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Post by jimsplace on Mar 31, 2006 22:30:18 GMT -5
Does anyone know how to contact (JADO) Jamaican Association of Dive Operators? Does it still exist?
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Post by LSDeep on Apr 1, 2006 9:40:51 GMT -5
as far as i know, yes they still exist. telephone # (876) 974-6900. they are located in montego bay. you can also contact peter gayle at the discovery bay marine lab (he is involved with jado). PO Box 35 Discovery Bay, St. Anns, Jamaica, West Indies, phone: (876) 973-2241. it is kind of the roof organisation of the dive centers in jamaica, developing policies, but is also involved in reef protection. jado brought you such questionworthy rules like: no diving without local guide, no tank / equipment rental to people not diving with you dive center, no diving below 100ft and many more. some of them simply detrimental to the dive business. most dc's in jamaica are members very few not.
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Post by jimsplace on Apr 1, 2006 11:26:40 GMT -5
I have called the 876-974-9600 number several times and got a voice mail of a lady. It sounded like a personal voice mail and not an organization. I will try the other number.
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Post by jimsplace on Apr 1, 2006 12:14:40 GMT -5
I have several questions, does JADO make laws, and more specifically, is there a Jamaican law that denies a PADI certified diver from diving at a resort because they check yes on a PADI health form they take medication for high blood pressure. The high blood pressure is controlled by taking the medication. The medication being taken is the same as when I was certified for open water and my advanced certification. I have been to this same resort 11 or 12 times and have never needed a doctors (yearly) OK before. Have the laws changed? The form I am referring to was the PADI form for taking lessons. The diving was to be a routine recreational dive not connected with lessons.
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Post by LSDeep on Apr 1, 2006 12:39:22 GMT -5
most dive centers have you fill out a medical questionaire and a liability release. while some countries require a medical from a doctor thats usually not the case in the caribbean. however, if any question on the medical is answered yes the (at least padi) dc is required to ask you to provide a medical statement of a doctor. that can be even done in jamaica and if they had any sense they would have directed you to a doctor in the area instead of losing your business. laws and regulations in jamaica did not change anywhere recently (they are talking about some really stupid regulations - thats what you get if pencilpushers try to regulate things they dont know about - but thats at this point still horror of the future. jado itself has no ability to create laws. it is a non government association. they can push "regulations and recommendations" on their members. on the other hand a dc dont has to be a jado member to operate. beside that, there are no regulations regarding yearly medicals in general jado tries to enforce to my knowledge. some resorts might have tightened up there procedures again after the recent accident of a scubadiver in a major resort, but the medical should have been a requirement in your situation the last 10+ times you spend there.
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Post by jimsplace on Apr 1, 2006 13:17:59 GMT -5
The resort should have had a copy of my original medical OK since my last certifications (PADI) was issued from them. It would have been several years ago but nothing in my health or medication has changed. I was told that by law if a yes is marked a doctors OK is required for a regular recreational dive. The OK must be done within the last 12 months. I Had dove with them twice in the last year and I have always marked the same yes and the blood pressure is under control.
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Post by LSDeep on Apr 1, 2006 20:00:10 GMT -5
The resort should have had a copy of my original medical OK since my last certifications (PADI) was issued from them. It would have been several years ago but nothing in my health or medication has changed. I was told that by law if a yes is marked a doctors OK is required for a regular recreational dive. The OK must be done within the last 12 months. I Had dove with them twice in the last year and I have always marked the same yes and the blood pressure is under control. i didnt try to imply that you did anything wrong. fact is they did!! they should have send you the first time to a doc to get a medical / have your doctor back home fax it for you. but matter of fact it is not supposed to be older than 12mth. sure you could just put a no in place next time, but you want to consider that you lose any insurance coverage in a worst case scenario. i am sorry for your experience - i would have gotten you in a car and went with you to a local doc to solve the prob with the least inconvinience for you and have you out on the next dive. for future reference, just get a medical about every 12mth with your doc at home and keep it with your log / c-card. you might want to mention it to the management to train their staff a bit better for situations like that. which resort / dc where you trying to dive with anyway, if you dont mind me asking?
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Okidoki
Puffer
So much more to learn and to see
Posts: 27
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Post by Okidoki on Apr 5, 2006 3:03:58 GMT -5
Dear jimsplace, If you know that you take prescription medication and you like to continue diving I would strongly advise that you get clearence from a doctor (or dive medic) this is for insurrance reasons and for your self knowing the risks also please inform the Inst, DM and DS about this good to know for them as well so they have a say to take you out diving or not. Dont be selfish and sort this out properly.
