American Nitrox Divers International

American Nitrox Divers International (or ANDI) was founded by Ed Betts and Dick Rutkowski in 1988.[1]

For other uses, see Andi.

American Nitrox Divers International
AbbreviationANDI
Formation1988
TypeNGO
HeadquartersFreeport, New York
Location
  • 74 Woodcleft Avenue Freeport
    New York 11520-3342
Region served
World wide
President
Ed Betts
Websitewww.andihq.com

ANDI has since expanded to include offices in The United Kingdom, Israel, Australia, Sweden, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Greece, Japan, Taiwan, Republic of Korea, Republic of Maldives, Republic of Philippines, Latin America, Middle East, with its home office in the United States of America.[2]

"SafeAir" is ANDI's term of art for breathing mixtures with extra oxygen added that are commonly known as nitrox or Enriched Air Nitrox (EAN).[3]

Origins and history

ANDI was founded by Ed Betts and Dick Rutkowski in 1988 for the following purpose - "to standardize Instructor Training, Sport Diver Training, and refill station dispensing procedures for Enriched Air Nitrox diving."[1][4] It is one of the first diver training organisations to specialize in technical diving and in the delivery of training for the use of nitrox.[5] Between the years 1989 and 2000, ANDI is reported by the Divers Alert Network as certifying 49,118 divers out of a global total of 233,798 in the use of nitrox along with the certification of 3,196 instructors (out of a global total of 32,924) to specifically teach nitrox.[6]

Certification

ANDI offers training programs for recreational diving, use of nitrox, technical diving (including rebreather), gas blending, equipment service, diver first aid and hyperbaric chamber personnel.[7] Each program is identified by “a three-letter course code”. Programs specific to diver training are also classified by a “Level of Training” in order to “differentiate the programs and their scope of training” with Level 1 (L1) being “an introductory program for new divers or divers-in-training” while Level 5 (L5) is used for the highest level of training, i.e. “exploration courses" that "involve the use of other inert gases".[8]

Open Water certification

Specialty certification
  • Dry Suit Diver - DSD[9]
  • Dry Suit Instructor - DSI[9]
  • Diver Propulsion Vehicle - DPV[9]
  • Night Diver - NGT[9]
  • Boat Diver - BOT[9]
  • Deeper Water Diver - DWD[9]
  • Navigation Diver - NAV[9]
  • Specialty Instructor - (L1-2) SPI[9]
  • Marine Environmentalist Specialty (MES)[9]
  • Total Buoyancy Control Specialty (TBC)[9]

SafeAir (Nitrox) certification
  • Limited SafeAir User - (L1) LSU[10]
  • Complete SafeAir User - (L2) CSU[10]
  • SafeAir Instructor - (L1 & 2) LSI & CSI[10]
  • SafeAir Wreck Diver - (L2) SWD[10]
  • Altitude Diver Specialty - (L2) ALD[10]
  • Specialty Instructor - (L2)[10]
  • SafeAir Divemaster - (L2) SDM[10]
  • Cavern Diver - (L2) CVN[10]
  • Cavern Diver Instructor - (L2) CVI[10]

Technical certification
  • Technical SafeAir Diver - (L3) TSD[11]
  • Technical Tri-Mix Diver - (L3) TTM[11]
  • Solo Diver - (L3) SLD[11]
  • Technical Wreck Diver - (L3) TWD[11]
  • Technical SafeAir Instructor - (L3) TSI[11]
  • Technical Instructor (Specialty) - (L3)[11]
  • Technical Divemaster - (L3) TDM[11]
  • Cave Diver (L3) CAV[11]
  • Cave Diver Instructor - (L3) CAI[11]

Exploration certification
  • Extended Range Diver - (L4) ERD[11]
  • Extended Range Instructor - (L4) ERI[11]
  • Intermediate Tri-Mix Diver - (L5) ITM[11]
  • Tri-Mix Diver - (L5) TMD[11]
  • Exploration Divemaster - (L4 & 5) EDM[11]
  • Tri-Mix Instructor - (L5) TMI[11]
  • Cave Explorer - (L4) CVX[11]
  • Cave Explorer Instructor - (L4) CXI[11]
  • Cave Explorer - (L5) CVX[11]
  • Cave Explorer Instructor - (L5) CXI[11]

Rebreather certification
  • Rebreather Intro - (L1) ICC[12]
  • Rebreather Diver - (L2) CCR[12]
  • Rebreather Diver - (L2) SCR[12]
  • Technical Rebreather Diver - (L3) TRD[12]
  • Rebreather Explorer - (L5) ERE[12]
  • Rebreather Instructor - (L1&2) RBI Technical Rebreather Instructor - (L3) TRI[12]
  • Exploration Rebreather Inst. - (L5) XRI[12]

