Summer will soon be here and unit activity is increasing rapidly. All divers should inspect equipment, practice in–water skills and review diving procedures. Please insure that all dive equipment at your unit is functional and has received it's annual maintenance.

The roster lists regulator overhaul dates for the divers in your unit. Regulators are shipped to the UDS prior to this date, unless a diver's physical is out of date or diving activity has lapsed for more than six months. It is imperative that you distribute the replacement regulators and return used units to NDC as soon as possible. Please remember to remove the inflator whip and the console mounted compass before returning the regulators.

The draft diving regulations are being reviewed by the Safety Board. Once their review is complete, the draft regulations will be reviewed at NOAA headquarters. The new regulations should be issued later this year.

We need your input in the form of articles and/or stories, describing diving procedures and experiences at your unit. There is no specific format for submission of your articles, just keep them small (300 words or less) and send them via E-mail or fax. Original authors will receive full credit.

 
-LCDR  Frank Wood -

Please review the enclosed roster which reflects the records at NDC for the date of print. Inactive/terminated divers are to return SEP equipment or resolve their status to active as soon as possible. Units will be assessed SEP charges for inactive divers who are in possession of gear. Please annotate and return a copy of the roster indicating any changes to personnel or diver status. Diver certifications will be suspended when a physical has expired or when diving activity has lapsed for six months.

Annual dive locker inspection results were due in January. The majority of you have completed and submitted the self inspection report, but several are still delinquent. If the reports are not received by May 15, 1998, official correspondence will be sent to your facility director suspending diving operations at your unit. The following units/ships have not submitted inspection reports:

NOS - Pacific Regional Office; Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary; Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary; and the Headquarters Marine Sanctuary.

OAR - Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory; Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory; and the Great Lakes Research Center.

ONCO - NOAA ships McARTHUR and WHITING

Please complete your inspections and forward them to your LODO and NDC immediately to avoid suspension of diving privileges.