Author: James Rogers

Diver and regional office owner, with 30 years of diving experience. We need to talk - about joining RAID today!
Posted on by — Leave a comment

The BDSG will endorse the resumption of diving, but not yet

Earlier today (Friday 15th May 2020) the British Diving Safety Group COVID-19 team met to discuss the ongoing situation. At present this BDSG working group is convening on a weekly basis, in order to actively monitor and track the changes.

Every member of the team is an ardent scuba diver, hence they understand and share your keen desire to resume exploring our amazing British and Irish waters as soon as possible.

A spokesman for the BDSG stated “even though the sun is shining and we have got good visibility around our coasts, it is not the time to resume diving…yet. Please continue to adhere to your national guidelines.

In Scotland and Wales you are expected to ‘stay at home’, in Ireland you can ‘travel no more that 5Km’ and in England you can ‘only travel in a household group or meet one other person whilst maintain a 2m distance’. This makes diving virtually impossible.

We are actively working towards being able to endorse recreational and technical diving activities, as well as being mindful that we must protect those who work in and serve our sport. We believe that when we are able to advocate diving, that shore diving will be the first area to open up, because it naturally lends itself to social distancing above the surface.

In the meantime please stay alert, and as close to your home as you are able to. As soon as we are able to endorse British and Irish diving activities, we will.”

The BSDG Team

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Communication is King

Never in the history of our industry has communication been more important. We are excited to let you know that we are about to launch a new digital dive magazine that we are calling “The Edge—Powered by RAID.”

The magazine has been designed to be as inclusive as possible. The Edge is NOT a professional-only publication. It is a publication for all—those wanting to become divers, certified divers, divemasters, instructors, instructor trainers and dive centers—regardless of agency.

The Edge is a digital-only publication, and subscription carries no cost or obligation.

Inside, readers will find industry news, articles on global destinations, kit reviews, interviews and tips on becoming a more accomplished diver—no matter what your interest.

James Rogers—Business Director, RAID International—is quoted as saying, “Our divers have been asking for something fresh and new for some time. RAID is the best-kept secret in the industry; we are changing that.”

RAID has drawn on both a wealth of industry experts for regular contributions and their own in-house expertise to deliver what today’s diver needs.

To subscribe to the magazine, please visit our Dive RAID International Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/diveraid/.

RAID President
Paul V Toomer

Posted on by — Leave a comment

RAID LAUNCHES “FREe-Learning” PLATFORM

RAID, always the innovator, has made sure that everyone, from non-divers to instructor trainers, can have complete access to every level of their extensive online academics and quizzes for FREE.

RAID recently announced that all RAID programmes will be available to everyone visiting and registering on www.diveraid.com. The new FREe-Learning landing page will be live as of Wednesday, April 1. RAID was the first fully online diver training agency. The time is right to launch RAID’s next-generation innovation – FREe-Learning.

RAID FREe-Learning

Paul Toomer, president RAID International, said that opening up the company’s full curriculum for anyone to browse is part of what he referred to as “The RAID Way.”

Toomer explained, “We do not want to stand in the way of anyone staying engaged with the sport, especially now.”

Peter Nohren, RAID Product Manager, added that the initiative will allow visitors to the RAID website to login and have immediate access to dozens of RAID diver training programs. “That includes everything from Try Dive to Cave instructor. Even visitors who currently have not created a profile on the RAID site, will find becoming a member of the RAID tribe and setting up a personal profile is a very simple process.”

“Once that’s done,” Nohren said, “they can work their way through programs chapter by chapter, quiz by quiz, and learn something interesting. Perhaps something they want to pursue and earn certification for when that’s possible. We realise that right now, most of us are not able to get our usual underwater fix, but with RAID’s FREe-Learning, you can get ready for when we can.”

At that time, Toomer explained, “RAID members can pick a dive centre to finish their program, open up the final exam for the courses they’ve completed (as long as they meet the prerequisites) and GO DIVING, with their instructor of choice.

During these trying times, it is often easy to have a knee-jerk reaction and become reactive and not proactive. We are providing options to our dive centres and professionals that will actually make a difference. We are not keen on just making press releases that don’t actually say anything. We are also not wanting to use the pandemic as some sort of profit centre. And most importantly, we will not release initiatives that will only last while we are in times of suffering and are then taken away when the world returns to normality.”

For more details, please email info@DiveRAID.com

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Important Post

A MESSAGE FROM RAID PRESIDENT

On behalf of RAID HQ and all Regional Office staff, I’d like to share some information on the agency’s current position on the COVID-19 pandemic.

We all appreciate that everyone has to comply to directives from our respective governments and health department officials globally. Unfortunately, this means that training and travel as we know it has changed. Our aim over the coming weeks is to provide you with some business interruption assistance wherever we can. We are trying as best as possible to not just talk about assistance but to actually bring something that truly benefits you in these times.

Even at HQ, we have stopped travel, and many HQ staff, senior directors, and ITs who have travelled in the near past have placed themselves in self-isolation. Naturally, this affects our scheduled travel for business-related meetings and training commitments with our members and divers globally, but in the interest of abundant caution, we are certain this is the best action our company can take.

Our members have expressed serious concerns over common practices in agency-sanctioned scuba training. Two specific concerns are in regard to gas-/air-sharing drills and equipment disinfecting. We have brought these concerns to the attention of the appropriate authorities and will be discussing what action our members can take to keep divers in training as safe as possible. We will be releasing updates immediately after those meetings.

As you all know, RAID training courses are valid for 6 months. If you have purchased a RAID program and are unable to complete the course within the 6 months, we will extend your course so that you can complete the program once these trying times are over.

We are empathetic about the negative impact COVID-19 is having on businesses, our families, our dive centers, our professionals, and, of course, our divers. RAID is also working hard on alternative programs and standards changes designed to help support your business, your diving ambitions, and your continued diving and teaching safety. We will release regular news and updates.

If you are in doubt about anything regarding diver training and how COVID-19 impacts it, please do not hesitate to contact your local representative.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please stay safe.
Sincerely,

Paul V Toomer
President

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Ian France – joins RAID

Time waits for no one

“For the last, almost 10 years, I have been working as a full time technical, cave and mine diving Instructor Trainer, but recently I have been looking for new and fresh challenges.

I have watched RAID grow over the last 6 years and liked their philosophy and commitment to modern quality diver training. Whilst I did have the opportunity to join them years ago, the time wasn’t right for me, but things change.

James Rogers – Managing Director RAID UK is quoted as saying; ‘there is a small and select group of top industry trainers with Ian’s reputation; we’re excited to have him on the team’.

I’ve accepted a position to work with RAID in several key areas, bringing my real-world and relevant experience, professionalism, and expertise (primarily in technical, cave and mine diving) to strengthen their UK and International teams.

In my role as a RAID IT I will not only be working with technical divers, but I will also have a large input in the recreational diving arena as well. This is an extremely exciting project since I will be able to work with all levels of Dive Centres and Dive Professionals, whether they are open water divers, technical, cave or mine.

Please get in touch.

I will work alongside James and Oli van Overbeek (UK Training Manager) at RAID UK on specific project and business development, and at RAID International I will be working with the Global Director of Training (Steve Lewis), assisting in the creation of more quality courses, content, standards, and SOP’s.

Most importantly, I will still remain on the frontline of diver education as I believe this the best way to stay grounded, develop the agency, and its products that fit the needs of the most important part of this industry – the diver.

Exciting times….”

Ian.