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Story and photo by Suzanne Nielsen and reprinted with permission of the
Daily Herald.
April, 2004
National Marine Park Manager David Kooistra recently attended a course "Primary Training in Hyperbaric Medicine" at Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina. At the end of the course, participants had to pass an exam to receive their certificate. The high-level course is recognized by The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society and other related institutions.
Kooistra, who manages the Marine Park's hyperbaric chamber in Fort Bay, said that this particular 40-hour course had been recommended by Diver's Alert Network (DAN), an organization that insures divers and provides hyperbaric chamber expertise. Kooistra was also able to visit DAN headquarters in adjacent north Carolina and visit the associated Duke University chamber.
He said that Saba is a part of the DAN recompression chamber assistance program, which gives technical support and financial assistance to chambers in the Caribbean. DAN recently donated to Saba an oxygen kit and a marine first aid kit. Late last year, DAN visited the chamber to perform a technical review. Saba was highlighted in a recent issue of the networks magazine "Alert Diver." Kooistra said the Marine Park will soon be carrying out upgrades such as fire proof doors to the building, fire extinguishers, and new viewing ports for the chamber itself.
Kooistra pointed out the value of such courses, since the benefits of hyperbaric medicine are now well documented and accepted by medical insurance companies. Current research is very dynamic and professionals must keep current.
Kooistra said that the training he received will be put to use in the reorganizing of the training of treatment team volunteers. Kooistra said that he will followup with a course sponsored by DAN later this year which will lead to a certificate as a hyperbaric chamber technician.
Photo:: David Kooistra, Saba Marine Park Manager, with certificate.
Click here for a larger version of the photo.
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Story and photographs © Suzanne Nielsen, 2004.
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