SAN DIEGO, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- In the new Lions Gate movie, "Open Water," scuba divers are separated from their boat and lost at sea amid circling sharks.
"The movie is thrilling and chilling," says Don Rockwell, president of Aqua Lung, an industry leader in scuba diving equipment, "yet using the right safety gear and following proper guidelines can protect divers from the dangers shown in the movie."
To promote diver safety, Aqua Lung America presents the following advice on how to have a safe and enjoyable scuba experience:
* If you're not quite ready to dive in, take a "Discover SCUBA" program,
offered by many dive shops. You can test out equipment in a swimming
pool and move on to certification when you're ready.
* Enroll in a major, recognized diving certification course through a
local dive shop.
* Get the right equipment and familiarize yourself with it during the
dive certification. Test it out to make sure everything is working
properly and fits comfortably.
* Make sure you have the proper safety equipment: visual and audible
signaling devices are recommended and required in many areas to
prevent being separated or lost.
* Be at least a basic swimmer.
Research local weather and water safety conditions before you go on a
dive.
* Once certified, do not dive in dangerous waters or in an environment
for which you are not qualified.
* NEVER DIVE ALONE.
While proper boat diving safety procedures will avoid the situation in which "Open Water" actors find themselves, safety devices should also be worn.
Aqua Lung recently introduced its exclusive "S.O.S." (Surface Observation Signal) safety device, which significantly increases surface visibility in case a diver is separated from a boat or a buddy.
Conceived by renowned underwater photographer Stephen Frink when he was swept off a wall dive in Palau and separated from his boat, the S.O.S. attaches directly to a diver's buoyancy compensator -- the device that helps a diver rise to the surface. With a simple pull of a rip cord a bright orange "safety sausage" automatically deploys and inflates, sticking almost five feet in the air for land visibility or laid across the water for air visibility.
Aqua Lung introduced the world to scuba diving more than 60 years ago with the invention of the Aqualung, a compact pressure regulator developed by the pioneering ocean explorer Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Aqua Lung's rich history of innovation continues today, as the company manufactures and markets a complete line of diving and swim equipment for recreational, technical and military applications.
Aqua Lung's family of premier brands include Sea Quest, Deep See, Apeks, Drager, U.S. Divers, Aqua Sphere and Suunto, and are available at dive shops where Aqua Lung products are sold. For more information call (760) 597-5000, or visit http://www.aqualung.com/.
CONTACT: Jean Walcher, +1-619-295-7140, jean@jwalcher.com.
CONTACT: Jean Walcher of JWalcher Communications, +1-619-295-7140, jean@jwalcher.com, for Aqua Lung America
Web site: http://www.aqualung.com/
Source Citation
"Never Fear, Aqua Lung is Here: Safety Gear, Advice Offset Scuba Scare in 'Open Water'; Film's Events are Rare, but Safety Tips are Vital." PR Newswire 12 Aug. 2004. Academic OneFile. Web. 3 Jan. 2010.
Gale Document Number:A120513969
No comments:
Post a Comment