The first NOAA Unit Diving Supervisor’s (UDS) seminar was held February 27 - March 01 at NDC in Seattle, WA. The seminar received excellent attendance and participation from thirty-three persons representing most of the NOAA diving units around the country (including Hawaii and Alaska). It provided an excellent forum for Units to discuss the good the bad and the ugly of the NOAA Diving Program (I don’t recall any “ugly”, which is good), network with other UDSs, and for NDC to cover refresher topics and introduce new program developments. The earthquake demonstration received the most enthusiastic response of all items presented. Overall the Seminar was very successful and it is hoped that it can be repeated every 3-5 years. NDC would like to say thank you to all attendees for their participation and taking time out of their busy schedules.

UDS Seminar attendees - Please remember to return your Diver’s Handbook questionnaire to NDC at your earliest convenience. NDP hopes to have a waterproof handbook printed in the future for all NOAA divers.

UDSs/Divemasters - If you are missing past training records, physicals, certification records, etc., for yourself or your divers and you would like a copy of this information, please contact NDC.

The April 30 - May 18 Working Diver class is full and NDC is no longer accepting candidates for this course. The May 14 - 18 Divemaster class still has room for 2 more candidates. Please contact Laurie Barber as soon as possible if your unit would like to send a diver to Divemaster training. The Mar 27 – 30 Diver Refresher Course in Seattle still has room for divers. Any NOAA diver who has not dove in the last 6 months and wants to become active again may need to attend this course. Any lapse in dive activity over 12 months requires refresher training. Please contact Laurie Barber at NDC if you are interested in this Refresher course

The following classes are scheduled for 2001/2002:

The new NOAA Diving Manual has been mailed out. If you have not received a new manual and you are an active NOAA diver who is a participant in the SEP Program, please contact Laurie Barber at NDC.