The ordinance codified in this chapter shall be known and may he cited as the “county scuba diving ordinance.” (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 1 § 1, 1974.)

The provisions of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto shall be applicable to and within the unincorporated territory of the county of Los Angeles. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 1 § 2, 1974.)

A. “Credential” means any certification card, identification card, license, diploma, or letter.
B. “Director” means the director of parks and recreation of the county of Los Angeles.
C. “Open water” means any body of water other than a swimming pool.
D. “Scuba diving” means diving with a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 3 §§ 201-204, 1974.)

The masculine gender includes the feminine. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 1 § 5,1974.)

A person shall not issue a credential certifying that the recipient thereof has satisfactorily completed a course of scuba diving training unless the training has met the specifications of Sections 8.32.060 through 8.32.120 of this chapter. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11025 Art. 2 § 101, 1974.)

The diver shall participate in a scuba diving course by having satisfied the following requirements:
A. Demonstrated the ability to swim continuously for 200 yards without swimming aids; swim 50 feet underwater without swimming aids; swim 50 yards towing another person without swimming aids; float and/or tread water with minimal movement for 10 minutes; and tread water with legs only for 20 seconds.
B. Fulfillment of swimming requirements in accordance with subsection A of this section is recommended prior to enrollment in a scuba diving course, and mandatory prior to commencement of scuba training in the open water in said course. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 4 § 301, 1974.)

The diver shall have received and satisfactorily completed 18 hours of combined classroom and water training. This water training may be conducted in a pool or other water which is confined or protected. The ratio of students to instructor during this water training shall not have exceeded 12 to one. The training shall have consisted of the following:
A. Instruction from a certified instructor of scuba diving on the use, preventive maintenance and care of scuba diving equipment, laws of physics relating to scuba diving; physiology with emphasis on the lungs, circulatory system, ears, and sinuses; medical-psychological problems related to scuba diving resulting from effects of pressure, breathing compressed air, carbon dioxide buildup, hyperventilation, physical fitness, exposure, temperature, and carotid sinus reflex; marine hazards; orientation to first aid, mouth-to-mouth and cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Navy Decompression Tables and repetitive diving; recommended diving practices including the buddy system, communications, diver’s logbook, emergency procedures, accident reporting, dive plan, procedures for surface and boat, and nutrition; ecology; oceanography; laws or ordinances associated with the sport; and information sources for continuing education in scuba diving;
B. Practice in water with a certified instructor of scuba diving in the use of mask, fins and snorkel; use of personal floatation devices; surface dives; water entries; use of weight belts; use of scuba diving equipment under normal and emergency diving conditions; and buddy breathing. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 4 § 302, 1974.)

The diver shall have received and satisfactorily completed nine hours of open-water training with a certified instructor of scuba diving. No more than six hours of open-water training shall have been received during any one day. This training shall have been received where the ratio of students to instructor did not exceed eight to one when using scuba diving equipment nor 12 to one when using skin diving equipment. The training shall have consisted of practice entries and exits from shore or boat, or both, with and without scuba diving equipment; use of mask, fins and snorkel; descent and ascent with and without scuba diving equipment; buoyancy control on and beneath the surface; swimming beneath the water with or without scuba equipment, in and around aquatic plants, clearing the mask and regulator; activating, where applicable, a reserve mechanism; monitoring a submersible pressure gauge; buddy breathing; emergency swimming ascent; buddy teamwork; swimming in surf or rough water with and without scuba equipment; and use of the safety whistle. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 4 § 303, 1974.)

The diver shall have made, and satisfactorily completed, one skin dive from shore, which shall have included surf or rough water training in the presence of a certified instructor of scuba diving. The diver shall also have made and satisfactory completed two dives with scuba equipment, one of which shall be from shore, and one of which may be from shore or a vessel, in the presence of a certified instructor of scuba diving. Credit for no more than two scuba dives shall be given within any one day. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 4 § 304, 1974.)

