FreediveSafe! Hawaii held a freediving and spearfishing safety training for free on July 31 and August 1.
Hosted in Kailua-Kona, local spearfishermen and freedivers between the ages of 12 and 22 were invited to join the event.
“Our sole goal is to ensure important modern safety training -- proven to mitigate the dangers of this sport -- is available to everyone who needs it,” said Niki Stepanek, founder of FreediveSafe! Hawaii, according to the FreediveSafe! website.
Twenty students per class were trained by local Freediving Instructors International (F.I.I.)-certified freediving instructors Heidi Hoover and Sandra Hammel. Gear supports were provided by Kona Freedivers.
“We provide freediving/spearfishing safety training and presentations throughout the Hawaiian Island chain to ensure everyone’s safety and security,” Stepanek told the website blog.
More than 50% of ocean deaths in Hawaii are a result of spearfishing or freediving accidents. The FreediveSafe! safety program was created to ensure that everyone is able to enjoy and perform the sports responsibly -- making sure each diver can return home safely to their families.
“This safety training is critically important to all those, especially youth, who freedive or spearfish, as it could be lifesaving in a difficult situation,” Stepanek said, according to the FreediveSafe! website.
Interested spearfishermen and freedivers may contact Niki Stepanek info@freedivesafe.org or call 808-900-331 for further inquiries and other information about the organization.
Through training, FreediveSafe!, a nonprofit organization aims to “prevent freediving- and spearfishing-related deaths in Hawaii, the continental U.S. and worldwide,” according to the FreediveSafe! website.
Many freedivers and spearfisherman frequently disregard the safety risks of their activities. Divers often downplay factors such as depth. "Depth is only one of the many variables that defines how taxing a freedive can be on a diver’s oxygen," said the FreediveSafe! website. Having a trained buddy is vital to staying safe during dives, and mild hypoxia (low oxygen) can be prevented.