DEMA & DAN Partner To Launch Public Safety Announcement (PSA) To Increase First Aid Knowledge For Divers Interacting With Lionfish

SAN DIEGO, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) and the Divers Alert Network (DAN) collaborated on a PSA aimed at providing effective basic first aid instructions for Lionfish related injuries. The PSA responds to the increasing number of reported injuries which have been attributed to the species' alarming population increase and invasion into nonnative waters.

The :30 PSA provides divers with fundamental knowledge on how to immediately and effectively treat an injury sustained due to a Lionfish encounter. The PSA is available on the Be A Diver YouTube channel and viewers are encouraged to share it with others. The PSA is already being used on Cayman Island television.

"With the Lionfish population growing at an alarming rate, encounters are far more frequent than what we have seen in the recent past and it is imperative for divers to equip themselves with proper first aid knowledge," explained Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA. "By creating this campaign with our partners at DAN, we hope to empower divers with the knowledge necessary to quickly and properly handle an encounter with the venomous Lionfish."

Lionfish are an invasive species already spread throughout the Atlantic coast, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Their simple presence along with organized culling increases the likelihood of envenomation by recreational divers and fishermen. You can find more detailed information about the Lionfish Invasion and how you can help at www.reef.org/lionfish.

DEMA, is an international organization dedicated to the promotion and growth of the recreational scuba diving and snorkeling industry.  With more than 1,400 members, this non-profit, global organization promotes scuba diving through consumer awareness programs and media campaigns such as the national Be a Diver campaign; diver retention initiatives such as DiveCaching; and an annual trade-only event for businesses in the scuba diving, action watersports and adventure/dive-travel industries, DEMA Show.  For more information on DEMA contact (800) 862-DIVE (3483) or (858) 616-6408 or visit www.dema.org.  Stay updated by following "DEMAOrg" on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Diving Equipment and Marketing Association