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Let me introduce myself. I am a PADI MSDT Instructor. I have been diving since 1976, am involved with teaching scuba full time since 1989 and I managed a dive store for almost four years. Presently I am a independent Instructor teaching privately and for some scuba stores. During late 1994 one of my divemasters invited me to go to a sale at a dive shop called Scuba Depot. The shop was managed by an instructor I know by the name of Bob Raimo. While in the shop my divemaster George pointed to an ad for a Nitrox course being taught for the fee of $99. I acknowledged that the price was right and that it would be an asset to learn about nitrox. George told me he would only take the course if I signed-up with him. After all was said we, George, myself and three other students of mine, signed-up for the course which was to be given sometime in December. We all participated in the course. There were a total of nine persons attending. The course was about five hours long with only a short break given. Not knowing anything about nitrox prior to the course I thought the course was very thorough. After class Mr.Raimo told us that anyone with an advanced certification, that had made some boat wreck dives recently, could receive their nitrox certification card by just handing in a picture. Being an instructor and having dove during the summer on many wrecks I gave my picture in that same day. When I went back home I though about nitrox and how this gas could also benefit my students. I talked to a friend of mine who was a local dive shop owner and told him what I had learned about nitrox. We also discussed how it would benefit his stores income since there were no nitrox dispensing stations for at least 25 miles of the surrounding area. After about a week of discussions he finally decided to go with it. We looked through Aqua Corps to find someone that could help us set-up a nitrox filling station. After some phone calls we went with Underwater Applications. We spoke with Randy Bohrer who is owner of Underwater Applications and an Instructor Trainer for IANTD. We were assured that his company could help us set-up a nitrox station and train us in gas blending. Myself and three others went to Maine to participate in a IANTD Gas Blenders course given by Randy Bohrer. During March my divemaster George called to tell me he had been given his IANTD Nitrox Certification card by Mr.Raimo. George told me mine was not in yet. After a couple of weeks I called Scuba Depot and was told by Mr. Raimo that my application was never sent out and that he would mail it out the next day. About a week later I accompanied George and a couple of other DMs to Scuba Depot. I asked Mr.Raimo if my certification card had come in, to which he responded by taking me to his private office. There we discussed my wanting to be a nitrox instructor and my friends shop and how they were getting involved in nitrox. After about an hour of treats from Mr. Raimo the final outcome was that if I would say in writing that my friends shop was not following proper standards I would receive my certification card. We discussed how this was blackmail and very unprofessional especially between two instructors. Mr. Raimo also told me that at least he was stabbing me in the chest and not in the back. At this point I was very upset, I had spent my time and money for a course only to be harassed by the instructor. I called IANTD the following day spoke to Patty Mount and was told that Tom Mount would have to decide what to do, but he was out of town. After many more calls to IANTD Patty told me I had to take a final exam and then Mr.Raimo could give me my card. I explained to her that this wasnt fair since the others didnt have to take a test why was I being singled out. I then explained that I would take the test if it would get me a card. I called Mr.Raimo and he told me that he refused to give me the test and my money would be refunded. I spoke to Tom Mount, again thinking IANTD is a reputable organization, I just got the run-around. If this had happened with a real agency like PADI or ANDI Im sure someone would have taken action. Im sure there are many real professionals out there and this was just a case were greed ruled over all. But Nitrox will never go anywhere with agencies like IANTD until they figure-out that the agency is ultimately responsible for the actions of there instructors. People choose to be affiliated with an agency not an instructor. Today I am affiliated with ANDI, a real organization. After training with ANDI I also learned how to use nitrox correctly even though I had to sit in class for eight hours not including lunch or the exams. My friends shop is also an ANDI facility now. The bottom line for this posting is to alert others to the dangers of backyard agencies and instructors. If an instructor can become affiliated with an agency by just paying a fee, there must be something wrong!!! Feel free to E-mail your comments. All will be answered.
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