In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Matthew Fader. Matthew, originally from the United States, has lived in Sweden for the second half of his life. Our conversation jumps right into his first rescue and why he has been in search and rescue the majority of his life. At 19 years old, he helped an unconscious surfer with a head laceration, by providing CPR to him on the beach. After a helicopter came to extract the victim, and from that day forward, he knew what he wanted to do! He m...
Jun 27, 2023•1 hr 51 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Dr. Ben Meadley, a flight paramedic from Australia. Ben has been working in the EMS and helicopter world for over 25 years. In January of 2023, he earned the Ambulance Service Medal for his service and for everything that he has done for Australia's medical community. As we get into our conversation, we talk about his first helicopter rescue. The victim took a crash off his motorbike and sustained severe injuries. Ben hiked up 800 meters of stee...
Jun 20, 2023•1 hr 19 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Jon Bartel, USCG Pilot. Jon started his career as a school teacher, but decided that was not what he wanted to do. He went into construction and that is where he learned about the Coast Guard. Jon signed up, went to boot camp, and has served ever since. As we discuss his 26 year strong career, we talk about so many stories. These stories include cross country flights, flying the US Secretary of Homeland Security, Law Enforcement missions, and hi...
Jun 13, 2023•1 hr 27 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Sebastian Schneider, a Hoist Instructor from Germany. With a background in the German military as a medic, Sebastian has seen quite a bit. He tells us a story about a climber who fell 20m/60ft in a canyon that he and his crew had to rescue. Hoisting the medics into the scene, they were surprised to see the victim had only a broken leg. Next, we discuss his current role as a hoist operator instructor with DRF. In this role, he is able to pass the...
Jun 07, 2023•54 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we get a full debrief by the entire crew of USCG 6009, PIC Will Sirokman, SIC Tripp Haas, Flight Mech Joe Ivy, Flight Mech Kyle Turcotte, and RS1032 Branch Walton. These men were the crew that responded to the vessel crushed by a huge wave, capsizing the vessel and tossing the survivor around like a rag doll. Will, Tripp, Joe, and Kyle were taking a look at weather and sea state when the call came in. A radio call back to base for a Rescue Swimmer, it was Branch...
May 19, 2023•1 hr 14 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Daniel Foust, former USMC pilot and founder and CEO of Corporate Aviation Security International (CASI). While working overseas, he and his crews were tasked with all sorts of different missions. As for the mission we discussed, Daniel and crew flew out to a Forward Operating Base (FOB) to do an extraction of a few people. However, the manifest that was handed to them was inaccurate and missing a name. This required them to go back out into “bad...
May 12, 2023•48 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Jerry Hoover USCG RS 104. I was able to spend the first four months of my Rescue Swimmer career with Jerry in Elizabeth City, NC. Prior to school, while I was an Airman at the shop, Jerry was one of the guys that helped prepare me for Rescue Swimmer School. We talked about his very first rescue out of New Orleans, which just so happened to be the very first rescue made by a Rescue Swimmer in New Orleans. This case involved a call out for an over...
May 05, 2023•1 hr 11 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Jarrod Garber from South Africa, working with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI). As he was called into the principal's office (for his kids), he saw the quarterly magazine for NSRI. Immediately he knew that's what he wanted to do. We talk about his very first rescue, where he was at the base ready to go before the call out was made. A yacht in distress had lost its motor and tattered sails, making it dead in the water. He and his crew too...
Apr 28, 2023•1 hr 22 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Graeme Harding from South Africa. He has been working with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) for the last 35 years. With all of his years in rescue, as you can imagine, he has loads of stories. Graeme highlights a few of his favorites that have stuck with him throughout his career. One of the stories included an adult and a group of kids who were swept out to sea, holding onto nothing but a single boogie board. Another rescue was that of ...
Apr 21, 2023•1 hr 7 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Jordan Gottfried, a USCG Flight Mechanic. Jordan, sits down with me and talks about three rescues that he had while stationed in San Francisco, CA. The first one we talk about also happens to be his very first rescue as a flight mech. A victim was reported stuck on Greyhound Rock and needed help to get off as the tide was coming in. The second rescue we talk about earned him a Letter of Commendation for helping rescue four people and two dogs fr...
