This Monday we have Debra Haas, Debra R. Haas, District Administrative Assistant, Flotilla 114-06-02 and James Haas, District Directive Chief – Prevention, Flotilla 114-06-02 out for a special presentation on Dive & Casualty Investigation. Dive & Casualty Investigation Team Overview The United States Coast Guard is a multi-faceted branch of the Armed Forces involved in military response, law enforcement and safety on the seas. Among its responsibilities is the determination of facts in diving injuries and deaths aboard licensed commercial vessels in federal waters. At a disadvantage, active-duty investigation personnel are not always dive-qualified. In 2007, Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach initiated the Dive & Casualty Investigations Team with the goal to utilize existing dive experience and training of Coast Guard Auxiliarists in rendering technical expertise to Coast Guard Investigating Officers in those investigations. The DCI team is made up of divers who have served in the military and diving communities for many years. We are made up of Navy divers, professional instructors and dive masters with many years of experience. We are up to date with the most recent recreational diving equipment so as to provide that expertise to the investigations. DCI team members assist Coast Guard Investigative personnel in collecting evidence, interviewing parties and witnesses and analyzing data and equipment to provide a full understanding of the dive incident. The members then serve as the primary outreach conduit through which lessons learned from diving accidents are communicated to public stakeholders. DCI's overall goal is to enhance safe dive practices and promote increased awareness within the boating and diving communities. Thanks Kaz for the contact! Let's give them our usual loud, but polite and interested Sole Searchers welcome!