Richard Rutkowski is a pioneer in the fields ofhyperbaric medicine,diving medicine anddiver training, especially in relation to the use ofbreathing gases.
Rutkowski joined the US government service in 1950 and served during the Korean War. As a government civilian he served until 1970 whenNOAA was established. He worked at NOAA from 1970 until 1985 as Deputy Diving Coordinator, Director of the NOAA Miami Hyperbaric Facility and Director of NOAA Diver Training. While at NOAA he founded the NOAA Diving/Hyperbaric Training and Diver Treatment Facility in 1973, and served as adirector until 1985. He also served as co-director for the Physician's Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Training Program. During this time, hundreds of physicians have completed this program and are presently serving as directors and/or physicians for major hyperbaric facilities in the US and abroad.
Rutkowski is a NOAAaquanaut, having undergonesaturation many times.[1]
After retiring from NOAA, Rutkowski formed Hyperbaric International, Inc. He is also past president of theUndersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Gulf Coast Chapter.[1]
In the 1970s Rutkowski taught the first diving emergency and accident management courses, including stressing the importance ofoxygen use at the dive site by non-professionals. In 1978, he wrote and published the first diving accident management manual, setting theDivers Alert Network standard.[1]
In 1985, Rutkowski began the introduction and popularization ofnitrox use within the recreational diving community.[2] This opened up some controversy between divers and the scientific community at the time.[3] Rutkowski founded several organizations to focus on diver training and safety includingAmerican Nitrox Divers International (ANDI), the International Association of Nitrox Divers (IAND) - which later became known as theInternational Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD) - and the Undersea Research Foundation (URF).
According to a March 2004 edition of Rodale'sScuba Diving magazine, "In the process of overcoming the negative hype surrounding oxygen-enriched air, he also gave us one of his other significant contributions to diving—a now famous quote—"Science Always Wins Over Bullshit."
His publications includeInstructor/Student Guide for the Use of Nitrogen-Oxygen Mixtures as a Divers' Breathing Gas,The Complete Guide to Nitrox Diving,Introduction to Nitrox Diving,Instructor/Student Guide for the Use of Breathing Gases During Hyperbaric Exposures, andMixing/Blending forNitrox andTrimix. He has also been a contributor and editor of theNOAA Diving Manual and training films.[1] He currently teaches a course titled "Advanced Diving / Hyperbaric Medical Team Training Program with Chamber Operations", which takes place monthly in Key Largo, FL.[4]
Mr Rutkowski, known to most as "Hyper-Dick", is known for holding court most afternoons from a table at Sharkeys in the Port Largo subdivision, an area of Key Largo. Rutkowski in 2016 moved his Hyperbarics International operation and gear collection to an office complex at mile marker 98.8 inKey Largo.
Honors and awards that Dick Rutkowski has received include:
