Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and is headquartered at the NOAA Diving Center in Seattle, Washington. The NOAA Diving Program trains and certifies scientists, engineers and technicians to perform the variety of tasks carried out underwater to support NOAA's mission. With more than 400 divers, NOAA has the largest complement of divers of any civilian federal agency. In addition, NOAA's reputation as a leader in diving and safety training has led to frequent requests from other governmental agencies to participate in NOAA diver training courses. Averaging more than 15,000 dives per year, the NDP has consistently maintained an excellent diving safety record (99.97% safe dive statistic). This safety record is due to three guiding principles: 1) thorough training, 2) adherence to established standards and procedures, and 3) use of top quality, well maintained equipment. The NDP provides the means and leadership for adherence to these principles through its numerous training programs, administrative procedures, and Standardized Equipment Program (SEP). The SEP is a comprehensive equipment maintenance and distribution program, whereby all active NOAA divers are issued dive equipment by the NOAA Diving Center (NDC). The SEP, which includes yearly maintenance and testing of all equipment by factory-trained staff technicians, provides standardization of equipment for all NOAA diving units and ensures quality control. Since implementation in 1989, the SEP has increased diver safety significantly. Comment Guidelines for NOAA Social Media Channels
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