The pool and academics portion of the Rescue Diver Course is designed to teach divers how to prevent and manage diving emergencies. In the classroom, students learn diving theory, including dive accident prevention and management, and how to recognize and respond to various types of diving emergencies. In the pool, students practice rescue skills, such as providing oxygen to an unresponsive diver and performing search patterns. This portion of the course teaches students how to be prepared to respond to emergencies and how to handle them confidently and competently. Students must pass a written exam and demonstrate mastery of skills to progress to the open water dives.