Most commercial divers are employed to assist with the rescue of drowning or hurt swimmers, and can save lives by quickly and efficiently providing the help to those in danger. But this profession can go beyond spur-of-the-moment situations, as one Los Angeles diver recently discovered. The Los Angeles police received a tip regarding a 2011 murder, requiring Sergeant David Mascarenas to dive down into a 17-feet-deep pond, according to an ABC article.

Mascarenas, who has been diving for almost 20 years, said that this time was one of the most dangerous. The La Brea Tar Pits, located in a park in Central L.A. were filled with toxic chemicals, including bubbling tar and methane gas, which required Mascarenas to wear a hazardous materials dry suit in the water.

"Visibility was zero. I could pretty much not see my hand until I put it up to my face. We did find evidence that pertained to the police investigation. It was a high profile case that they were looking for evidence of that crime," Mascarenas told the news source. 

Even with a wealth of experience, divers know that there will continue to be times when the area is both dangerous and unknown. To protect divers, police departments, offshore oil managers and others who work with the commercial diving industry can invest in commercial diving insurance. Based on the necessary training and equipment that these divers require as well as the important services that these workers provide, it's vital for employers to obtain the greatest amount of protection for divers.

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