“Blue Planet Marine Research Foundation of Oxnard, Calif., recently became a Field Research Coordinator (FRC) for Divers Alert Network. The foundation joins other individuals and dive operations gathering dive data for DAN’s Project Dive Exploration, the most extensive study of recreational diving ever conducted.
With affiliate programs in Europe and Southeast Asia, DAN seeks to record more than one million dive profiles over 10 years; its goal is to produce statistically accurate analyses of dive profiles, diver characteristics and diver behavior.
Project Dive Exploration (PDE) is an observational research study, which collects dive profile data and analyzes such data from real dives. Through the study, DAN researchers compile data on behavioral and health aspects associated with recreational diving and analyze the dive profiles, as recorded by a depth/time recorder, for each dive.
A diver’s health status is also verified 48 hours after the diver has left the water. With this data, DAN hopes to accurately estimate the incidence of decompression sickness and try to determine the predisposing factors and/or patterns of diving that are responsible.
As a Field Research Coordinator, Blue Planet Marine Research Foundation will assist the local diving community in collecting Project Dive Exploration data for DAN. Foundation participants can download dive profiles from a number of dive computers and provide the necessary questionnaires for reporting each diver’s status pre-dive, post-dive and 48 hours after completing a series of dives.
Individuals or groups interested in contributing dive profiles to PDE through Blue Planet Marine Research Foundation should contact Research Director Barry Hummel, Jr. by telephone (+1-805-815-3353); by fax (+1-805-815-3393); by email at bhummel@blueplanetfoundation.org; or by mail at 3600 S. Harbor Blvd., #182
