DAN Medical Services
Recompression Chamber Assistance Program (RCAP)

DAN established the Recompression Chamber Assistance program in 1993. Many of the chambers in the Caribbean had limited funding, volunteer staffing, minimal opportunities for training and a regularly scheduled maintenance program. Increased dive travel to the Caribbean brought greater awareness of these issues. DAN decided to get ahead of the curve by initiating an assistance program that would not only ensure the highest level of care available for divers, but also to provide for the future of diving in remote destinations.

DAN assists chambers by providing technical and educational support as well as equipment for recompression chambers in remote locations. This assistance has principally been to marginally staffed and supported facilities in the Caribbean and Central America, but has reached as far out as the South Pacific and right here in the United States. DAN continues to provide training workshops to recompression chamber personnel. Recreational divers travel the world, often visiting remote dive locations with limited resources for recompression facilities and staff training. DAN is trying to fill this gap in health care through this program.

Policy & Procedures

Purpose:
The purpose of the DAN America Recompression Chamber Assistance Program (RCAP) is to assist recompression chambers in the DAN America region in areas of equipment, training and emergency assistance in maintaining their ability to, or in, becoming able to assist divers in need according to levels DAN America believes appropriate. Assistance is offered to those chambers that may otherwise not be able to financially provide what is requested. This assistance may also be available to recompression chambers outside the DAN America region.

Goal:
While there is no specific number of chambers this program will assist on an annual basis, it is the goal of this grant program to help assure local quality chamber assistance to injured divers in areas where diving occurs. Quality chamber assistance is based on established guidelines for basic standards of equipment, personnel training, and availability to DAN America Members.

Funding:
This program is funded by donations from donors. It is managed under the business and tax laws of the United States under the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization status of Divers Alert Network, Inc.

Management:
RCAP is managed under the Medical Department of DAN America.

The RCAP Committee meets every two months in person or by conference call to discuss current requests or needs presented to the committee. In extreme cases, where waiting for a regular meeting is not possible, a special meeting of the committee may be called.

Cash support will not be provided directly. Support is in the form of reimbursement, direct purchase or other method deemed appropriate for the particular situation.

Notifications, both approvals and denials, will be sent once outcome is determined by the committee and no later than the end of the grant cycle.

Process & Criteria for Support:
Any recompression chamber that serves recreational diving in the DAN America region may apply for assistance in the area of equipment, emergency, and training needs. Any chamber in the region may also request assistance with a needs assessment evaluation/review at any time. The chairman will determine whether a request is an emergency in order to call a special meeting, otherwise requests will be reviewed at the next regular RCAP Committee meeting.

Those chambers not within the DAN America region are encouraged to apply for assistance if desired. However, it must be understood that priority is placed on assisting those within the DAN America Region.

Requests

Management:
Grant cycles close the final business day in August, October, December, February, April and June. Grant requests must be received prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on these days to be considered for the respective grant cycle. Grant requests will then be reviewed by the RCAP coordinator for adherence to RCAP submission guidelines. Only those applications meeting these guidelines will be considered. All others will be returned to the originator referring to submission requirements and inviting to resubmit for a future grant cycle once all guidelines have been met.

APPLICATION

Application Proposal Components:

• The proposal must include these components and be presented in this order:
  • Table of Contents
  • Overview
  • Organizational Introduction
  • Needs Statement
  • Objectives
  • Methods
• Number each page of the proposal and include the applicant name on the upper right hand corner of each page
• Use 12 point, Times Roman print
• In sending by mail: three-hole punch on the left margin and place in a soft-sided binder.

1. Overview

• The proposal in miniature. The overview clearly summarizes most sections in the request.
  • The overview will include at least one sentence on each of the following:
    • Number of divers served of each of last five years
    • Reason for RCAP assistance request
  • The overview must be no more than one page in length.

2. Organizational Introduction

• Describes the applicant qualifications and credibility.
  • Official name, address, telephone, fax, email, internet address of the applicant
  • The organizational introduction includes the history and background of the organization.
  • Must include the mission/purpose statement for the requesting applicant.
  • Must include the number of people served, have served and intend to serve, or another measure of the impact and goals if the assistance request is approved.
  • The qualifications of those involved.
    • Documentation of current staff
    • Documentation of most recent, if any, chamber assessment.

3. Needs Statement

• Identification of financial need should include:
  • Documents identifying the nature of the organization (non-profit, tax-exempt, private corporation, public agency, etc.)
  • Operating budget for fiscal year of request
  • Tax ID Number (if applicable)
• Identification of the needs of the applicant in relation to the assistance requested.
  • Must relate to the specific use
  • Must relate to the specific purpose(s) of assisting scuba divers in need.
  • Must be no more than one page in length.
  • Must include latest chamber assessment report conducted by DAN or by self-evaluation.

4. Objectives

• Establishes measurable tasks that will be met. These are outcomes, not methods

5. Methods

• Describes the activities to be effected by the assistance. Generally, this will be a paragraph to support each individual objective.
  • Methods clearly describe the activities, reasons the activities were selected, staffing and training considerations, etc.

6. Item Assistance

• Training/Education Assistance
  • Type, cost (to include transportation, room and board, fees), location of training/education
  • Number of chamber personnel effected
  • Chamber personnel name, current qualifications, length of service anticipated outcome for individual and chamber.
• Equipment
  • Type and use
  • Vendor, cost, delivery, time to receive (documentation enclosed from vendor)
  • How and when need identified: damage, expansion, assessment, etc. with details.
• Emergency Assistance
  • Cause (date, event)
  • Type (if equipment see above)
  • If other provide full description

Download Grant Application (PDF: 18 KB)