Dive stories

DAN EU Timeline of Achievements and Awards

Ready to take a stroll down memory lane? Revisit the key moments in DAN Europe history. Iconic people, events, and services that shaped our mission and values over the past 40YRS.

1983

Dr Alessandro Marroni founds IDA (International Diving Assistance) in Milan, Italy, the first diving association to provide a 24/7 emergency hotline, global assistance network and insurance packages specific for diving.

1986

Thanks to the contribution of its Managing Director, Nuccia De Angelis, and to its Medical Doctors, IDA gains credibility, growing all over Europe.

1991

IDA is named DAN (Divers Alert Network) Europe. In the same year, IDAN (International DAN) is created in Durham (USA), uniting all global DAN organisations (America, Asia- Pacific, Europe, Japan). DAN Southern Africa joins IDAN in 1996.

1993

Foundation of DAN Egypt, the first DAN Europe affiliate organisation.

2001

Foundation of DAN Maldives. DAN trains the Maldivian Coastal Guard in Oxygen First Aid and donates Oxygen Units.

2004

• Dr Alessandro Marroni is elected President of IDAN.
• Creation of the Claudius Obermaier Charity Fund, taking care of divers and their families in difficulty following a dive incident.

2008

DAN Europe creates two insurance subsidiaries, DEIB (DAN Europe Insurance Broker) and IDA (International Diving Assurance), to keep providing better services and products to their community.

2011

Agreement with the Italian National Emergency Services (118) by which DAN Europe is recognised & used as an expert referral hotline in diving emergencies (AREU Lombardia – 118 Ovest Liguria).

2018

DAN Europe officially registered as a Broker of medicine by the Health Ministry of Italy, allowing for safe and legal trade of medical oxygen with diving professionals and operations.

2019

DAN Europe App launched (iOS + Android). No more plastic cards, more digital services.

2022

Disabled Divers Support Fund created to finance diving training programs addressed to people with disabilities.

Dissemination Achievements

1997

Launch of Alert Diver – European Edition, diving-safety focused magazine printed in 6 languages.

2004

First International DAN Divers Day held in Antwerp.

2005

The 2nd DAN Divers Day conference, held in Rome, gathers more than 800 divers.

2009

The Alert Diver magazine goes digital, with a PDF edition translated into 18 languages. Today Alert Diver is one of the most respected online diving magazines, available in 9 languages.

2017

#whywedoit campaign featuring DAN Europe ambassadors’ stories

2016-2022 

Our team travels across Europe with the Road Trips (2016-2019) and the Sustainable Tours (2021-2022) to meet partners, stakeholders, institutions, and the community, raising awareness about safety in diving activities and ocean conservation issues.

European Projects

2010-2023

DAN Europe participates as partner and/or leader in a number of EU-funded projects:

• PHYPODE (physiopathology of decompression).
• CADDY
• MPA-Adapt + MPA-Engage
• Dive Safe
• Science Diver
• Blue Culture Technology Excellence Hubs in EU (BCThubs)
• Ocean Sustainability through Education and Sport (ERASMUS Program)
• ART4SEA – Melting Art, Creativity and Marine Sciences to foster Ocean Literacy in the Mediterranean area

Scientific Research Achievements 

Since the creation of its dedicated Research Division in 1994, the DAN Europe team of diving physicians, physiologists and interns has been publishing hundreds of scientific studies (e.g. Flying after diving, Diabetes and diving, Preconditioning and diving, etc.) many of which have deeply influenced the practice of both scuba and breath-hold diving, contributed to widen our knowledge of diving medicine and physiology, and had a positive impact on diver safety.

1994

Start of the SAFE DIVE project, aiming at collecting data from dive profiles and Doppler Ultrasound recordings.

2000

The SAFE DIVE project evolves to DSL (Diving Safety Laboratory), a mobile research laboratory involving volunteer divers.

2010

Partnership signed with Cousteau Divers to cooperate in Participative Science projects.

2012

DAN Europe officially recognised as a Research Institute by the Italian institutions and by the European Union.

Safety Achievements

2004 

Start of RCAPP (Recompression Chamber Assistance & Partnership Program), to help assure availability, quality and safety of hyperbaric chambers.

2005

Official launch of the safety campaign against propeller injuries.

2007

First RCAPP course on Hyperbaric Safety and Acrylic Viewports held in London, UK.

2009

Launch of the Chamber Attendant & Chamber Operator Training Course, a new training initiative for Hyperbaric Chambers.

2011

• Launch of Nuts & Bolts, a Recompression Chamber Maintenance Training course.
• Launch of the Diving Safety Partner program

2013

Launch of the “More water, less bubbles” safety campaign

2014

Launch of the “Safety is in the air” and “Release the pressure” safety campaigns

2015

Launch of the “The aging diver” safety campaign

2016

Launch of the “Don’t get lost” safety campaign

2018

Launch of the Hazard Identification & Risk assessment safety initiative

2019

Launch of the “The travelling diver” safety campaign

2020

• Introduction of the “Clean gear” safety awareness initiative through series of dedicated articles
• Development and publication of the “COVID-19 and Diving Operations” Safety recommendations

Education Achievements

1993  

First Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries course launched.

2001

• Launch of the Advanced Oxygen First Aid, Aquatic Oxygen First Aid for Aquatic Emergencies, Hazardous Marine Life Injuries, Automated External Defibrillation courses.
• Agreement for lectures and joint research with postgraduate Master Program in Dive & Hyperbaric Medicine at University of Belgrade. Similar agreements signed with University of Pisa (2007) and University of Trapani (2011).

2003

The Italian Red Cross chooses DAN Europe to train its hyperbaric technicians.

2005

Launch of the Medical Oxygen Rebreather course.

2006

Launch of the Basic Life Support course.

2007

Launch of the On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers course.

2010

Launch of the First Aid course.

2011

Launch of the Diving Medicine for Divers course.

2012

• Launch of the Diver Medical Technician course, approved by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA)
• The BLS and First Aid courses are approved by the Belgian Government to be taught in companies (Bedrijfshulpverlener). 100,000 patents granted by DAN Training.

2013

• Launch of the Paediatric BLSD module.
• DAN courses are recognised and accredited by several organisations and institutions.

2015

• First DAN Europe Internship, involving young minds in diving medical research, best practice and prevention.
• Introduction of the Safety at work / Safety at Dive Centre Courses

2016

Launch of the Fire Safety Officer course.

2017 

International School of Diving Safety and Medicine created in Malta.

2019

Introduction of the Equaleasy courses.

2020  

Bachelor of Science in Diving Safety Management launched in collaboration with ITS Malta and a number of faculty members. It is the first recognised academic program designed for diving professionals.

2021

DAN Europe Training App launched. No more plastic certification cards, more digital services.

DAN Europe in numbers 

• More than 110.000 members worldwide: the largest organisation in Europe, Africa and Middle East promoting diving safety.
• Some 5.000 emergency calls handled every year by experienced staff through the emergency hotline.
• Over 180 DAN doctors – leading diving medicine and hyperbaric specialists in their home countries and worldwide – available on a 24/7 basis to assist divers in case of need.
• Hundreds of Hyperbaric Chambers included in the DAN network, selected according to their reliability and safety standards.
• Over 40 renowned scientists and researchers work for DAN and with DAN on a number of projects involving diving medicine and physiology.
• Over 300 publications listed in international scientific journals.
• 14 Training courses on offer, with more than 420.000 DAN Providers certified to date. The most complete educational offer on first aid and diving safety.
• 40 years protecting divers!

 

DOWNLOAD THE TIMELINE