING AND APNEA
STANDARD SAFE FREEDIVING PRACTICES
STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING
This is a statement in which you are informed of the established safe diving practices for skin and freediving. These practices have been compiled for your review and acknowledgement and are intended to increase your comfort and safety in snorkeling/freediving. Your signature on this statement is required as proof that you are aware of these safe freediving practices. Read and discuss the statement prior to signing it. If you are a minor, a parent or guardian must also sign this form.
I, __________________________________________________, understand that as a diver I should:
- Maintain good mental and physical fitness for diving. Avoid
being under the influence of alcohol or dangerous drugs when freediving.
Keep proficient in freediving skills, striving to increase them through
continuing education and reviewing them in controlled conditions after a
period of freediving inactivity.
- Be familiar with my dive sites. If not, obtain a formal site
orientation from a knowledgeable, local source. If diving conditions are
worse than those in which I am experienced, postpone freediving or
select an alternate site with better conditions. Engage only in
freediving activities consistent with my training and experience. Do not
engage in overhead environment freediving such as cave, wreck or ice
freediving.
- Use complete, well-maintained, reliable and appropriate
equipment with which I am familiar; and inspect it for correct fit and
function prior to each dive.
- Listen carefully to freedive briefings and directions and
respect the advice of those who may be supervising my freediving
activities.
- Never practice or take part in freediving activities without a
buddy whether in open water or in confined water. Adhere to the buddy
system throughout every freedive. Employ 'direct supervision' when
planning any in-water breath-holds and plan freedives - including
communications, and emergency procedures - with my buddy. Insure my
buddy has the appropriate experience to act as my safety during in-water
breath-holds.
- Have a means to monitor depth and/or time under water. Limit
maximum depth and/or time to my level of training and experience. When
freediving deeper than 40m/132', utilize deep-water supervision
procedures along with 'direct supervision' appropriate for the
environment I am diving in.
- Wear appropriate exposure protection and appropriate amount of
weight so that I am neutrally buoyant at a minimum depth of 10m/30ft or
deeper. Have weight system accessible for easy removal, and establish
buoyancy when in distress.
- Take sufficient surface intervals to properly breathe between
freedives of approximately double my last freedive and on dives deeper
than 30m take at least 8minutes. Avoid overexertion while in and under
water and freedive within my limitations. Should any problems
associated with hypoxia such as loss of motor control or blackout occur
while freediving or during any apnea, or any barotrauma injuries or
decompression illness occur, discontinue any freediving or apnea for the
day and seek medical assistance if required.
- Know and obey local diving laws and regulations, including fish-and-game and dive-flag laws.
I have read the above statements and have had any questions answered to my satisfaction. I understand the importance and purposes of these established practices. I recognize they are for my own safety and well being, and that failure to adhere to them can place me in jeopardy when diving.
| __________________________________ | _______________________________________ |
| Participant's Signature | Date (Day/Month/Year) |
| __________________________________ | _______________________________________ |
| Signature of Parent or Guardian (where applicable) | Date (Day/Month/Year) |
