GUE BLS-D & Oxygen First Aid

Learn BLS and Diving Oxygen Care

GUE BLS-D & Oxygen First Aid is a GUE-DAN safety course for divers and non-divers who want practical emergency-response skills. GUE offers the program in partnership with Divers Alert Network Europe, combining Basic Life Support with Automated External Defibrillation and Oxygen First Aid for Diving Emergencies. The course is relevant across recreational, cave, and technical diving because emergency response starts before professional medical help arrives.

The program is designed for divers, but GUE notes that the skills can apply in many situations. It is a sensible choice for dive teammates, surface support, instructors, boat crew, family members, and anyone who wants to respond more effectively during a medical emergency. Official prerequisites are simple: applicants must be physically and mentally fit and non-smoking. No prior dive certification is listed as required for participation.

Training covers recognizing an emergency, activating emergency medical services, providing early basic life support, and administering AED support in the event of cardiac arrest. The oxygen first aid portion teaches recognition of diving injury signs and symptoms, response and management, and techniques for using oxygen as first aid for suspected dive injuries. GUE describes the course as normally 1 to 1.5 days with classroom and hands-on training. In High Springs, Florida, it is a practical safety class for anyone connected to diving teams.