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Divers Alert Network

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Divers Alert Network

Divers Alert Network (DAN) is the world's leading dive safety association. Join the DAN community or learn more at DAN.org.

It is our mission is to help divers in need of medical emergency assistance and to promote dive safety through research, education, products and diving services. The world’s most recognized and respected dive safety organization, Divers Alert Network (DAN) has remained committed to the health and well-being of divers for 40 years. The organization’s research, medical services and global-response programs create an extensive network that supports divers with vital services such as injury prevention, safety and educational programs and lifesaving evacuations. Every year, hundreds of thousands of divers around the world look to DAN as their dive safety organization.

04/06/2026

While DAN's mission to keep divers safe hasn't changed since this photo was taken, first aid training has. Is your training up to date?

Divers should renew their first aid training at least every two years. More frequent refreshers can help keep these skills sharp, as research shows that critical lifesaving skills can begin to decline in as little as six months without practice.

In addition to natural skill degradation, another reason for regular practice and recertification is that first aid standards continuously evolve with the advancement of medical practices. To ensure divers are prepared with current best practices, DAN incorporates the latest updates from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) into instructor-led courses, including Diving First Aid, Basic Life Support, and Emergency Oxygen, as well as programs offered by our Powered by DAN partners.

Read more in Alert Diver: https://dan.org/alert-diver/article/stay-current-stay-safe/

✍️ Article by Mike Welch
📸 Photo from the DAN archive

04/03/2026

That’s a wrap on Beneath The Sea 2026! 🌊👋

Thank you to everyone who visited the DAN booth in New Jersey last weekend. Whether you renewed your membership and dive accident insurance or stopped by to meet the DAN team, it was great to connect with our dive community in person.

For a schedule of upcoming dive shows and other industry events, visit dan.org/events.

04/02/2026

Meet DAN senior researcher Emmanuel “Manu” Dugrenot, PhD, whose physiological research helps shape safety protocols for technical and recreational diving. 🔬🌊

Read the full researcher profile in Alert Diver: dan.org/alert-diver/article/emmanuel-dugrenot/

His work focuses on defining the boundaries of human performance in extreme environments, including the mechanisms of DCS and the accuracy of physiological models that support safe planning and ex*****on of deep dives.

By translating scientific findings into safety recommendations and collaborating with training agencies and equipment manufacturers, Manu’s research supports DAN’s mission to make diving safer.

✍️ Article by Frauke Tillmans, PhD (DAN's VP of Research)
📸 Photo by 1) Franck Gazzola; 2) Gérald Rivière; 3) Joel Casset

03/31/2026

Aviad Cahana of Avelo Labs (Dive Avelo) joins The DANcast to discuss the Avelo System, a new product gaining popularity in the diving market. He explains how the system, designed as a replacement for a traditional open-circuit with BCD setup, aims to reduce equipment weight and enlarge the window of neutral buoyancy.

▶️ Watch the full episode on DAN's YouTube: https://youtu.be/WIdfBLVn6o0

In conversation with Frauke Tillmans, VP of research at DAN, Aviad shares the development process behind the Avelo System, as well as the company’s current market distribution and future plans. The episode also explores system failure scenarios, the Avelo Mode dive analysis tool, and more.

(Note: DAN does not actively endorse any brands, products, or technologies. This podcast episode is presented for educational and informational purposes.)

03/29/2026

When flying after diving, the ascent to altitude increases the risk of DCS due to the additional reduction in atmospheric pressure. ✈️

Remember the recommended minimum preflight surface intervals when planning dive travel:
• Single day no-deco dive → 12+ hours
• Multi-day diving or repetitive no deco-dives → 18+ hours
• Mandatory deco dive → 24+ hours

Longer preflight surface intervals will further reduce DCS risk. For more information on flying after diving, visit dan.org/health-medicine/health-resources/diseases-conditions/flying-after-diving/

Note: These guidelines apply to air dives followed by flights at cabin altitudes of 2,000-8,000 feet (610-2,438 meters) for divers who do not have symptoms of DCS.

03/27/2026

While assisting a fellow diver during a shore exit at Bonaire’s Karpata dive site, Tony Pietrantonio, a dive professional and U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, injured his leg on a pocket of coral.

The minor discomfort turned out to be a serious Vibrio infection, but he couldn’t fully feel its effects because a prior combat injury had reduced sensation in his leg. His experience is a powerful reminder not to dismiss a dive injury.

Read the full story in Alert Diver magazine: dan.org/alert-diver/article/dodging-a-bullet/

✍️ Article by Tony Pietrantonio
📸 Photo courtesy of Tony Pietrantonio

03/25/2026

What’s your favorite way to equalize your ears? Answer in the comments — we’re all ears!👂

Ear equalization techniques are all ways of opening the Eustachian tubes to reduce the pressure differential between the outer and inner ear:

• Voluntary tubal opening: Tense your throat and push your jaw forward and down.
• Toynbee maneuver: Pinch your nostrils and swallow.
• Frenzel maneuver: Pinch your nostrils while contracting your throat muscles, and make the sound of the letter “K.”
• Lowry technique: Pinch your nostrils, and gently blow air out of your nose while swallowing.
• Edmonds technique: Push your jaw forward, and use the Valsalva maneuver or the Frenzel maneuver.
• Valsalva maneuver: Pinch your nostrils, and gently blow through your nose. Valsalva has a few disadvantages: It does not activate muscles that naturally open the tubes, which can make it ineffective if the tubes are already locked by pressure. Also, blowing too forcefully can cause damage.
• Passive: Requires no effort, and typically occurs during ascent.

