Diving and Hyperbaric Science

2026 Diving and Hyperbaric Science Symposium

Friday, March 27th 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Meadowlands Exposition Center

First Responders and Veterans
Bringing Calm to Chaos: Building Confidence in a Crisis^*

This program has been approved by NJ OEMS for 5 EMT CEU’s

How Diving and Hyperbaric Oxygen Science linked with informed First Responders and our Veterans can better manage Occupational PTSD.

Lectures by Medical and operational Experts in Diving and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, EMS, Police, Fire and Military operations.

Lunch box provided.

Program Overview:

First Responder work environments involve managing Emergent Situations and controlling Traumatized persons under their immediate care. These Stressful leadership situations have long-term health effects on our First Responders and Veterans that are cumulative and should be considered a compromising chronic occupational exposure. The almost daily stressors faced by First Responders are very similar to some Military Combat operations. This Friday, March 27^th All-Day Program series will update EMS, Police, Fire and Military personnel on how some fellow First Responders and Veterans are better managing their Chronic Trauma Exposures and how an old Diver “Bends” therapy is demonstrating new hope.

Suicide in the Ranks Each day in America, an average of 25 Veterans and First Responders take their own lives to end their physical and emotional torment. This series of lectures will help us better understand how Cumulative Occupational stress, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are often misunderstood by our First Responder Leadership, the Veterans Administration and many individuals.

For over a Century Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has been the “Gold Standard” for treating Diver Decompression “Bends” Illness. Medical Clinicians also use HBOT daily to treat Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Late effects of Radiation for Cancer Treatment, Diabetic Foot Ulcers and acute limb-threatening infections and Trauma. Researchers and clinicians are now demonstrating the Efficacy in using HBOT to treat Combat Veterans with TBI and / or PSTD, hyper-awareness, acute depression and suicidal Ideation. Other major benefits include a return of sociability and Family / Spouse emotional presence.

The Programs will review the 14 States that have passed legislation providing TBI/PTSD Treatment to Diagnosed Veterans, how clinically successful it has been and how we can help get the Approved NY State Bill to Treat Veterans and First Responders funded.

Program Details

Program Overview

Glenn Butler

Glenn's company specializes in Hospital-based Wound and Hyperbaric Medicine Programs and for over 50 years has provided 24/7 Emergency Diver and Carbon Monoxide therapy in the NY Tri-State area. He is a researcher in the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen to treat Traumatic Brain Injury, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Suicide ideation. LST is a pioneering Advocate for First Responder and Veteran Emotional Well being and civilian Post Traumatic Stress Disorder recognition and mitigation. Glenn is a BTS Board Member and Director of the BTS- "Ocean Pals" - Children's Marine Educational Program.

A Healing Modality: Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Help

Dr. David Charash

The lecture discusses the fundamentals of HBOT and its utility in diving illness and use by Medicare for Diabetic Foot and late effects of radiation. A review of the investigational use of HBOT in Traumatic Brian Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder will be addressed.

Dr David Charash is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine and a Certified Wound Specialist. As a Hyperbaric Medicine Physician, he has been involved in the Hyperbaric Industry for over 30 years. He is a Board Member with the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society (UHMS), Accreditation Site Surveyor for Hyperbaric Accreditation with the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society, and a Member of the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Hypobaric, Hyperbaric Technical Committee. He lectures Nationally and Internationally on all aspects of Hyperbaric Medicine, Hyperbaric Safety , and Hyperbaric technologies. Dr Charash is the past recipient of the DAN/Rolex Diver of the Year for 2022 and Beneath the Sea, Diver of the Year in Sciences in 2025.

NYPD ESU Dive Operations: Risk, Response, and Rapid Decision-Making

Andrew Bershad

This presentation explores real-world dive and water rescue operations conducted within NYPD Emergency Service Unit environments. Attendees will gain insight into mission planning, rapid risk assessment, inter-agency coordination, and decision-making under compressed timelines where environmental hazards, limited visibility, and human factors intersect.

