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exploration safe and to be able
to have input on policies that
affect the future of diving. DAN
has served divers well — myself
included — for many years.
Wayne Massey, M.D.,
gained
significant experience treating
divers with serious decompression
illness as a doctor in the U.S. Navy
and later as a doctor and professor
of neurology at Duke University
Medical Center.
What are the most important
things DAN does?
I’ve seen how people’s lives can be
affected by dive accidents, and I
think DAN’s focus on prevention
is crucial. It’s important for
divers to learn to perform field
neurological assessments and
recognize the signs of a heart
attack and other cardiovascular
emergencies. Most of us have
certain things in our lives that we
believe are worthwhile and want to
put effort into, and for me DAN is
one of those things.
Kathy Weydig
is a tech diver,
former dive shop owner and
cofounder of the Women Divers
Hall of Fame.
What drew you to the dive
industry and to DAN?
I became a dive professional
because I wanted to train people
to a level of competence I’d
want in a dive buddy. I later
became an emergency medical
technician (EMT) to improve
my understanding of the medical
aspects of diving to better teach
them to my students. I also
became a dive medical technician
(DMT) and a certified hyperbaric
technician (CHT) and ran a
hyperbaric chamber for a while.
I appreciate that at DAN, the
revenue funds research, outreach
and educational materials.
Michael Lang, Ph.D.,
directed
the Smithsonian Scientific Diving
Program for 21 years and the U.S.
Antarctic Diving Program for 10
years.
How is DAN reaching various
sectors of the diving industry?
DAN’s educational programs
have really made an impact in
recreational diving, and it’s great
to see DAN being more involved
in scientific diving, public safety
diving and other types of diving.
For example, there has been
significant adoption of DAN
training courses among the more
than 130 member organizations
of the American Academy of
Underwater Sciences. Our
materials are getting better and
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