As spring arrives and we all begin preparations for field work later in the year, don't forget to review your diving skills. Activity levels at most units drops significantly during the winter months and reviewing written material and watermanship skills are a great way to "tune-up" for upcoming work. We'll discuss this more later and give you some guidelines for successful refresher training at your unit.

You have all received policy and guidelines for Scientific Diver certification and the AAUS reciprocity procedures. If you have any additional questions, please call or e-mail NDC. Any divers in your units who received TAD certification, will be converted to Scientific Diver this month. New certification letters and wallet cards will be sent to UDS's for distribution.

The draft diving regulations are complete and have been forwarded to Safety Board members for comment. The new regulations include changes from the last three board meetings and should be approved and issued later this year.

We need your input in the form of articles and/or stories, describing diving procedures and experiences at your unit. There is no specific format for submission of your articles, just keep them small (300 words or less) and send them via E-mail or fax. Original authors will receive full credit.

Enclosed is a copy of the 1997 NDP annual report. Please share it with both diving and management personnel at your unit/ship.

 
-LCDR  Frank Wood -

SCUBA/SCBA compressor air test kits were sent to units in January. The following Units have not completed the required testing: NOAAS TOWNSEND CROMWELL, Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary and the Auke Bay Laboratory. Please complete your tests and return the kits to TRI as soon as possible. Delays in returning the kits incur additional costs, so please call NDC if you can not complete your test promptly.
 

Annual dive locker inspection results were due in January. The majority of you have completed and submitted the self inspection report, but several are still needed. The following units/ships have not submitted inspection reports:

NOS - Atlantic Regional Office; Pacific Regional Office; Headquarters Measurement Branch; Channel Island Marine Sanctuary; Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary; Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary; Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary; and the Headquarters Marine Sanctuary.

OAR - Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory; Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory; and the Great Lakes Research Center.

ONCO - NOAA Ships JOHN N COBB; DAVID STARR JORDAN; RAINIER; McARTHUR; WHITING; OREGON II; and FERREL.

Please complete your inspections and forward them to your LODO and NDC as soon as possible.