The diver shall have taken a written examination on scuba diving and received a grade of no less than 70 percent which shall reflect thorough understanding of diving physics, diving physiology, and diving emergency procedures. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 4 § 305, 1974.)

The diver shall transport himself and his gear 400 yards in water. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 4 § 306, 1974.)

If an individual cannot comply with the requirements of subsection A of Section 8.32.060 due to a physical handicap, the requirements may be waived if the individual can demonstrate sufficient watermanship to the satisfaction of a certified instructor of scuba diving. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 4 § 307,1974.)

A person shall not conduct any training in basic scuba diving or in instructor certification unless said person has fulfilled the requirements of Sections 8.32.150 through 8.32.170 of this chapter. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 2 § 103,1974.)

A person shall not issue a credential certifying that the recipient thereof has satisfactory completed training in the instruction of scuba diving unless the training has met the specifications of Section 8.32.150 through 8.32.170 of this chapter. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 195: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 2 § 102, 1974.)

The instructor shall have qualified for certification in a course of instruction on the teaching of scuba diving that provides the training and testing specified by Sections 8.32.160 and 8.32.170 by having satisfied the following requirements:
A. Possess current training in first aid, life saving, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and current scuba certification;
B. Found to be physically fit to scuba dive by a physician whose opinion is based upon a physical examination of the diver that has included an examination of the diver’s ear and sinuses; respiratory system; and cardiovascular system;
C. Demonstrated the ability to swim 300 yards, demonstrating at least two strokes in good form; be able to demonstrate 10-minute surface-survival techniques; back floating; treading water, bodding/drownproofing (survival floating); swim 25 yards under water with one breath and no push-off scuba dive in open water; use and perform preventive maintenance on scuba diving equipment; and use recognized safety procedures associated with scuba diving. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. S § 401, 1974.)

The instructor shall have received and satisfactorily completed a total of 100 hours of training from a recognized certifying organization during which the following instructions shall have been received by both lecture and practical work, including water work: watermanship in pool and open-water classroom teaching presentations; practical teaching presentation; teaching theory, methods, techniques, evaluation, and aids; diving environment; diving equipment; medical aspects of scuba diving; decompression and repetitive diving; diving physics; scuba diving course operations and procedures; emergency procedures and open-water diving; diving physiology; diving physical fitness; diving first aid; diving life saving; legal aspects of diving instruction; advanced and specialty-diving orientation concerning subjects such as, but not necessarily limited to, skin diving, underwater navigation, deep diving, and air consumption; and a written examination of the training received. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 5 § 402, 1974.)

The instructor shall have taken and satisfactorily passed written examinations covering the instruction received. The content of the written examination shall have been prepared by a recognized certifying organization and the determination of satisfactory completion shall be made by or under the supervision of a certified instructor of scuba diving. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 5 § 403, 1974.)

A person shall not operate a vessel for hire as a base of operation for scuba diving unless the vessel is operated and equipped in the manner specified by Sections 8.32.190 and 8.32.200 of this chapter and the operator has submitted a letter of compliance to the director. (Ord 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 2 § 104, 1974.)

The vessel shall be equipped with emergency equipment, including an oxygen resuscitative unit; first aid kit; floatation device for quickly reaching and aiding a distressed diver; a recall system capable of being heard or seen by scuba divers under and on the surface of the water; and a marker buoy. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 6 § 501, 1974.)

The vessel shall carry personnel trained in the use of the emergency equipment described in Section 8.32.190. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 6 § 502, 1974.)

Violation of this chapter is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $500.00 or by imprisonment in the County Jail for not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. A repetition or continuation of any violation of any provision of this chapter on successive days constitutes a separate offense for each day during any portion of which such violation is committed, continued, or permitted. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 1 § 4,

If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this chapter, and the applicability of such provisions to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby. (Ord. 11215 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11213 § 1 (part), 1975: Ord. 11037 § 1 (part), 1974: Ord. 11025 Art. 1 § 3, 1974.)