If you snorkel from boats, the skills covered in this award may one day help you to save a life.
Holders of the Advanced Snorkel Lifesaver Award have demonstrated their lifesaving proficiency in rescuing snorkellers into a boat.
The Advanced Snorkel Lifesaver Award assesses lifesaving proficiency and snorkel-rescue skills in realistic open-water conditions and wearing appropriate protective clothing. It also covers first aid for injuries likely to be encountered in snorkelling and snorkelling-related activities, placing an emphasis on improvisation and immediacy.
This award is open to anyone who has a BSAC Lifesaver Award. It’s good preparation for the Advanced Snorkel Lifesaver Award to have attended the Practical Rescue Management, Oxygen Administration and First Aid for Divers SDCs.
As for the Snorkel Lifesaver Award, additional training before taking the Advanced Snorkel Lifesaver Award is optional. Your instructor could include a series of lessons designed to cater for the needs of the students.
Skills to be refreshed include throwing rescues, surface rescue techniques. New first aid skills are introduced, including casualty assessment and practical first aid techniques, which are not included in the Snorkel Training Programme or the Diver Training Programme Rescue management is also covered. Training will be based on the latest BSAC Basic Life Support Guidelines.
What you’ll be assessed on
The Advanced Snorkel Lifesaver Award assesses your lifesaving proficiency and snorkel-rescue skills in an open-water environment wearing appropriate protective clothing, covering rescue methods suitable for use from shore or boat. You need to pass an examination with two sections – a dry theoretical and practical test and a wet practical test. Advanced lifesaver theory includes first aid and rescue management. Advanced lifesaver in-water skills include towing and throwing rescues from a boat.
The Advanced Snorkel Lifesaver Award is recognised by many agencies and local authorities. The Advanced Snorkel Lifesaver Award assesses your lifesaving proficiency and snorkel-rescue skills using boat-based scenarios. You will learn first aid skills and techniques for rescue management, and refresh your basic life support skills.
Rescue techniques examined include a 10-metre rope-throwing rescue and a 10m buoyant-aid rescue and tow, recovering the casualty into a boat. You will show you can rescue a snorkel diver and tow them 100m, recovering the casualty onto a shelving shore with assistance.
You could do this course at a regional event or local club. Not all clubs run the Advanced Snorkel Lifesaver Award, so please check if you are interested.
Alternatively, book your place on a scheduled Advanced Snorkel Lifesaver Award online now.
Not a BSAC member? You can do this course by joining BSAC directly or joining via a local club. Find a club.
Training can be spread over a number of days, but a total of a day should be sufficient time for this award. Students will be given a pack of supporting learning materials.
Your next steps – developing your skills
After this assessment you could further your training by doing other Skill Development Courses (SDCs), such as the safety and rescue ones listed below.
- Learn to use an automated external defibrillator on an AED course
- Learn to use oxygen first aid on an Oxygen Administration course.
Or you could progress your diver grade training.
Not yet a BSAC member?
You can do this course by joining BSAC directly or joining your local club.
If you need a hand send your postcode to membership@bsac.com and we'll help you find the right scuba club for you. Or if you fancy a chat call us 0151 350 6201 (Mon - Fri, 9 - 5:30).
