Fitness in Diving

ON this episode of Fitness In Diving we have a conversation with Dive Operations Specialist Andrea Van Epps. The Neutral Buoyancy Lab in Houston, Texas is the largest swimming pool in the United States, and it is here that the National Atmospheric Space Administration (NASA) trains our astronauts. The Dive Operations Specialist supports the astronauts while training underwater. Our conversation with Andrea will feature her journey as a diver to become a Dive Operations Specialist. Having the skill set and the fitness requirements are two of many requirements to dive at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab. Andrea's pathway to become a Dive Operations Specialist at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab might be unique, but she shares the drive, dedication and necessary skillset with the entire team of Dive Operations Specialists that allow for safe operations at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab at NASA.

Please join our conversation with Nick Bird MD,MMM,FAAFP,FUHM. Dr Bird is a Dive Medicine Physician, Past Chief Medical Officer/ Chief Executive Officer at Divers Alert Network, Past President of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society, and Currently the Medical Director of the Hyperbaric Medicine Department at the Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle Washington. Dr Bird is a member of the Diver Medical Screening Committee. It was this committee that evaluated and updated the current Diver Medical Screening System which has been adopted Internationally. It was in 2020 that the Diver Medical Screening Committee in association with the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, DAN (US), DAN Europe and the Hyperbaric Medicine Division, University of California, San Diego created and published the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire. These all volunteer committee members consisting of Dive Medicine Physicians and Diving Scientists developed this system to be used by Recreational Scuba Divers and Free Divers. These series of documents have replaced the past Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC) medical fitness forms. These forms are Internationally excepted. I suggest that you download these documents from the UHMS.org website before you join our conversation on Understanding the Diver Medical Screening System. Please join me and DR Nick Bird as we dive in and look at the Diver Medical Screening System.

Please join us for Season Two of the Fitness in Diving Podcast. Episode One of Season Two is a conversation on The Aging Diver. We feature a conversation with Award Winning Author, Dive Safety Expert and Diving Educator Dan Orr. Dan has been a Dive professional for over 50 years. He has been involved with many facets of Dive Safety, Dive Technology, Dive Training and Dive Marketing. Dan Orr has served as President of Divers Alert Network for 23 years. He currently is president of Dan Orr Consulting and works with many in the Diving Industry. He has published literally hundreds of Articles,Chapters and Books on Dive Safety and Dive Technology. He continues to lead diving expeditions Internationally. He has been honored by his peers and is the recipient of many prestigious awards and honors. He continues to support the dive industry as a mentor, leader, dive educator and subject matter expert. He is a true advocate for the Sport of Diving and Dive Safety. .

This Podcast episode features a conversation with Frauke Tillmans PHD.  Dr Tillamns is the Director of Research at Divers Alert Network.  She has a degree in Human Biology and a PHd specializing in oxidative stress which is involved in acute diving injuries and may affect long term health of divers.  Through her research career, she  has participated in research in collaborative projects involving decompression stress, inert gas narcosis, and oxygen toxicity. As Director of Research at Divers Alert Network, she is involved in multiple studies and collaborates with academia, Industry and the diving community. Dr Tillmans also oversees am impressive Research  Internship program that is offered  at Divers Alert Network.    She is a highly sought after speaker both Nationally and Internationally. She is also an experienced Public Safety Diver, Scientific Diver and Technical Diver, Dive Instructor and Active Volunteer Fire Fighter .  This Podcast was recorded September 2022. 

This podcast features a conversation with Third Generation Ocean Explorer and Ocean Conservationist Fabien Cousteau.  Fabien is an Aquanaut, Filmaker and Documentarian.  In his youth he spent time aboard his grandfathers research vessel The Calypso.  Here he learned about the importance of hard work and team effort to accomplish the many challenges required when exploring the vastness of our oceans. Fabien has been an Explorer at Large for National Geographic and has collaborated on many television specials.  He has been featured in a multi hour series for PBS Called Ocean Adventures.  He has founded the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center a non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to the restoration of the worlds water-bodies thru active community engagement.  Fabien shares with us his most recent project the Proteous Ocean Group.  He also reflects  on his time and preparation  while on board the  Aquarious Reef Base as team Leader of Mission 31.  We discuss a number of aspects of fitness in diving, physical preparation and maintaining the necessary fitness to safely accomplish a safe diving mission.  

This episode features Dr Sandra Wainwright.  She is a prominent Pulmonary, Critical Care and Hyperbaric Physician.  She has cared for the diving community offering Medical Evaluation of Divers with Pulmonary Conditions. She has also treated numerous injured divers requiring Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.  Common conditions including Asthma, Bronchitis, and Pneumonia will be discussed. Common pulmonary medications s well as important pulmonary medical testing will be reviewed.  We will also review best practices in understanding return to diving after Covid-19 infection.  This is a must listen to conversation for all divers. 

The fourth Episode of Fitness in Diving features Dr Douglas Ebersole a Cardiologist, Divers Alert Network Consultant, Technical Diver, and Rebreather Instructor.  Dr Ebersole will have an engaging conversation on a variety of common areas of concern relating to ones Cardiac Fitness and how ones cardiac fitness can have a significant role in maintaining ones Fitness in Diving. The information in this conversation focuses on Hearth Health and Diving.  It is such an important topic that has great implication for all levels of diving, in all classification of divers. Having a better understanding of what constitutes Fitness in Diving will lead to a safer more enjoyable Dive!

Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor a physician board-certified in Emergency Medicine, Toxicology and Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine. She is Medical Director of the Hyperbaric Medicine program at  Med Star Health in Washington DC.  Dr Kelly Johnson-Arbor  will share with us here experience treating injured divers in a hyperbaric chamber. We will include discussion on how decompression sickness can affect the injured diver, as well as how hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help. 

Join Dr. Micheal Rothchild a pediatric otolaryngologist, past president of the Sea Gypsies currently the Dive Chair, Rebreather Diver, Author, and promoter of local diving in the Northeast, in a conversation on Diving and common Ear, Nose, Throat, and Sinus issues diver will experience. As ear, nose and sinus complaints are by far the most common medical condition divers will experience, this conversation is important to every diver!

On our first podcast episode, we will feature Richie Kohler, filmmaker, author, and shipwreck explorer. This year Richie Kohler completed a return Explorers Club Flag Expedition visit to the HMHS Britannic. Richie Kohler will share his story of overcoming medical adversity and the challenge to return to diving after a significant medical issue.