do I have to use Redhat?

[G.Seaman@westminster.ac.uk (Graham Seaman)]

Hi,

I've been using debian for a while but am still a relative
newbie. I just bought a new pc with Advansys Initio SCSI driver.
The supplier asked me what OS I wanted; I asked for Linux. They
told me I would have to use RedHat, since the Initio drivers
(which are only supplied in binary format) have only been in the
kernel from 2.2.6 on. So I have a RedHat system - but I don't like
it much and would prefer to have Debian. I know how to upgrade
the kernel, given a particular distribution - what I don't know
is how to change the distribution given a particular kernel (I'd
also like to redo the partitioning, so I really need to start
everything from scratch).
I can't just run through the normal Debian installation procedure
since the install program (logically) can't see my hard drive.
Do I have to wait for potato, or is there some way round this?

Thanks 
Graham