Technician certification
  • Gas Blender - CGB[13]
  • Advanced Gas Blender - AGB[13]
  • Gas Blender Instructor - GBI[13]
  • Breathing Gas Dispenser Tech - BDT[13]
  • Breathing Gas Maintenance Tech - BMT[13]
  • SafeAir Service Technician - CST[13]
  • Service Technician Instructor - STI[13]
  • Eddy Current Tech - ECT[13]
  • Cylinder Inspection Technician - CIT[13]
  • Apprentice Service Technician - AST[13]
  • Professional Service Technician - PST[13]
  • Senior Service Technician - SST[13]
  • Master Service Technician - MST[13]

Dive Medic certification
  • Oxygen Administration Provider - OXP[14]
  • Oxygen Administration Instructor - OXI[14]
  • CPR Provider - CPR[14]
  • CPR Instructor - CPI[14]
  • First Aid Provider - FAP[14]
  • First Responder - FRS[14]
  • Dive Medic - DMD[14]
  • Dive Medic Instructor - DMI[14]

Hyperbarics certification
  • Hyperbaric Chamber Awareness - HCA: Introductory background on chamber applications.[15]
  • Hyperbaric Chamber Tender - HCT: Basic theory and procedures of hyperbaric chamber operation to assist a qualified chamber operator in a clinical environment.[15]
  • Hyperbaric Chamber Operator - HCO (3 levels): Unit-specific chamber operation skills and the necessary theoretical background.[15]
  • Certified Hyperbaric Technician - CHT: Practical and theoretical chamber related equipment maintenance and operation skills.[15]
  • Hyperbaric Chamber Operator Instructor - HCI[15]

Recognition

ANDI obtained CEN certification from the EUF certification body in 2005.[16]

ANDI ratings for recreational diving supervision and instruction are recognized by the Health and Safety Executive in the United Kingdom as of 2015. [17]

ANDI is recognized as a technical diving organisation by the Chamber of Diving and Watersports in Egypt as of 2016.[18]

See also

References
  1. "ANDI History and Origins". ANDI. 2015. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  2. "Introduction to ANDI". American Nitrox Divers International. Archived from the original on December 12, 2007. Retrieved December 7, 2007.
  3. Jeffrey H. Rudell (July 2009). Bends Explained: How to Plan a Safe Dive. iUniverse. pp. 51–. ISBN 978-1-4401-5330-3.
  4. Bret Gilliam; Robert Von Maier; Darren Webb (January 1995). Deep Diving: An Advanced Guide to Physiology, Procedures and Systems. Aqua Quest Publications, Inc. pp. 313–. ISBN 978-0-922769-31-5.
  5. Ghazali Musa; Kay Dimmock (June 26, 2013). Scuba Diving Tourism. Routledge. pp. 22–23. ISBN 978-1-136-32494-9.
  6. M.A., Lang (2001). Lang, M.A. (ed.). DAN Nitrox Workshop Proceedings. DAN Nitrox Workshop. Durham, NC: Divers Alert Network. pp. 65–68. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  7. "Courses". ANDI. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  8. Betts, E (2001). Lang, MA (ed.). ANDI SafeAir Training. DAN Nitrox Workshop Proceedings. Durham, NC: Divers Alert Network. pp. 31–32. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  9. Staff (2015). "Recreational Open Water Diver Ratings". ANDI. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  10. Staff (2015). "SafeAir Nitrox Ratings". ANDI. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  11. Staff (2015). "Technical and Exploration Ratings". ANDI. Archived from the original on August 2, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  12. Staff (2015). "Rebreather Ratings". ANDI. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  13. Staff (2015). "Gas Blender and Technician Ratings". ANDI. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  14. Staff (2015). "Dive Medic and Hyperbaric Ratings". ANDI. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  15. Staff (2015). "Hyperbaric ratings". ANDI. Archived from the original on July 2, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  16. "EUF Certified Training Systems/Training Organisations". EUF Certification International. January 12, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  17. "Diving at Work Regulations 1997 List of Approved Diving Qualifications dated 18th March 2015". Health and Safety Executive (UK). pp. 4–5 and 24–25. Archived from the original on November 18, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  18. "Training Agencies (recognised by the CDWS)". The Chamber of Diving and Watersports (Egypt). Archived from the original on November 18, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
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