The Boy Scouts o America Announces the

Scuba DivingMerit Badge

The

Scuba Diving

merit badge pamphlet will be availablein early December at local council service centers,or go to

www.scoutstuff.org

. Councils should beginrecruiting merit badge counselors now.Get the word out to your sta, volunteers,and Boy Scouts.The “Note to the Counselor,”

Guide to Safe Scouting,

and the Sae Swim Deense (as applied to scuba diving)are integral to the Scuba Diving merit badge requirements.Review this content in ull prior to making any commitmentsabout this merit badge.

220-005 2009 Printing

Start with a dash o swimming skills(the Swimming merit badge). Add equal measures o aquatics frst aid,saety, and conservation.

Douse liberally with

ADVENTURE!

In addition to the agencies listed by name, any current member o theWorld Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC) is also recognized.Each approved instructor must ollow the training protocols estab-lished by his or her authorizing agency, including limitations and specialprovisions based on medical conditions and age. For Scout divers underage 15, this will include restrictions or maximum depth, buddies, andsupervision ratios.Scuba industry standards or Open Water Diver Certifcation requirethe student to be at least 15 years o age. Students under the minimumage who meet open water scuba perormance requirements may qualiyor a special certifcation that allows them to dive with an adult buddywho has, as a minimum, an open water scuba certifcation. Several othe scuba organizations recognized by the BSA oer “junior” open watercertifcations or those as young as 10; others have a minimum age o12. Such junior open water diver certifcations satisy Scuba Diving meritbadge requirement 4.When scuba diving is taught in connection with any local councilprogram, such as oering the Scuba Diving merit badge at summer camp,instructors should provide the training on a contract basis. Such instructorsshould have dive store or other commercial afliation that provides liabilitycoverage. Direct employment o scuba instructors is not recommended.Local council programs may not compress or sell air or scuba use,or sell, rent, or loan scuba equipment (scuba cylinders, regulators, gauges,dive computers, weights, BCDs). All air and scuba equipment or local council use must be obtainedrom proessional sources (dive stores, resorts, dive boats, etc.) afliatedwith a scuba agency recognized by the BSA.

Courtesy of PADI