Scuba Diligence

For those not in the know, I work at a SCUBA diving shop. Every now and then we receive interesting notices from manufacturers and such. The most interesting to date has been a recent FBI notice.

We are to have a heightened "situational awareness to the scuba industry regarding behavior that may indicate an individual(s) is involved in nefarious activity."

Indicators that we're supposed to look for?

" Requests to dive in murky water or sewer pipes."

First of all, we live in Colorado, there's nothing but murky waters out here. Secondly, I think I'd hang up on someone that asked about diving in a sewer (lord knows I wouldn't want the rental gear back).

"Inquires about procedures such as diver towing."

This is a tricky one, our beginning class, teaches diver towing. Rescue Diver has a whole section on it.

"Requests to learn advanced skills associated with combat swimming, including:

> Use of re-breathers and diver propulsion vehicles (DPVs).
> Deep diving.
> Conducting kick counts.
> Receiving extra navigation training."

OK, the first one isn't too common, but we do get questions about both rebreather and DPVs (hell, we sell some).

The last three are all involved in the Advanced class, and we get questions about further training in Deep and Navigation diving (no one likes getting lost).

Bottom line? Apparently I should report about 80% of the customers that come into or call our shop.

The thing that makes me wonder the most is that we're getting this now, over five years after 9/11. Is there something they know that we're not being told?

Hm......