SPEAKER’S BIO
Neail Holland has been scuba diving since 1989. After moving to California in 1991, he became truly passionate about scuba diving.
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Over the years, he sought additional training while diving the California Channel Islands regularly. In 2005, he became a Divemaster and following became a Technical diver, diving a closed circuit rebreather and cave diving, which increased his knowledge and safety awareness. In 2007, Neail became a NAUI Instructor and started Rec2Tec Scuba (shout out to Rec2Tec - a CID Sponsor!). Within the next few years, he became an Instructor Trainer and then a Course Director.
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Neail is a retired Police Sergeant from the Oxnard Police Department in California and has been a member of the Oxnard Police and Fire Public Safety Dive Team since 2002. He started as a police diver and tender and eventually supervised the unit's operations, personnel, training, and equipment.
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Along with scuba diving, Neail enjoys traveling. His travels with fellow scuba divers has taken him through the USA, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
PSD requires a whole 'nother kind of kit!
Neail Holland
February Presentation
Public Safety Training for Divers
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Neail will introduce us to Public Safety Diving, what's involved in becoming a Public Safety Diver, and his experiences here in Ventura County.
Public safety divers work in conjunction with local Law Enforcement and Fire agencies. Unlike other types of diving - recreational, commercial, scientific - where dives are planned and can be cancelled when conditions are poor, public safety divers respond to emergencies, going out in all conditions and situations. Ventura County's teams include trained volunteers.
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Public safety diving requires specialized training for recognizing hazards, conducting risk assessments, search procedures, diving in zero visibility, using full-face masks with communication systems, and recovering evidence that is admissible in court. Sometimes, when water is contaminated, divers may be required to wear vulcanized drysuits with sealed helmets, and utilize surface supplied air. At times, the decontamination process that takes place out of the water can be longer than the dive time.​