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MICROBIAL HAZARDS
We read with much interest “Microbial
Hazards: A Threat to Scuba Divers?” by
Miller and Denoble. We applaud DAN’s
outreach to its members on this topic.
As the two primary dive units at the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
conducting polluted-water scientific
diving to monitor cleanup sites, conduct
enforcement on polluters and perform
other crucial underwater work, EPA
Region 10 and the EPA Environmental
Response Team regularly work in
polluted water. Given the decades of
experience in contaminated-water
diving, the EPA has been working to
share this knowledge by conducting
outreach to recreational, military,
commercial and public-safety divers
to educate the diving public on the
presence of microbial contamination at
many dive sites.
How can divers find out if a dive site
is contaminated? Fortunately, many
online resources are available. For EPA
dive operations, we upgrade our diver
protection and personal protective
equipment whenever industrial outfalls
are nearby — all divers need to do is to
check the Envirofacts database at
www.epa.gov/enviro/.
For frequently used beach areas, the
EPA provides grants to local governments
and nongovernmental organizations to
regularly monitor microbial levels. See
water.epa.gov/type/oceb/beaches/beaches_
index.cfm
Divers need only check to see if a
nearby beach is closed (or gets closed
frequently) to determine whether the
risk might be too great to dive. When
in doubt, leave polluted-water diving
to the professionals.
— Sean Sheldrake, Unit Diving
Officer, EPA Region 10; Rob
Pedersen, Region 10 BEACH
Program Coordinator; and Alan
Humphrey, Unit Diving Officer, EPA
Environmental Response Team
INSPIRED
Thank you for all the articles filled
with underwater photography tips!
I am a senior in high school and am
writing a research paper on underwater
photography. The information
ranging from wide-angle techniques to
achieving desired composition helped
me gain a better understanding of
photographing the marine environment.
Alert Diver not only inspired my
research topic but also motivated me to
take underwater photography classes at
the Catalina Island Marine Institute. I
will carry the skills I have acquired for
the rest of my life and will always credit
Alert Diver for providing me with the
inspiration to explore and capture the
underwater world.
— Rose Hart, via email
WRITE US
Tell us what’s on your mind by
writing us at:
MAIL
Alert Diver
6 West Colony Place
Durham, NC 27705
ONLINE
Send email to:
letters@dan.org
All letters included in this column
are subject to editing for length
and content.
The Magazine of Divers Alert Network
AlertDiver.com / FALL 2011
INDONESIAN WILDERNESS:
THE BIRD’S HEAD SEASCAPE
ALASKA ADVENTURE
+
FLIP NICkLIN’S
WORLD OF
WHALES
MICROBIAL
HAzARDS
BE AWARE
PSYCHIATRIC
FITNESS
MENTAL HEALTH
AND DIVE SAFETY
BUOYANCY
CONTROL
A CRITICAL
SAFETY BASIC
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