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| Abbreviation | WRSTC |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1999 |
| Type | INGO |
| Purpose | Development of worldwide minimum training standards |
| Headquarters | PO Box 11083,Jacksonville, FL 32239-1083USA |
Region served | Global |
| Membership | Regional & National RSTCs |
| Website | www |
TheWorld Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC) was founded in 1999 and is dedicated to creating minimumrecreational diving training standards for the various recreationalscuba diving certification agencies across the world. The WRSTC restricts its membership to national or regional councils. These councils consist of individual training organizations who collectively represent at least 50% of the annual diver certifications in the member council's country or region.[1] A national council is referred to as a RSTC (Recreational Scuba Training Council).
Significant training organisations which are not associated with WRSTC via membership of its regional RSTCs includeConfédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS).
On the basis of the experience of past attempts within the United States (US) to control various aspects of recreational diving activity by legislation, the US RSTC was created in 1986 as a permanent body to sustain a relationship between various recreational diving training organisations. In 1991, it replaced theDiving Equipment Manufacturers Association (DEMA) (renamed as the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association in 1998) as the secretariat for the thenAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) committee forUnderwater Safety (also known as the Z86 Committee). The Z86 committee was subsequently replaced by the committee forDiving Instructional Standards and Safety (also known as the Z375 committee).[2] In 2007 it retained its appointment as the ANSI Accredited Standards Developer (ASD) for theZ375 committee.[3]
The US RSTC has been responsible for the development of a standard medical statement (in conjunction with theUndersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society) and minimum training standards fordiving hand signals and the following recreational diver grades - Introductory Scuba Experience, Supervised Diver,Open Water Diver,Enriched Air Nitrox Certification,Entry level Rescue Diver,Dive Supervisor, Assistant Instructor,Scuba Instructor and Scuba Instructor Trainer.[4][5]
In 2020 the revised 'RSTC Medical Declaration Form' and 'Notes for Physicians' (diving medical guidance) were published, following a three-year review by the 'Diver Medical Screen Committee'.[6] (DMSC) comprises a team of internationally respected diving medicine experts; Dr Nick Bird, Dr Oliver Firth, (the late) Professor Tony Frew, Dr Alessandro Marroni, ProfessorSimon Mitchell, Associate ProfessorNeal Pollock and Dr Adel Taher.
Membership of a US RSTC council member is one of the recognition criteria used byBoy Scouts of America (BSA) for the selection of recreational scuba diving instructors for the training of its members in order to receive the BSAScuba Diving merit badge.[7]
As of 2020, the following agencies are members:[8]
The following agencies are currently members:[11]
RSTC Europe currently is a member of theEuropean Underwater Federation. The following agencies are currently members:[12]
As of 2018[update], the following agencies were members:[13]
