In May 2026, the FFESSM published a new version of the manual governing the RIFAP, the first aid certificate specific to diving. The document is only a few pages long. Yet it sets out everything a club must teach before issuing the card.
Imagine a hypothetical scene. A diver surfaces complaining of pain, the boat is rolling, and the next group is still at the bottom. Who opens the oxygen bottle, who counts the divers, who calls for help?
We reviewed what the federal manual says and what the Divers Alert Network reminds about oxygen. No promises, just the official framework and questions to ask the club.
This article provides information and does not replace the advice of a physician competent in diving medicine.
What is the purpose of the RIFAP when an accident occurs?
The RIFAP serves to maintain the rescue chain between the moment a diver is unwell and the arrival of help. The FFESSM manual breaks it down into seven skills, from communication in the water to alerting, including oxygen administration. It does not teach medicine. It teaches how not to waste minutes.
Since the May 2026 version, the manual refers to “Reactions and Interventions Facing Underwater Accidents,” a specialty in scuba diving. The RIFA forms a common first aid core shared with freediving, fin swimming, or underwater hockey. Each discipline adds its own specific actions. For diving, these are communication between divers, securing the victim, and recovering the group. The acronym RIFAP remains the one everyone uses in clubs.
In short, it is a first aid certificate tailored for the boat and the water’s edge.
But the real challenge lies in the context, because a diving accident often happens far from a road, on a moving boat, with a group still in the water and help that will take time to arrive. Someone must know what to do first.
Who can register for the RIFAP and when does it become mandatory?
You must be at least 12 years old, hold a valid FFESSM license, and have a certificate of no contraindication to diving in accordance with federal regulations, which the club will require upon registration. No minimum level is required. Minors must present written authorization from their legal guardian.
The previous version of this page reserved the training for divers already holding level 1. We correct that. In practice, many clubs offer the RIFAP during or after the FFESSM level 1 training, which remains a good time to learn it.
| Targeted FFESSM Diploma | RIFAP according to the manual (May 2026) |
|---|---|
| Diver level 2 | Optional |
| Diver level 3 | Mandatory |
| Group leader, level 4 | Mandatory |
| Instructor (E1) | Mandatory |
Thus, the RIFAP becomes mandatory from level 3 onwards.
Therefore, a level 2 diver can do without it, while level 3 divers, group leaders, and instructors must present the card to obtain their diploma. The manual specifies that holders of the PSE1 already possess skills 4, 5, and 6. The same applies to doctors, hyperbaric nurses, and licensed anesthetic nurses. They supplement with diving-specific skills. Nothing obliges you to wait until level 3 to start, and it is even considered healthy for a supervised diver to know how to help their supervisor.
What do the seven RIFAP skills include?
The manual divides the training into seven skills. The first three are specific to diving: communicating and securing on the surface, towing and getting the victim out of the water, recovering the other divers. The other four form the common core.
| Skill | Summary content |
|---|---|
| C1 | Communicate between divers, recognize distress, secure on the surface |
| C2 | Tow the victim, remove their gear, get them out of the water |
| C3 | Recover the dive group, record parameters, fill out the safety form |
| C4 | Coordinate roles and the return of the divers |
| C5 | Recognize discomfort or an accident, assess vital functions, basic gestures |
| C6 | Apply federal medical recommendations, administer oxygen, monitor |
| C7 | Know the emergency chain, alert, transmit the message |
The total duration announced by the manual is 14 hours, including at least 8 for skills 4, 5, and 6. The price depends on the club. Skills 1, 2, and 3 are validated by a licensed instructor, at least an initiator. Skills 5 and 6 fall under a holder of the ANTEOR qualification or a federal doctor. Both can validate 4 and 7.
However, skill 3 is the one recreational divers know the least about.
Recovering the dive group means counting the divers still in the water, recording their diving parameters, and filling out the safety form, while others take care of the victim. A diver who surfaces alone after an incident may also need help. Our diving orientation training guide shows how quickly a dive group disperses when landmarks are missing.
Why does oxygen hold such a central place?
Oxygen is recognized as the first aid measure in the event of decompression sickness or gas embolism, two accidents where every minute counts before medical care. DAN reminded this in Alert Diver in 2014: it speeds up the elimination of nitrogen absorbed during the dive and improves circulation. The RIFAP manual repeats the federal recommendation of a flow rate of 15 liters per minute in all situations.
The procedure changes depending on the victim’s condition. If they are breathing, they inhale oxygen through a high-concentration mask. If their breathing is absent or insufficient, oxygen is delivered with a manual resuscitator equipped with a reservoir. DAN sets three conditions for it to work: 100% oxygen, an appropriate flow rate, and a well-fitted mask. An almost empty bottle or a poorly fitted mask cancels out much of the benefit.
However, oxygen does not replace the continuation of care.
It is given while waiting for emergency services, and the victim must then be seen by a doctor, often in a center equipped with a hyperbaric chamber. The manual also addresses the victim’s hydration according to precise medical criteria. We do not detail them here, as they are learned during training, in front of an instructor who corrects the gesture. On the boat, check that the kit exists.
How to Maintain Reliable Actions After the RIFAP?
The manual does not set an expiration date for the card. However, it advises updating your knowledge as often as necessary, with a maximum of three years between two refresher courses. Without practice, a rescue gesture quickly deteriorates, and this is often discovered on the day it needs to be used.
And stress weighs heavily in those moments. The reflexes described in our article for managing stress in diving also apply to the rescuer.
Before signing up, ask the club a few simple questions. How many hours of real practice out of the 14 announced? Are the scenarios conducted only in a pool or also in a natural environment, from a boat? Who validates competencies 5 and 6? Does the club organize refresher sessions? A registration page that does not answer any of these questions deserves a phone call.
To go further, the Rescue Diver training for diving emergencies works on self-rescue in another curriculum, and knowing how to use a diving surface marker buoy helps the boat locate you on the surface.
The real cost is a weekend of training and an evening of review every two or three years.
FAQ
Is the RIFAP mandatory to pass level 2?
No. The FFESSM manual of May 2026 classifies it as optional for level 2. It becomes mandatory for level 3, the level 4 dive guide, and the instructor.
From what age can one take the RIFAP?
From 12 years old, with a valid FFESSM license and a certificate of no contraindication to diving. A minor must provide written authorization from their legal representative.
Does the RIFAP have a validity period?
The card has no expiration date. However, the manual advises updating knowledge, with a maximum of three years between two refresher courses.
Does a rescuer holding the PSE1 have to redo everything?
No. The manual considers that the PSE1 holder already has competencies 4, 5, and 6. They still need to acquire the competencies specific to diving and alerting, namely competencies 1, 2, 3, and 7.
Sources
- Reactions and interventions in underwater accidents, scuba diving specialty (RIFAP) (FFESSM, training manual, May 2026 version)
- Oxygen (Patty Seery, Divers Alert Network, Alert Diver, 2014)
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