Members of the La Porte County Coroner’s Office, Chicago Police Department, and Chicago Fire Department recently completed a public safety diving training program.
The La Porte County Coroner’s Office shared details about the program, which was approved by the Coast Guard and Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and included training in command management, search and recovery, and rescue diving.
Participants completed several training exercises, including rescuing a missing diver, collecting underwater evidence, recovering a vehicle, and recovering human remains.
The training was part of a veteran education and career program funded through the GI Bill and hosted by Dive Right In SCUBA in Orland Park, Illinois.
Among the participants was La Porte County Deputy Coroner Curt Mordus, a Marine Corps veteran and assistant dive instructor. Other participants included Army veterans Ryan Corrigan, a U.S. Marshal and dive instructor, and Vince Castenada, a Chicago firefighter and dive instructor.
The veterans will next complete advanced public safety diving operations training and work toward becoming instructors in the programs.
PADI Course Director Pat Hammer said the Department of Veterans Affairs recently approved an additional program focused on developing master instructors after recognizing the value of the training for veterans.