Andrew Bershad is the Founder and CEO of Flying Aces Enterprises & Consulting, bringing nearly four decades of experience across emergency medical services, law enforcement, disaster response, and executive protection. Beginning his career as an EMT in 1986, Andrew served in elite operational assignments including NYPD Emergency Service Unit operations involving technical rescue, maritime response, and high-risk incident command. He has trained and advised public- and private-sector teams nationally and internationally, focusing on disciplined execution, risk mitigation, and performance under pressure.

TBD

Jason Culbreth

Jason Culbreth is a licensed mental health clinician specializing in trauma, chronic stress, burnout, and performance under pressure. His clinical work focuses on structured, trauma-informed treatment utilizing evidence-based modalities.

Jason emphasizes measurable functional outcomes, helping clients improve regulation, reduce symptom burden, and restore operational capacity in both personal and professional environments. Treatment planning is collaborative and grounded in ethical scope-of-practice, with practical skills clients can apply between sessions to support sustained progress.

He brings additional perspective from prior service in military and public safety roles, informing his understanding of high-stakes environments and occupational stress exposure. Jason works primarily with veterans, first responders, and other high-performance professionals seeking disciplined, clinically sound care designed to restore stability, capacity, and long-term resilience.

Precision Under Pressure: Medical Decisions in High-Risk Environments

Doug Schneider

In high-risk environments, medical decisions must be made quickly, often with limited information and constrained resources. Drawing from experience in emergency medicine, law enforcement, and military service, Doug Schneider explores how disciplined assessment and structured decision-making prevent critical errors when conditions are unstable. This presentation highlights practical strategies for maintaining clarity, prioritizing effectively, and delivering care when time and margin for error are minimal.

Doug Schneider is a nurse, paramedic, police officer, military officer, and professor whose career bridges emergency medicine and tactical operations. He has served in civilian emergency departments, field EMS systems, and joint military environments, developing expertise in high-risk decision-making and team leadership. He integrates evidence-based medicine with real-world operational experience to prepare professionals to perform effectively in uncertain and high-stakes environments.

From Fireground to Open Water: Leadership in High-Risk Rescue

Michael Clarke

This presentation highlights the integration of municipal fire service command experience with Navy rescue swimmer operations. Attendees will gain perspective on how structured leadership, training discipline, and maritime rescue principles align to support safe and effective underwater and surface rescue missions.

Mike Clarke is a Fire Chief, Navy Rescue Swimmer, and 35-year veteran of Fire and EMS service. He retired as a Captain/Paramedic after 26 years with the City of Bath Fire Department and currently serves as Fire Chief for General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Mike is a certified Fire Instructor, Tactical Team Paramedic, and Marine/Maritime Firefighter with extensive experience in training and operational leadership.

Personal stress-management and resilience strategies related to exposure to traumatic neurologic and psychiatric emergencies of First Responders.

Sandy Shaw & Christy Silva

Sandy Shaw has spent many years in EMS and is currently an EMT instructor in NJ. She is the Training Lieutenant at Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps, she also holds certifications as a Nationally Registered Advanced EMT, PADI Master Instructor, in addition, she currently holds a Diploma in Dive and Marine Medicine with the Wilderness Medical Society where she serves on the Curriculum Team for the program. Sandy is also a Diver Medical Technician certified through the National Board of Dive and Hyperbaric Medicine. Sandy splits her time educating in both the EMS and Dive World and has trained hundreds of EMT’s and Divers. Sandy spent many years teaching scuba to our Wounded Warriors and connects that experience when supervising counseling her EMT’s, Police and Firefighters experiencing PTSD in their daily work day.

Christy Silva is an EMS instructor, elementary educator, and rescue-certified scuba diver with a focus on the physiological and psychological stress responses shared by first responders and divers. Her work bridges trauma, decompression illness, and nervous system injury, informed by both professional experience in urban EMS and personal recovery from decompression sickness, gas embolism, and PTSD. She is passionate about education, evidence-based discussion, and expanding conversations around hyperbaric medicine and trauma recovery.

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