PADI's rebuttal to Dr. Bryson's criticisms -- "sh*t happens" -- is certainly NOT reassuring...Dr. K - Divemaster/GPAugust 9, 2006 at 11:46:11"PADI defended its course, saying: 'Accidents do occur'..."
In other words, "sh*t happens so don't blame us". If that's the best PADI can do to defend their often-criticized "educational" products, I have to agree with Nate: "Say goodbye to the self-regulated scuba diving industry." PADI's badly misses the mark with their argument that scuba-related deaths and debilitating injuries are inevitable. While human stupidity may be a fact of life
and death, the issue front and centre is whether abbreviated courses such as the PADI Scuba Diver course cited in CDNN's editorial increase the risk of injury and/or death to tourists hooked on PADI's "scuba diving is fun" marketing. And that begs the question, "What can and should be done by PADI (and other companies that certify divers) to reduce the risk of injury and death to people who want to participate in scuba diving activities?"
What we're looking at is a collision course between increasing scuba diving accidents and decreasing "grow the dive industry" entry level training standards. Something's got to give and I'm betting my marginally profitable, 5-star gold palm CDC career development, confined water training pond franchise it's going to be the self-regulated scuba diving industry. Tell me I'm wrong... | 
