Petition for CDS Safety Awards

[rblackburn]

It is a CDS award, they can set whatever requirements they want. All sites that use the Abe Davis also use the Wakulla or a log book showing 100 cave dives.

What is the advantage of allowing non members to receive the award?

[skip]

If you want to recognize cave divers who have completed 100 (or 1000) cave dives, then membership is not or should not be an exclusion or inclusion. If you want to recognize members who have completed 100 cave dives, then you exclude nonmembers. Some see the Abe Davis Award as more than a members-only accomplishment, while others see it as NSS/CDS exclusively.

-skip

[SLIM]

I just think this should have waited and been covered at a schedualed BOD meeting that the NSS-CDS members were able to be at to discusse it and put their thoughts into about it so that wht decision was a majoirity of the members to decid.

SLIM

[Gary]

If you want to recognize cave divers who have completed 100 (or 1000) cave dives, then membership is not or should not be an exclusion or inclusion.

I thought originally it was for a purpose that membership was not a factor but I wonder if the purpose of the award may have changed over time.


It would seem interesting to look at what the original purpose was as opposed to what the current purpose is - and what has changed.

[Cindy]

I can't believe you guys, your worried about a petty thing like not belonging to an organization to get a award from that organization. Give me a break..

I have yet to see one effort to get the chamber open back up for divers at Shands. Something that could save your life, your buddies or prevent one of you from being crippled for life. Where is the petition for that! Where is the effort to get the agencies to help on that or for that matter where are the agencies?

I am working on it but I am only one voice.

[mpoucher]

The original intent in he 70's was to show that cave diving was a safe activity and the award allowed them to put numbers to the safe cave dives being done in relation to the deaths that were occuring. I don't think the original purpose is all that useful anymore - we've got access to many more statistics now.

I would say the new rules probably have little effect. I liked the idea that membership was not required since it cost us little but I would guess that very few non-members applied anyway. As others have pointed out, its become more of a requirement to dive some CDS sites, so membership is required to dive those sites anyway.

[matt_w]

I am not sure why the time of volunteers and the funds of the members should be used to review and process awards for people who do not wish to belong to the organization.

Basically what you are petitioning is to receive an award from an organization you choose not to support at all (Since membership is only $44 a year). You want the convenience of having the award so you don't have to go through the hassle of having your logs reviewed (Or joining/paying for the NACD award), but you have no interest in supporting the organization that is doing it for you. I have a much simpler solution to your problem:

NSS-CDS Membership Form

Problem solved, feel free to take down your petition, maybe just add the link I provided above.

[Oister]

I will have to say uuummm aaaahhhh


"NO"

[RN]

I guess I still considered the Broze Wakulla thing as 100 safe cave dives as well, didn't see the 100 hours thing.



So let me rephrase my question, in what way will the Abe Davis(sans NSS/CDS membership) benefit me, if I can already prove 100 safe cave dives after Full Cave. Whether that be from my log book and/or a Wakulla Award(for 100 safe dives, and FAR more than 100 hours), is there somewhere that the NSS award will get me?

Mat, the benefit is you get a little sticker for your cave card that allows you into those sites rather than having to pull out your log book and have it reviewed. My log book stays at home. And I really don't want to stand there waiting for someone to count my last 100 cave dives...

As for the petition...not signing it. Now I would support the CDS charging non-members a processing fee to apply for it...say $44...

[WJH]

. . . Now I would support the CDS charging non-members a processing fee to apply for it...say $44...

LOVE that idea!

WJH