What critical information must be reviewed during a predive briefing?

In a predive briefing, it is essential to review dive objectives, dive profile, and the gases that will be utilized. This information provides the foundation for a safe and effective dive. The dive objectives outline the mission or purpose of the dive, ensuring that all team members are aligned on what they aim to achieve. Understanding the dive profile, which includes depth, duration, and planned routes, is crucial for assessing potential risks and managing buoyancy and gas consumption. Reviewing the type of gas used is vital for ensuring that divers are aware of their breathing mixtures, particularly in environments where specific mixes are necessary for safety, such as in cavern diving.

While discussing total dive time and exit strategy is important for dive safety and planning, it is a subset of the larger discussion encapsulated by dive objectives and profiles. The weight and size of equipment, although relevant, do not typically require in-depth discussion during a briefing unless there is a specific concern. Additionally, while personal diving goals and ambitions are important for individual motivation, they do not typically contribute to the group dynamics or operational safety of a dive team in the same way that the key components of the dive plan do.