Diving Abbreviations

From BSACWiki

By Andy Wade

Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

AA 
Assisted Ascent
AAS 
Alternative Air Source (now known as AS : Alternate (gas) source)
ABC 
Airway, Breathing, Circulation (casualty assessment)
ABT 
Actual Bottom Time
ABLJ 
Adjustable Buoyancy Life Jacket
ABI 
Approved Boathandling Instructor (BSAC)
ACI 
Assistant Club Instructor (BSAC)
ACUC 
American Canadian Underwater Certification
AD 
Advanced Diver (BSAC)
AD 
Adventure Diver (PADI)
AED 
Automatic Emergency/External Defibrillator See also PAD
AI 
Assistant Instructor (PADI)
AI 
Advanced Instructor (BSAC)
AIC 
Advanced Instructor Course (BSAC)
AIE 
Advanced Instructor Exam (BSAC)
AISE 
Association of Independent Scuba Educators
AIT 
Assistant Instructor Trainer (BSAC)
AIW 
Advanced Instructor Workshop
AND 
Advanced Nitrox Diver
ANDI 
American Nitrox Divers International
AOW 
Advanced Open Water (PADI)
AP 
Ambient Pressure
AR 
Ascent Rate
ASDA 
Advanced Scuba Diving Association
ATA 
Atmospheres Absolute
ATM 
Atmosphere
AV 
Artificial Ventilation
  • This used to be referred to as EAR - Expired Air Rescusitation
AVPU 
Alert, Voice, Pain, Unresponsive (simplified consciousness assessment)

B


BA 
Breathing Apparatus
BAR 
Buoyancy Air Releases (BSAC)
BARF
Buoyancy, Air, Releases, Fins
BARZ 
Buoyancy Air Releases ZIPS! (Drysuits)
BC 
Buoyancy Control
BCD 
Buoyancy Control Device
BDO 
Branch Diving Officer
BH 
Boat Handling (BSAC)
BHA 
British Hyperbaric Association
BMA 
British Medical Association
BMJ 
British Medical Journal
BP 
Backplate, also Blood Pressure
BPM 
Beats Per Minute (heart/pulse rate)
BW 
Backplate and Wing
BRA 
Buoyancy Releases Air
BS 
British Standard
BSI 
British Standards Institute
BSAC 
British Sub Aqua Club
BSOUP 
British Society Of Underwater Photographers
BT 
Bottom Time
BWRAF 
Begin, With, Review And Friend. (PADI)
BWRAF 
Buoyancy Weights Releases Air Final OK (PADI)


C


CADC 
Canadian Association of Diving Contractors
CAGE 
Cerebral Arterial Gas Embolism
CBL 
Controlled Buoyant Lift
CBPDS 
Conf. Brasileanos de Pesca e Desportos Subaquaticos
CC 
Cardiac Compressions
CCCM 
Closed Chest Cardiac Massage
  • This is distinguished from OCCM - Open Chest Cardiac Massage which might be performed by a surgeon direct to a heart, the term CCCM was superceded by ECM, and eventually by CC
CCR 
Closed Circuit Rebreather
CD 
Club Diver (BSAC)
CD 
Course Director (PADI)
CDAA 
Cave Divers Association of Australia
CDG-GB 
Cave Diving Group of Great Britain
CEDIP 
European Committee of Professional Diving Instructors
CEN 
Comiteé Européenne de Normalization (The European Committee for Standardisation)
CESA 
Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent
CI 
Club Instructor (BSAC)
CIE 
Club Instructor Exam (BSAC)
CIPP 
Compagnie des Instructeurs Professionnels de Plongee
CMAS 
Confederation Mondiale des Activities Subaquatiques (World Underwater Federation)
CNS 
Central Nervous System
CO 
Carbon Monoxide,
CO 
Cardiac Output
CO2 
Carbon Dioxide
CPF 
Chartwork & Position Fixing
CPR 
Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
CQR 
Security Patent Anchor
CTC 
Current Tissue Code
CTC 
Canadian Transportation Commission
CWDI 
Canadian Working Divers Institute


D


DAN 
Diver's Alert Network
DCI 
Decompression Illness
DCIEM 
Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine(Canadian tables)
DC or DCC 
Decompression Computer
DCS 
Decompression Sickness
DCS 
Dive Control Specialist (SSI)
DDEMS 
Defence Diver Extended Medical Skills (British Forces Qualification)
DDRC 
Diving Diseases Research Centre
DEMA 
Diving Equipment and Marketing Association
DER 
Depth Experience Record
DIN 
Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. (German Institute for Standardization)
DIR 
Do(ing) It Right
DIW 
Doing It Wrong
DL 
Dive Leader (BSAC)
DM 
Divemaster (PADI)
DM 
Dive Marshal
DO 
Diving Officer
DOD 
Department of Defense (US)
DOT 
Department of Transportation
DOWR81 
Diving Operations at Work Regulations 1981 (superceded by DWR97)
DPM 
Dive Planning & Marshalling
DPO 
Diving Permission Officer ('Er Indoors!)
DPV 
Diver Propulsion Vehicle
DRABC 
Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation (casualty assessment)
DRI 
Dive Rescue International
DS 
Decompression Sickness
DSAT 
Diving Science and Technology(PADI)
DSC 
Digital Selective Calling
DSF 
Dansk Sportsdykker Forbund (Danish Sport Diving Federation)
DSMB 
Delayed Surface Marker Buoy
DSMBi 
Delayed Surface Marker Buoy integrated (with gas cylinder)
DT 
Dive Time
DTR 
Digital Time Recorder
DUI 
Divers Unlimited International
DV 
Demand Valve
DWR97 
Diving at Work Regulations 1997 (UK legislation)

