Tampa Bay · Gulf Coast · Maritime Emergency Training

What you do in the first
three minutes
decides everything.

Wave CPR delivers hands-on maritime emergency training for recreational boaters, anglers, divers, and crews — built around the real risks you face on the water, not a generic classroom checklist.

Book a Class See a Real Rescue

Ret. USCG Aviation Survival Technician Chief  ·  Chief, Survival Division — Air Station Clearwater  ·  1,300+ Flight Hours  ·  900+ Rescue Deployments  ·  American Red Cross Certified Instructor  ·  NSC Certified  ·  NREMT

American Red Cross Certified Instructor
National Safety Council Certified
Nationally Registered EMT
20 Years USCG Aviation Safety
Hurricane Katrina Relief · Active Rescue Mission · Hurricane Rita

A Real Rescue. Real Survivors.

These were recreational fishermen on a family trip out of Cedar Key.

They limited out. They were wearing life vests. They called the Coast Guard when things got bad. They did everything right.

They still spent 12 hours in the dark Gulf, on top of an overturned boat, getting battered by waves — running out of faith.

This rescue was carried out by the rescue swimmers I led as Chief of the Survival Division at Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater. Watch what happened. Listen to what the survivors said when they finally came aboard.

Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater — 2022 Tribute to the Coast Guard. Posted by USCG Public Affairs.

This is why Wave CPR exists.

Why This Matters

The water doesn't wait for 911.

When a cardiac event, drowning, or serious injury happens offshore, you are the first responder. Coast Guard response times in Tampa Bay average 20–45 minutes depending on your location. What you know — and what you've practiced — in the time before help arrives is the difference between a story and a tragedy.

"Generic CPR training teaches you to call 911 and wait. We teach you what to do when waiting isn't an option."

Wave CPR is built around the specific emergencies that happen on Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast — and taught by someone who has responded to those emergencies for real.

1,300+
Flight hours in USCG rescue operations
900+
Helicopter rescue deployments
20
Years in zero-failure aviation safety environments
Your instructor has been there. Darren Navarra is a retired USCG Aviation Survival Technician Chief who performed live water rescues, flew active rescue missions during Hurricane Rita, and trained military aircrew in survival and emergency medicine for two decades. The rescue swimmers he led as Chief of the Survival Division at Air Station Clearwater conducted the case you just watched. This isn't classroom theory. It's field-tested knowledge.

What We Offer

Three ways to get ready for the water.

Every service is available at your marina, on your vessel, or at a location convenient to your crew. No mandatory online prerequisites. Training designed around your actual risks.

Reserve your spot. Pay after class — because we're that confident in what you'll learn.

No payment required to book. You pay after the class is complete. We stand behind what we teach. Note: Red Cross certification add-on fee is collected separately prior to class due to certification processing requirements. Minimum 3 participants required for certification.

★ Our Most Popular Class

Boat Ready — Maritime Emergency Essentials

$570
Up to 6 people · $90 per additional person (up to 12 total)

A 2–3 hour hands-on session covering what actually happens on the water. No online prerequisite. No written test. You leave knowing exactly what to do.

CPR fundamentals — hands-on practice, not video watching
AED use in a marine environment
Life-threatening bleeding control
Man overboard medical response
Calling a mayday while managing an emergency simultaneously
Maritime-specific scenarios from Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast
Optional Add-On

Want the official Red Cross certification? Add $65 per person (minimum 3 participants). Certification students complete a short online module before class and arrive 45 minutes early for the skills check. Everyone else arrives at the standard class time.

On Your Vessel

Vessel Safety Assessment & Custom First Aid Kit

$275
Consultation fee · Custom kit cost additional

We come to your boat. We review your existing safety equipment, understand your activities and crew, and build a first aid kit designed for how you actually use your vessel — not a generic shelf kit.

On-board safety equipment assessment
Activity-specific kit build — spearfishing, diving, offshore, family cruising
Sized for your passenger count and passage length
Written emergency plan for your vessel
Professional-grade supplies — the same quality used in SAR operations
No Cost · No Obligation

Introduction to Maritime Emergency Response

Free
Available for marina events, boat clubs, and groups

A 45-minute session covering what to do — and what you're legally protected to do — when an emergency happens on the water. Ideal for marina events, fishing clubs, and anyone new to boating.

