BSAC member fatalities and injuries...Ross Allan - Instructor/PhotographerNovember 5, 2006 at 13:35:43Having come into this discussion quite late I am only commenting on the last few posts. I don't
find the stats showing BSAC divers to be more likely involved in fatalities and accidents much of a suprise at all. Although a small proportion of overall divers in the UK, people should bear in mind that many UK divers don't actually dive in the UK and often keep their diving to basic levels abroad. BSAC divers often dive more regularly and in more extreme conditions. Many divers from other organisations are taught by their instructors to continue
their diving under guidance. This is good business sense and courses are designed to promote this kind of led diving. Many PADI instructors (including myself) would also accept that the level of training in basic courses also demands it. BSAC on the other hand is a club. It's basic levels of cold water training (not Ocean Diver which is designed for warm water holiday resorts and the like)
are slightly higher and have more emphasize on non professional led dives. This means many divers make their own choices about how they dive and often lead themselves into their own dangers. Divers from all organizations do this and it is wrong to blame organizations themselves. I'm quite suprised about this debate as it seems a little blinkered. As for stats well the fact that the organizations are collecting stats is a sign of openess. After all you
wouldn't be able to make these arguments at all without them. Bsac is a pretty honest organisation really. As an instructor for PADI and a BSAC diver I've often found a lot of respect because of my BSAC past and that doesn't surprise me. For myself the best training I ever saw was in a NAUI school. In the end training is down to instructors, not systems. Accidents are down to divers, not organisations. | 