Apr 09, 2023•1 hr 32 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by three USCG pilots that host the Flight Suit Friday Podcast. We recorded live at HAI Heli Expo 2023 at the USCG Booth and we talked a lot about rescues, training and lessons learned. Each of the guys go over their first rescue and then a memorable rescue. Each of them is very different and each of them we get an opportunity to debrief with them and go over lessons learned. Enjoy! https://therealresq.com/home https://www.facebook.com/therealresq h...
Mar 09, 2023•1 hr 41 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Joey Gryzenia, USCG Rescue Swimmer 558. Joey and I sat down and recorded live at HAI Heli Expo 2023 at the USCG Booth. He tells us all about how he joined the Coast Guard and originally went to Food Services (FS). Then after a little time, he made his way to the Rescue Swimmer world. His first rescue mission was a drowning victim where he had to do CPR until arrival in the hospital. We talk about a case he was involved in Kodiak, AK., where he e...
Mar 08, 2023•1 hr 27 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Renato Augusto from Brazil. Renato is a Military Firefighter in the state of Santa Catarina, South of Brazil. He saw a Rescue Helicopter (Firefighter and HEMS) flying above his job in the resort one day and told himself, “that's what I want to do!” After training, when he was finally working on the helo, the fist rescue that he remembers was a man who fell in waterfalls. This took place 50 miles away from the base and right as sunset was coming....
Mar 03, 2023•1 hr 32 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Steven Doherty, Paramedic and SAR Commander for Tower RNLI Lifeboat Station, London, United Kingdom. Steven, originally from Ireland, fell into the love of SAR from a very young age. At the age of 14, he found himself involved with a man stuck in the mud. As he watched a community come together to help the man in need, from that point forward, his heart was always into Search and Rescue. As soon as he was old enough, he volunteered with the loca...
Feb 22, 2023•2 hr
In this episode of The Real ResQ, I teamed up with Jon Gray from Hangar Z podcast and together we interview the crew of Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Aviation Unit Star 9, who won the Airborne Public Safety Association Captain “Gus” Crawford Memorial Aircrew of the year award for 2022. (Episode 72 on the Hangar Z Podcast site.) The crew consisted of Deputy Chad Marlatt acting as the PIC, Corporal Andy Rasmussen acting as the SIC, Deputy Drew Pigott acting as the Crew Chief, Deputy Micha...
Feb 13, 2023•1 hr 22 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Doctor Ikenna Worgu from Nigeria. Ikenna has a very unique story about his profession. As an optometrist doctor, his goal has been to give people their sight back. He has been able to practice in five different countries helping those in need. One of the stories that stands out to him was when he was doing an exam on an elderly lady and she went into cardiac arrest in front of him. He immediately began CPR to bring her back to life. The patient ...
Feb 08, 2023•1 hr 11 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Christine Cole, prior USCG Health Services Technician (HS). As a civilian paramedic, Christine was looking for more out of the job. She decided to join the USCG. While she was in the USCG, her goal was to be a flight corpsman. Christine went above and beyond her regular duties and responsibilities to complete a flight physical, get “duck” qualified, and start working on a flight corpsman syllabus at Air Station Atlantic City, NJ. After her hard ...
Feb 01, 2023•1 hr 30 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by one of my AST “A” School instructors, Roger Chivers USCG RS 171. Roger and I recap his incredible career. After bootcamp, he went to a small boat station where he had his very first SAR call out. From there, we hear about his aviation career, which includes talking about his Distinguished Flying Cross that he earned while stationed in Sitka, Alaska. This rescue was of three people, in a raft, in 25-foot waves, with 50 knot winds and 35 degree wa...
Jan 25, 2023•1 hr 37 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Matt Dargan and Brian Conn from Sac Metro Fire Department, Sacramento, CA. These two guys give us two rescue stories that they were on together. The first story had an interesting twist with how it began, a wake up to the dog and a quick look on Facebook. Next thing they know, they are launching to help with a critically injured victim deep in the woods. The second story is a call out for a swift water rescue. California has been hit by a lot of...
Jan 18, 2023•54 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Bret Fogel, USCG RS 503. Before the USCG, Bret was trying to decide what he really wanted to do with his life. While visiting a friend who was in the CG, he saw a Coast Guard pamphlet sitting on the coffee table. When he saw the picture of the guy jumping from the helicopter, he knew what he wanted to do. In our conversation, we talk about his first day of duty as a swimmer and being called out on three different rescue missions in one night. Ne...
