American Nitrox Divers International


American Nitrox Divers International was founded by Ed Betts and Dick Rutkowski in 1988.
ANDI has since expanded to include offices in The United Kingdom, Israel, Australia, Sweden, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Greece, Japan, Taiwan, Republic of Korea, Republic of Maldives, Republic of Philippines, Latin America, Middle East, with its home office in the United States of America.
"SafeAir" is ANDI's term of art for breathing mixtures with extra oxygen added that are commonly known as nitrox or Enriched Air Nitrox.

Origins and history

ANDI was founded by Ed Betts and Dick Rutkowski in 1988 for the following purpose - "to standardize Instructor Training, Sport Diver Training, and refill station dispensing procedures for Enriched Air Nitrox diving." It is one of the first diver training organisations to specialize in technical diving and in the delivery of training for the use of nitrox. Between the years 1989 and 2000, ANDI is reported by the Divers Alert Network as certifying 49,118 divers out of a global total of 233,798 in the use of nitrox along with the certification of 3,196 instructors to specifically teach nitrox.

Certification

ANDI offers training programs for recreational diving, use of nitrox, technical diving, gas blending, equipment service, diver first aid and hyperbaric chamber personnel. Each program is identified by “a three-letter course code”. Programs specific to diver training are also classified by a “Level of Training” in order to “differentiate the programs and their scope of training” with Level 1 being “an introductory program for new divers or divers-in-training” while Level 5 is used for the highest level of training, i.e. “exploration courses" that "involve the use of other inert gases".

Open Water certification

ANDI obtained CEN certification from the EUF certification body in 2005.
ANDI ratings for recreational diving supervision and instruction are recognized by the Health and Safety Executive in the United Kingdom as of 2015.
ANDI is recognized as a technical diving organisation by the Chamber of Diving and Watersports in Egypt as of 2016.