What to do in the first three minutes of a water emergency
Good Samaritan Act — your legal protections when you help
Compression-only CPR hands-on demonstration
Common emergencies in Tampa Bay and the Gulf
Q&A — bring your specific questions about your boat and crew
Also available: Activity-specific training for spearfishermen and recreational divers · Continuous education program with recertification included · Marina and business partner rates. Contact us to discuss.

What Makes Wave CPR Different

We come to you. We train for your water.

We Come to Your Vessel

Training on your boat, in your actual environment. We learn your layout, your equipment, your crew — and build the session around it. Not a simulation. Your real boat.

Maritime-Specific Scenarios

Every scenario is built around what actually happens on Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast. Man overboard cardiac events. Shallow water blackout. Gaff and hook injuries. Real emergencies, not textbook cases.

No Mandatory Online Prerequisite

Boat Ready skips the hours of online coursework that keep most boaters from ever getting trained. Show up. Get hands-on. Leave knowing what to do. That's it.

Custom First Aid Kits

We build kits for your specific vessel, crew size, and activities. A spearfishing kit is different from a bluewater cruising kit. We know the difference and we'll make sure you have what you actually need.

Continuous Education

Skills decay without practice. Our continuous education program keeps your crew current with updated local mishap data, refreshed skills, and scenario-based training. Not a card you get and forget.

Taught by Someone Who Has Been There

Your instructor is not a trainer who read the manual. He is a retired USCG rescue swimmer who pulled people out of the water for 20 years. The difference in the classroom is immediate.

Darren Navarra — USCG Rescue Swimmer in full gear at Air Station flight line Darren Navarra — Founder, Wave CPR

USCG rescue swimmer, then. Wave CPR founder, now.

About Your Instructor

Darren Navarra

Ret. ASTC, U.S. Coast Guard · Founder, Wave CPR

I spent 20 years as a U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technician — a rescue swimmer — operating out of Air Stations in Miami, Savannah, and Clearwater. I logged over 1,300 flight hours and performed more than 900 helicopter rescue deployments. I flew active rescue missions during Hurricane Rita, and deployed to assist crews who had been pushed to their limits during Hurricane Katrina response operations.

I also served as Chief of the Survival Division at Air Station Clearwater — responsible for the training, readiness, and operational performance of the rescue swimmers who conducted cases like the one in the video above. The crew who pulled those survivors out of the Gulf were mine. Teaching and standards aren't new to me. Neither is the water.

I started Wave CPR because I know what the gap looks like between what recreational boaters know and what they need to know. I've seen what happens when that gap matters. This is how I close it.

1,300+
Flight Hours
900+
Rescue Deployments
20
Years USCG
American Red Cross Instructor National Safety Council Certified Nationally Registered EMT M.S. Public Safety Military Instructor of the Year USCG Chief's Leadership Academy

Marina & Business Partners

Bring Wave CPR to your clients.

Wave CPR partners with marinas, yacht clubs, charter operators, and dive shops to deliver on-site training for their clients and crews. If you're serious about safety culture in your operation, let's talk.

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

On-site training events for slip holders and members. We come to you, work around your schedule, and offer volume pricing for groups. A Wave CPR event is a meaningful member benefit that costs you nothing to organize.

Charter & Tour Operators

Crew certification and passenger safety awareness. We help you meet or exceed Coast Guard requirements and give your passengers confidence that your crew is genuinely prepared for an emergency.

Dive Shops & Fishing Outfitters

Activity-specific emergency training for your customers. Spearfishing, recreational diving, offshore fishing — specialized curriculum for each. Add Wave CPR as a recommended certification for your guided trips.

Discuss a Partnership

Ready to Get Started?

Know what to do before you need to know.

Every class is scheduled around you — your vessel, your crew, your calendar. Contact us to find the right training for your time on the water.

Book a Class    Call 954-294-2846

Get In Touch

Book a class or ask a question.

Every engagement starts with a conversation. Tell us who you are, what you do on the water, and what you're looking for — we'll put together the right training for you.

Email
dnavarra@wavecpr.com
Phone
954-294-2846
Service Area
Tampa Bay · Gulf Coast · Central Florida
Response Time
Within 24 hours
Payment
Due after class completion — we stand behind what we teach

We respond within 24 hours. No spam, no sales pressure. Payment due after class.