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Post by jimsplace on Apr 5, 2006 11:18:12 GMT -5
I get a physical every year and have a very good relationship with my doctor. We go over each and every ache and pain I have, I don't try to hide anything from him. Baisicly, I tend to be quite healty and want to stay that way. The reason for my original question was that I had dove with this resort many times in the past, (over 100 dives). I do not mind filling out the health form to inform of any potential problems, however I was told I could not dive that day, because it was Jamaican law(JADO) that I needed a doctors signed OK. I have since learned it is not required by Jamaican law nor by PADI. Part of the reason one needs to be certified is to make each of us aware of potential problems and the reason we should stay in touch with our doctor. I do not think it should be necessary that I be required to carry a note from my doctor. I should be responsible for my health, not someone else. Part of our certification education is to make us aware of potential medical issues and to stay informed. I saw the resort doctor, got my blood pressure checked and got my OK note. I lost a day of diving and put me in a bad mood. When I went diving the next day I spoke with some of the other divers. Their reply was they just check NO to everthing, "NO PROBLEM".
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Post by LSDeep on Apr 5, 2006 12:29:13 GMT -5
actually padi requires a medical, not older then 12mth, if there are any yes answers on a medical questionaire, jado might have taken that over, but it is def. not local law. for the dc it is a must if they are padi affiliated. as for the "just answer all no" - sure thats a way, but it puts you in a very bad position if ever anything is happen.
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Post by pir8 on Apr 5, 2006 13:20:12 GMT -5
I thought that medicals were required for classes. I don't remember ever having to fill one out to just dive somewhere.
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Post by jimsplace on Apr 5, 2006 14:05:12 GMT -5
I just got of the phone to PADI and talked to Leroy 1 800 729 7234 ext. 2336. PADI only requires a doctor approval if you are taking a course. The medical form if it is used for a recreational dive (not course or certification) does not require a medical release or OK. If the dive shop requires a medical OK, that is their option, but not a requirement by PADI.
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Post by pir8 on Apr 5, 2006 14:51:05 GMT -5
Thats what I thought
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Post by LSDeep on Apr 5, 2006 16:10:00 GMT -5
I just got of the phone to PADI and talked to Leroy 1 800 729 7234 ext. 2336. PADI only requires a doctor approval if you are taking a course. The medical form if it is used for a recreational dive (not course or certification) does not require a medical release or OK. If the dive shop requires a medical OK, that is their option, but not a requirement by PADI. ok, youre actually right there. it is by padi only required if you take classes. but in general dayle use, nearly all shops require you to even if you just dive - it just improves their legal position in case of an accident. especially with lawsuit happy americans (no insult intended). actually in europe it is a requirement to be able to dive in many areas and in the also (more common in europe) club diving system it is nearly with all of them required to even keep your cert valid. the cert / log books there often have an seperate section for the stamps of your medicals!
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Post by pir8 on Apr 5, 2006 16:27:09 GMT -5
No offence taken, but even in the Carribean the most I've had to do is sign a liability release.
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Post by LSDeep on Apr 5, 2006 17:27:38 GMT -5
No offence taken, but even in the Carribean the most I've had to do is sign a liability release. have to say, every single shop in usa and caribbean i ever worked for had them as standard to fill out form - not all the time the "fully blown" padi version, but usually as paragraph in the waivers along the lines: " no known medical conditions or if so, please specify here....". is it overkill, often yes (depending on local laws), can it hurt to know about it as the person in charge - def. not. is a diver theoretically responsible for his own health according to most countries laws - yes. did they might still try to sue you - yes!!! you want to be able to smash that fast and without elongated lawsuits - YES!!!!! so it is just common sense to include it in one form or other and cover your a**. i was in situations (not as the diveleader, but the dc manager) where it "safed" our butt from long and expensive litigation.
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Post by pir8 on Apr 5, 2006 17:49:34 GMT -5
I'll have to reread the Liability releases and also safe diving guidelines
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Okidoki
Puffer
So much more to learn and to see
Posts: 27
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Post by Okidoki on Apr 7, 2006 2:28:10 GMT -5
Yes read the liability release and apart from asking you about your medical condition it also ask you if you are using any prescipition medication. Place your self in the shoes of the DC staff and dive guide if something might happen to you on a dive....I can tell you not so very nice. Be a responsible diver..an accident sits in a small corner.
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Post by jimsplace on Apr 9, 2006 11:02:14 GMT -5
I have not been able to make contact with (JADO). Perhaps someone has a more current number or their e-mail address.
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Post by LSDeep on Apr 10, 2006 21:44:17 GMT -5
gimme a day or two, i will try to "research" that and get you up to date info.
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