Equalize early and often. If your ears begin to hurt, ascend a few feet until the pain stops before attempting to equalize again. Safely end the dive if you are still unable to equalize or if you experience vertigo or hearing loss.

Source: dan.org/health-medicine/health-resource/smart-guides/beat-the-squeeze-equalize-like-a-pro/6-methods-to-equalize-your-ears/

03/23/2026

From the DAN Medical Line: Is it harmful to p*e in a wetsuit? 🤔

As immersion diuresis shifts blood into the central circulation and increases urine production, many divers feel the urge to relieve themselves during a dive. Holding it can be uncomfortable, distracting, and may increase the risk of bladder irritation or UTI.

Urinating in a wetsuit is common and generally not harmful when exposure is limited.

A few considerations before you answer nature's call:
• Prolonged contact with urine can disrupt the skin's protective barrier and pH, potentially causing redness, itching, or rash if not rinsed off promptly.
• Very tight wetsuits may prevent full bladder emptying, increasing UTI risk.
• Urine can activate small hydroids, larvae, or jellyfish fragments — which may be present from past dives or enter through gaps in a poorly fitted suit — causing irritation or welts.
• Compounds in urine can gradually degrade neoprene if the suit is not thoroughly cleaned.

Read the full article: dan.org/alert-diver/article/wetsuits-and-urination/

✍️ Article by Leandra Lynn, AEMT
📸 Photo by Frazier Nivens

03/19/2026

🤿 Mask squeeze, also called facial barotrauma, is a common but preventable dive injury. It occurs when the pressure inside your mask doesn't match the ambient pressure during descent.

If a diver fails to equalize the air space in their mask during descent, air trapped inside the mask causes it to press inward and pull on the soft tissues of the face. Small blood vessels around the eyes and eyelids can break, resulting in petechiae and bruising. The same effect on the eye’s surface can cause subconjunctival hemorrhages and mild swelling of the conjunctiva. (If there are vision changes, severe eye pain, major swelling, or any bleeding inside the eye, seek medical evaluation.)

Fortunately, prevention is simple: Gently exhaling through your nose during descent adds enough air to balance the pressure. (Skip diving if you’re congested and can’t breathe easily through your nose.) Make sure your mask is properly fitted and not overtightened. Take your time on the way down to equalize all air spaces.

Read more about preventing mask squeeze in the new issue of Alert Diver magazine: dan.org/alert-diver/article/preventing-mask-squeeze/

✍️ Article by Janet Reyes, EMT-P
📸 Images by Esther Boehmer ( #1); Melissa Eremkofer ( #2)

03/17/2026

James J. Harvey of The Reef-World Foundation joins The DANcast to share his journey with Green Fins, an international initiative dedicated to protecting coral reefs through sustainable marine tourism. 🌊🤿

Green Fins promotes environmentally friendly standards and practices by working with local operators, communities, and governments — and by engaging divers as part of the reef protection solution.

Check out the full episode: https://youtu.be/X2mDZD9iaUw

03/16/2026

Never assume you are visible in the water. To help prevent propeller and vessel strikes, divers and boaters should stay vigilant and proactively watch for one another.

🚤 Steps divers can take to stay safe around boats:
• Follow briefings and dive boat procedures, including instructions for entering and exiting the water.
• Remain clear of propellers, even when they’re disengaged.
• Fly a diver-down flag and/or alpha flag, and surface within the required proximity. (Check and comply with local regulations.)
• Scan for boat traffic before surfacing, and consider deploying an SMB.

Learn more at dan.org/safety-prevention/diver-safety/psa/safe-boating-guidelines

03/13/2026

Last weekend, SCUBAnauts International's young underwater explorers took part in hands-on dive safety training, building emergency response skills needed for scientific diving. 48 teens and their parents completed the DAN Diving First Aid (DFA) course, while additional members participated in an off-year challenge to practice key skills. ❤️‍🩹🤿

Congratulations to these dedicated young divers! Safety is a core focus of SCUBAnauts International, a nonprofit marine science education program that teaches teens ages 12-18 through underwater exploration, research diving, and conservation projects.

Learn more about SCUBAnauts here: dan.org/alert-diver/article/scubanauts/

Address

6 W. Colony Place
Durham, NC
27705

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+19196842948

Website

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/

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Our Story

The world’s most recognized and respected dive safety organization, Divers Alert Network (DAN) has remained committed to the health and well-being of divers for almost 40 years. The organization’s research, medical services and global-response programs support an extensive network capable of reaching divers with vital injury-prevention initiatives, educational programs and lifesaving evacuations. Every day, hundreds of thousands of divers around the world look to DAN as their dive safety organization. To learn more or to become a DAN member, visit DAN.org.