Diving Miles From Help? DAN and Garmin Just Added a Major Safety Upgrade for Remote Divers
If a diving emergency happens miles offshore or beyond cell service, getting the right help quickly can be difficult.
A new partnership between Divers Alert Network (DAN) and Garmin is designed to make that process easier by connecting Garmin's satellite emergency response system with DAN's dive-medicine expertise during dive-related emergencies.
For DAN members who carry a Garmin inReach, one small account update can help bring both resources into the response when something goes wrong far from shore.
At a Glance
DAN and Garmin have connected the DAN Emergency Hotline with Garmin's inReach emergency response process for DAN members. If you have an active DAN membership and Garmin inReach plan, add your DAN member number to the Emergency Notes section of your inReach account. During a dive-related SOS, Garmin Response can then contact DAN for specialized dive-medicine support while continuing to coordinate the emergency response.
What Changed?
DAN has integrated its Emergency Hotline into the Garmin inReach emergency response process for DAN members. When a DAN member activates an SOS through a compatible Garmin inReach device, Garmin Response receives the emergency signal and coordinates the response.
Now, divers can add their DAN membership number to the Emergency Notes section of their Garmin inReach account. During a dive-related emergency, Garmin Response can use that information to identify the diver as a DAN member and contact DAN.
This allows the two organizations to work together while the emergency response is underway. Garmin Response coordinates the incident and works with appropriate local rescue resources. DAN can provide specialized consultation related to diving injuries and dive medicine. Once an injured diver reaches a medical facility, DAN Medical and Assistance Services may also continue providing support when appropriate.
For someone miles offshore or diving in an area without reliable cell coverage, that connection could be important.
Why This Matters for Divers
Diving emergencies can involve medical issues that require specialized knowledge. Conditions such as decompression illness, arterial gas embolism and pulmonary barotrauma may require diving-specific medical expertise that isn't always immediately available through local emergency services.
That's where DAN can help.
The new integration gives Garmin Response a direct pathway to involve DAN while the emergency response is underway. Garmin continues coordinating the response while DAN can provide dive-medicine consultation. This is especially relevant for divers who regularly travel beyond easy access to emergency services, including offshore wreck divers, liveaboard guests, remote shore divers and people traveling internationally for diving.
When you're far from normal infrastructure, reliable communication becomes much more important.
What DAN Members Using Garmin inReach Need to Do
Simply owning an inReach and having a DAN membership isn't enough to take advantage of the new integration. You need to add your DAN member number to your Garmin account before an emergency happens.
- Make sure your DAN membership is active.
- Make sure you have an active Garmin inReach satellite plan.
- Add your DAN member number to the Emergency Notes section of your inReach account.
Emergency Notes can also contain information that may help Garmin Response during an SOS, including activity details, important medical information and contact information for rescue or medical evacuation resources. This information gives Garmin Response additional context when coordinating an emergency.
Before your next remote dive trip:
Check your DAN membership, confirm your inReach plan is active and make sure your DAN member number appears correctly in your Emergency Notes.
Important: Garmin inReach Does Not Transmit Underwater
There's an important limitation divers need to understand before relying on an inReach for remote diving.
Garmin states that GPS tracking and satellite communication do not work underwater. A compatible inReach can be protected underwater with an appropriate Garmin dive case, but the satellite connection is intended for use after you reach the surface.
Once you're at the surface, the inReach needs access to the satellite network. Garmin recommends giving the device a clear, unobstructed view of the sky for the best satellite reception.
That distinction matters. An inReach can provide an important communication option when you're beyond cellular coverage, but it isn't an underwater emergency communication system.
Your inReach Still Doesn't Replace an Emergency Plan
The DAN and Garmin integration adds another layer of support for remote diving, but it doesn't replace basic emergency planning. Before heading to a remote dive site, divers should understand what emergency services are available, how an evacuation could work and what communication options they have.
Appropriate signaling equipment, emergency oxygen when practical and a clear emergency action plan remain important. Everyone involved should understand what to do if something goes wrong. It's also worth thinking through how the inReach would actually be accessed and used after an emergency. A satellite communicator that's difficult to reach, not charged or missing important account information may be less useful when time matters. Satellite communication is another tool in the emergency plan. It isn't a replacement for preparation.
Garmin also notes that an active satellite subscription is required and that satellite communication devices may be regulated or prohibited in some locations. Divers traveling internationally should check the rules for the destinations they'll be visiting.
A Useful Upgrade for Remote Dives
Many memorable dive sites are far from cell towers and easy access to emergency services. That's part of what makes remote wrecks, isolated reefs and offshore destinations appealing. It also makes emergencies harder to manage.
The DAN and Garmin integration gives divers using both services a way to connect Garmin's satellite emergency coordination with DAN's diving-specific medical expertise.
If you're already a DAN member using a Garmin inReach, the main action is simple:
Add your DAN membership number to the Emergency Notes section of your Garmin inReach account before your next dive trip.
It's a small piece of preparation that could provide Garmin Response with important information if you ever need to trigger an SOS miles from help.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I connect my DAN membership to Garmin inReach?
Add your DAN member number to the Emergency Notes section of your Garmin inReach account. Garmin's support instructions allow Emergency Notes to be edited through the Garmin Explore website under your account information.
Do I need an active Garmin inReach subscription?
Yes. Garmin and DAN state that an active inReach satellite subscription is required. Your DAN membership also needs to be active for Garmin Response to connect with DAN through this integration.
What happens if I trigger an inReach SOS during a diving emergency?
Garmin Response coordinates the emergency response and works with appropriate rescue resources. If you're an active DAN member and your DAN member number is included in your Emergency Notes, Garmin Response can contact DAN so its dive-medicine professionals can provide specialized consultation during the response.
Can a Garmin inReach send an SOS underwater?
No. Garmin states that GPS tracking and satellite communication do not work underwater. Compatible inReach devices can be protected underwater with an appropriate dive case, but satellite communication requires the device to be at the surface.
Does Garmin inReach replace a diving emergency action plan?
No. An inReach gives divers another communication option when they're outside cellular coverage, but it doesn't replace emergency planning, appropriate safety equipment or an understanding of available local rescue and evacuation options.
Official Sources
This article is based on information published by Divers Alert Network and Garmin about the September 2026 integration, along with Garmin's official inReach support documentation.
