PADI Emergency First Response Course
Diving on the next level
The PADI Emergency First Response (EFR) course provides divers with the skills needed to assess an emergency medical situation and respond accordingly, and provide to treatment and support for a range of life-threatening and minor injuries that can occur when diving. This course will equip you with the knowledge to perform a range of first aid procedures, such as CPR, stopping bleeding, and patient monitoring, as well as the confidence to use these skills appropriately and confidently.
The PADI Emergency First Responder course meets the prerequisite requirement for the PADI Rescue Diver course.
Who is this course for?
There are no prerequisites for the PADI Emergency First Response course - simply a desire to be better prepared to help your fellow divers in the event of a first aid incident. Scuba divers who have already earned their PADI Advanced Open Water Diver rating and wish to pursue a PADI Rescue Diver, will need to complete this EFR Course.
How to take part
The PADI Emergency First Response course at the Two Oceans Aquarium Dive School costs R3 000 per person. This includes everything you need for the course.
Course information
Course content
The PADI Emergency First Response course covers both primary and secondary care:
Primary care:
Our PADI Emergency First Response course teaches you the steps and techniques for handling life-threatening emergencies. During the course, you’ll practice eight skills for aiding patients who aren’t breathing, have any heartbeat, may have a spinal injury, may be in shock or who may have serious bleeding. You’ll learn how to perform CPR and continue to monitor the patient, so that you can provide every possible chance of a positive outcome of the emergency situation, while waiting for emergency medical services to arrive.
Primary Care Skills taught in this course include:
- Scene assessment
- Barrier use
- Primary assessment
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Serious bleeding management
- Shock management
- Spinal injury management
- Conscious and unconscious
- Choking management
- Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Use
- Emergency oxygen use
Secondary care:
Because many medical conditions are non-life-threatening and emergency medical services are sometimes delayed or unavailable, our PADI Emergency First Response course will also teach you how to provide first aid that eases pain and reduces the risk of further harm. You’ll learn to assess a variety of injuries and illnesses and practice bandaging and splinting.
Secondary Skills taught in this course include:
- Injury assessment
- Illness assessment
- Bandaging
- Splinting for dislocations and fractures
- Serious bleeding management
- Shock management
- Spinal injury management
- Conscious and unconscious
- Choking management
Knowledge development e-learning:
Knowledge development is based on a self-study method, allowing you to study in your own time, at your own pace, in addition to the practical course sessions. Home study is backed up by an academic session with your PADI Instructor, to ensure full understanding of the course material.
Please read our terms and conditions and make sure you are eligible to dive before making your dive booking:
In line with recognised diving practice, dives may not occur if divers are to FLY less than 12 hours after the dive time (or 24 hours for the PADI Open Water Diver and PADI Advanced Open Water courses). Please do not book if you are not sure about the exact time of your flight, especially if it is within 24 hours after your dive. This will result in forfeiting the entire dive fee.
Failing to produce your official dive qualification (eg. dive card) on the day of the dive, your dive will be cancelled and you will be liable for the full amount. We can only check your dive qualification online if you are PADI or SSI certified.
Do not book if you are not sure about your dive qualification, as this will result in forfeiting the entire dive fee. If you are unsure, please contact us on dive@aquarium.co.za to ensure you book the right experience for your qualification level.
If you have a valid dive qualification but have not dived for over 6 months you will be required to complete a refresher course on the day of your dive. This will be done at the Aquarium.
For safety reasons, divers must be at least 10 years old to dive in our exhibits.
Divers under 18 must have their indemnity form signed by their legal guardian. If the legal guardian will not be present on the day of the dive, they must request a copy of the indemnity form at the time of booking the dive so that it is signed in advance of the dive.
The Aquarium entrance fee is included in the rate for the diver/s on the day/s of their dive/s .
Cancellation policy
Should you cancel your dive 24 hours prior to the dive time, 90% of the fee will be refunded. Please be advised that the refund process may take 5 to 10 working days.
Should you cancel your dive on the day of the dive, you will forfeit the entire dive fee. No refund will be given unless it’s due to medical reasons and you can provide proof, e.g. a medical certificate.
Should you wish to postpone your dive for another day, please do so at least 24 hours in advance. If you postpone on the day of the dive, you will be charged a penalty fee of 50% of the dive fee. If the reason to postpone is medical and happened on the day of the dive, there will be no penalty fee provided you have proof, e.g. medical certificate or letter from the doctor.
Should you wish to cancel the dive upon successful completion of the Discover Scuba Dive course, a penalty fee of 50% will be charged.