E


EAD 
Equivalent Air Depth, or Effective Air Depth
EAR 
Expired Air Resuscitation
  • Now superceded by AV
EANX 
Enriched Air Nitrox
ECM 
External Cardiac Massage (term superceded by CC)
END 
Equivalent Narcotic Depth
EO 
Equipment Officer
EPIRB 
Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
ERC 
European Resuscitation Council
ERD 
Extended Range Diver (BSAC)
ESDA 
Emergency Services Diving Association


F


FAD 
First Aid for Divers
FAUI 
Formation of Australian Underwater Instructors (formerly Federation of Australian Underwater Instructors) FAUI
FCD 
First Class Diver (BSAC)
FCD 
Freeflow Control Device
FEDAS 
Federacion Espanola De Actividades Subacuaticas
FEV(1) 
Forced Expiratory Volume (in one second)
FFESSM 
Fédération Française d'Etudes et de Sports Sous Marins
FSSS 
Fédération Suisse de Sports Subaquatiques
FQAS 
Fédération Québecoise des Activites Subaquatiques

G


GMDSS 
Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
GPS 
Global Positioning System
GUE 
Global Underwater Explorers


H


Hydrogen
HID 
High Intensity Discharge
HDS 
Historical Diving Society
He 
Helium
HMCG 
Her Majesty's Coast Guard
HOAL 
Home Office Aluminium
HOS 
Home Office Steel
HOT 
Home Office Tested
HSA 
Handicapped Scuba Association
HSC 
Health and Safety Commission (UK)
HSE 
Health & Safety Executive
HSW Act or HSWA74 
Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 (UK legislation)


I


IADRS 
International Association of Dive Rescue Specialists
IAHD 
International Association for Handicapped Divers
IANTD 
International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers
IDC 
Instructor Development Course (PADI)
IDEA ; International Diving Educators Association
IDEST 
Inspectorate for Diving Equipment Servicing and Testing
IDOT 
Israeli Dive Operators and Tourism
IOC 
Instructor Orientation Course (PADI)
IPDS 
International Police Diver Symposium
ISE 
International Scuba Educators
ISO 
International Standards Organisation
ITC 
Instructor Training Course (BSAC)
ITS 
Instructor Training Scheme (BSAC)
ITW 
Instructor Training Workshop (BSAC)


J


JAMA 
The Journal of the American Medical Association
JSSADC 
Joint Services Sub Aqua Diving Clubs
JULIA 
Japan Underwater Leaders and Instructors Association


K


KISS 
Keep It Simple, Stupid!
KISS 
trade name for a Kiss rebreather


L


LIDS 
London International Dive Show


M

MCA 
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
MCQ 
Multiple Choice Questionnaire (also known as Multiple Choice Paper)
MCS 
Marine Conservation Society
MDEA 
Multinational Diving Educators Association
MFA 
Medic First Aid (PADI)
MFS 
Mask Fin Snorkel
MI 
Master Instructor (PADI)
MMSI 
Maritime Mobile Service Identity
MRCC 
Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre
MRSC 
Maritime Rescue Sub Centre
MSD 
Master Scuba Diver (PADI)
MSDT 
Master Scuba Diver Trainer (PADI)


N


N2 
Nitrogen
NACD 
National Association of Cave Divers
NAS 
Nautical Archaeological Society
NASDS 
National Association of SCUBA Diving Schools
NASE 
National Association of Scuba Educators
NAUI 
National Association of Underwater Instructors
NBDHMT 
National Board of Diving & Hyperbaric Medical Technology
NDF 
Norwegian Diving Federation
NDO 
National Diving Officer
NE 
Neon
NEDU 
Navy Experimental Diving Unit (US Navy)
NELOS 
Nederlandstalige liga voor onderwateronderzoek en -sport (Belgium)
NEC 
National Exhibition Centre
NHC 
National Hyperbaric Centre (Aberdeen)
NI 
National Instructor (BSAC)
NIADD 
National Instructors' Assn for Divers with Disabilities
NN 
Nitrogen Narcosis
NO 
Nitrox
NOAA 
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
NOB 
Nederlandse Onderwatersport Bond
NQI 
Nationally Qualified Instructor


