Scuba diving is an activity that in contrast to swimming and snorkelling, requires the immersion of the whole human body into a liquid environment. The exploration of the underwater realm, has been made possible due to the fact that the human being shares a peculiar characteristic with few other mammals: we are able to hold our breath under water (called ‘mammalian diving reflex’). And in fact, the first dives were done using apnea, (free diving) to search for food, and with time - and above all due to exigencies of war – instruments have been studied that permit humans to prolong their stay under the water surface.

This is how different equipment tools were developed, that as a consequence enabled the wider diffusion of diving activities beyond military purposes. Until today, scuba diving offers a very broad diffusion and is sometimes considered as an activity which can be done by everybody. Its popularity, however, shall never make divers ignore the safety standards and knowledge of the physical laws that define this activity.

REGULATIONS FOR SAVE DIVING
1. Going below water is a pleasure: if you do not feel fit, you should refrain from diving; you will not be ridiculed by your peers, but well appreciated for your decision.
2. Before purchasing equipment and choosing a diving destination, you should complete first a recognised scuba diving course.
3. Being careful under water, like in real life, does not represent a cowardly behaviour, but it demonstrates a wise decision.
4. Depth is a synonym for danger; also it is often not even necessary to go deep to have fun.
5. Always choose a reliable buddy and never go diving on your own.
6. Always stay within your training limits.
7. Make repetitive dives to a shallower depth.
8. Use reliable equipment.
9. Make sure to use filtered clean air in your cylinders; mental clarity is affected while diving when breathing contaminated air and can result in death.
10. Do not dive if you do not feel well and do not perform strenuous work under water.

DIVER TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS
In Italy, you theoretically do not have to have a diving licence if you want to go diving and in some areas, local regulations are being discussed for a better control and to oblige scuba divers to dive exclusively under the umbrella of a local dive centre. It is certainly advisable to complete specific courses to learn more about the diving theory and its proper techniques. As far as training organizations are concerned, we distinguish on the one hand between federal licenses, issued by approved organizations and affiliated to associations such as CMAS (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques), FIAS (Federazione Italiana Attività Subacquee), and FIPSAS (Federazione Italiana Pesca Sportiva ed Attività Subacquee) or ANIS (Associazione Nazionale Istruttori Subacquei), and on the other hand commercial licenses which are issued by numerous international associations, among which for instance we find the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), Scuba Schools International (SSI), or the National Association of Scuba Diving Schools (NASDS), just to name a few. It may be true that the proliferation of commercial licences favoured the broad diffusion of recreational scuba diving activities, but on the other hand we sometimes encounter the tendency to divulge the message in an exaggerated way that scuba diving is for everybody, irrespective of age and swimming abilities.