The fourth edition of NOAA's diving manual, considered by many as the standard for scientific and recreational diving, was introduced today at a diving equipment trade show in New Orleans, La.

"Next to your diving buddy, this guide is your best friend," said Deputy Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere Scott Gudes, who is an avid diver.

The more-than 650-page NOAA Diving Manual: Diving for Science and Technology, includes topics from more than 100 contributors on diving equipment, breathing gas mixtures, safety, first aid, marine life, and a brief history of diving. New to this edition are chapters on Re-breathers Nitrox Diving, a new decompression chart for use with Nitrox 36 breathing mixtures, information on technical diving, an expanded chapter on diving physiology, and new information on saturation diving decompression.

"NOAA has, over the years, consistently maintained an excellent diving safety record. This manual draws upon the collective years of experience of seasoned experts within the NOAA Diving Program and the NOAA Undersea Research Program, and is an essential safety tool for all divers," said Rear Admiral Evelyn J. Fields, NOAA Corps, director of the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations.

NOAA operates the largest federal civilian diving program, with more than 300 divers and averaging more than 10,000 dives per year. The NOAA Diving Program, based at the NOAA Diving Center in Seattle, Wash., trains and certifies scientists, engineers, and technicians at NOAA and other government agencies to conduct underwater research and experiments.

NOAA's National Undersea Research Center provides a unique national service by equipping scientists with the tools and expertise they need to work underwater. The program offers submersibles, remotely operated or autonomous underwater vehicles, mixed gas diving gear, underwater observatories and Aquarius, the world's only underwater habitat/laboratory.

"The NOAA Diving Manual is another tool we can offer scientists to help them do their research underwater to explore and better understand our oceans," said Barbara Moore, director of the National Undersea Research Program.

The manual is available in hardcover and soft cover editions as well as on
CD-Rom. To order, visit: http://www.ntis.gov/product/noaadive.htm

The last edition was published in 1991.

NOAA offices and programs involved in the production of the manual include the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, which operates the NOAA Dive Center, and the National Undersea Research Program. The manual is the result of a collaborative partnership between the Department of Commerce, NOAA, the National Technical Information Service and Best Publishing.

Editor's Note:

Visit NOAA's booth - # 3649 located across from Hall G - at the Dive Equipment and Marketing Show at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, La.