O


O2 
Oxygen
OA/O2A 
Oxygen Administration
OAC 
Oxygen Administration Course
OD 
Ocean Diver (BSAC)
OMS 
Ocean Management Systems
OMS 
Open Muppet Season
OPV 
Over Pressure Valve
OT 
Oxygen Toxicity
OWI 
Open Water Instructor (BSAC)
OWIC 
Open Water Instructor Course (BSAC)
OWSI 
Open Water Scuba Instructor (PADI)


P


PADI 
Professional Association of Diving Instructors
PAD 
Public Access Defibrillator (American term for AED)
PBA 
Professional Boatmans Association
PDIC 
Professional Diving Instructors Corporation
PFO 
Patent Foramen Ovale
PG 
Pressure Group
PNR 
Passenger Name Record
PP 
Partial Pressure
PPP 
Planning Preparation Presentation
PPPPPP 
Perfect Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance
PRM 
Practical Rescue Management (BSAC)
PSA 
Professional Scuba Association
PSDA 
Public Safety Diving Association
PSI 
Pounds per Square Inch
PSI 
Professional Scuba Inspectors, Inc

Q


QA 
Quality Assurance
QRB 
Qualification Record Book


R


RA 
Rescue Assessment
RAC 
Rebreather Awareness Course
RDP 
Recreational Dive Planner (PADI)
REAP 
Review Encourage Assess Plan
REG 
Regulator
RES 
Rescue Diver (PADI)
RFA 
Rescue First Aid
RIB 
Rigid hulled Inflatable Boat
RhIB 
Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat
RLSS 
Royal Life Saving Society
RMV 
Respiratory Minute Volume
RNLI 
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
RNPL 
Royal Navy Physiological Laboratory (produced RN decompression tables)
RNT 
Residual Nitrogen Time
ROV 
Remotely Operated Vehicle
RSTC 
Recreational Scuba Training Council
RYA 
Royal Yachting Association

S


SAA 
Sub Aqua Association
SADS 
Sub Aqua Diving Supervisor (Joint Services Sub-Aqua Diving Clubs)
SALT 
Statement of Alternative Level Training
SAR 
Search and Rescue
SBS 
Special Boat Service (Royal Navy special forces)
SC 
Surfacing Code
SCR 
Semi-closed Circuit Rebreather
SCUBA 
Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
SEAL 
Sea-Air-Land Teams (US Navy special forces)
SEEDS 
Safety Equipment Exercise Discipline Signals
SD 
Sports Diver (BSAC)
SD 
Scuba Diver (PADI)
SDC 
Skill Development Course (BSAC)
SDCC 
Skill Development Course Certificate (BSAC)
SDI 
SCUBA Diving International
SI 
Surface Interval
SITA 
Scuba Industries Trade Association
SLJ 
Surface Life Jacket
SMB 
Surface Marker Buoy
SNK 
Snorkel
SOLAS 
Safety of Life at Sea
SPG 
Submersible Pressure Gauge
SR 
Search & Recovery
SUF 
Swedish Underwater Federation
SSAC 
Scottish Sub Aqua Club
SSI 
Scuba Schools International
STA 
Scuba Trade Association
STEP 
Safe, Technically correct, Effective, Progressive (BSAC)
SUSL 
Finnish Sportdivers Association
SWA 
Sheltered Water Assessment
SWE 
Sheltered Water Evaluation
SWP 
Safe Working Pressure

T


TBT 
Total Bottom Time
TD 
Technical Diver
TDI 
Technical Diving International
TIDF 
The Israeli Diving Federation
TLA 
Three Letter Acronym
TO 
Training Officer
TP 
Test Pressure
TPR 
Transportable Pressure Receptacle
TSM 
Technical Support Manager
TSVÖ 
Tauchsportverband Oesterreichs (Austrian Diving Federation)


U


UDT 
Underwater Demolition Team
UHMS 
Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society
UKSDMC 
UK Sport Diving Medical Committee
UPTD 
Unit Pulmonary Toxic Dose
UBA 
Underwater Breathing Apparatus
UTD 
Unified Team Diving Unified Team Diving

V


Visual (Inspection of air cylinder for test purposes)
VDST 
Verband deutscher Sporttaucher e.V. (German Sport Diving Club)
VDTL 
Verband deutscher Tauchlehrer e.V. (German Dive Instructor Agency)
VVDS 
Variable Volume Drysuit


W


WASI 
World Association of Scuba Instructors
WB 
Weightbelt
WC 
Water Capacity
WP 
Water Pressure, also Working Pressure
WASAC 
Welsh Association of Sub Aqua Clubs
WKPP 
Woodville Karst Plains Project


Y


YBOD 
Yellow Box Of Death (a rather cruel and unfair reference to the Inspiration CCR)
YBOD 
Better known as the "Yellow Box Of Desire", "Yellow Box of Debt" and others
YMCA 
Young Men's Christian Association National SCUBA Program

Z


  • All originally on the Dive Instruct web site