Jan 11, 2023•1 hr 29 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Andrew Jarolimek, pilot for the USCG, now flying as a civilian. Andrew takes us through a few of his very memorable rescues throughout his USCG career. One of the first rescues that he remembers was a 180 feet hoist medevac to a large ship with limited hoisting areas. Next, we get into three of the awards earned while he was in the Coast Guard. The first award was a Letter of Commendation for two British sea kayakers stranded in sea ice too thic...
Jan 03, 2023•1 hr 28 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Wayne Papalski, US Navy SAR Corpsman. Wayne, who is also a co-host to Dust Off Medic podcast, came on here to tell us a few of his crazy rescue stories. We discuss six rescue calls that stand out to him. His first rescue as a SAR Corpsman involved three victims who were onboard a boiler ship that had an explosion. The next rescue that we hear about earned Wayne an Air Medal for a victim who slid 800 feet down a mountain and suffered a skull frac...
Dec 27, 2022•2 hr 8 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Jose Pastor, Rescue Swimmer from Spain. Jose started his life in search and rescue as a lifeguard. He continued with a different route in search and rescue when an opportunity came up to work on ski patrol. He moved into helicopter rescue, working on a Bell 412 in the mountains. One of the first rescues of that unit was an injured hunter that they needed to recover. At his next unit, another rescue that stands out to him was an injured sailor th...
Dec 20, 2022•1 hr 59 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Grant “Sid” Lawrence, Irish Coast Guard pilot. Sid takes us through the first rescue that he remembers while serving in the Irish Coast Guard. Throughout the episode, we discuss five rescues that stand out to him. These include a medevac for a little girl, a vessel taking on water, an overdue boat, and two separate cliff rescues. Next, we talk about two separate incidents where Sid had in-flight tail rotor failures. Both ended with the aircraft ...
Dec 13, 2022•1 hr 46 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by USCG pilots Terry and Sean Cross, who just so happen to be father and son. With two generations back to back, each of them have had a wonderful career in the USCG. It was fun to listen to each of them talk about their first rescue, their favorite rescue, and the rescues that earned each of them an Air Medal. We discuss some of the great changes made over the years in USCG training and standards, as well as talking a little about the beginning of...
Dec 06, 2022•2 hr 7 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by PJ Ornot, USCG Rescue Swimmer 514. Before we even set up our conversation, I asked PJ to send me a few of his awards, letters, news clippings, and whatever else he might have that we can talk about. Next thing I know, I have an inbox with twenty eight attachments. After reviewing everything he sent me, we decided we would talk about seven of his rescues. These include rescues that earned him two Letters of Commendation, two Achievement Medals, a...
Nov 29, 2022•2 hr 18 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined again by Rob Munday, Hoist Operator. During our conversation, we go over a few of Rob’s more recent rescue calls. He walks us through four different callouts, two cliff rescues, an injured hiker rescue and a recovery. All four hoists were 160+ feet of cable to get victims out of their precarious positions. After hearing about the rescues, we discuss training, equipment and a few other things with regards to helicopter rescue. Enjoy! https://thereal...
Nov 23, 2022•1 hr 16 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by board members of The Rescue Swimmer Association. We get to debrief an incredible meeting of rescue swimmers from around the world. With 22 countries represented and over 150 members meeting in Cascais, Portugal for RSM22! We recap four days of events and lectures concerning all things rescue swimmer related. It was early morning and late nights! Enjoy! https://therealresq.com/home https://www.facebook.com/therealresq https://www.instagram.com/th...
Nov 18, 2022•1 hr 12 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Shane Rothlisberger, owner of VersaLifts. He has an amazing story about following a calling that God had placed on his and his wife’s heart. Shane walks us through a heartwarming story about what it took to not only rescue, but adopt two children from the country of Central African Republic. These two children became orphans as toddlers when their parents were killed. With a country in a bit of chaos, Shane and his wife took a leap of faith to g...
Nov 14, 2022•1 hr 15 min
In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by US Navy sailors, Todd Coulard, Rescue Swimmer, Cory Hedges, Rescue Swimmer, and Ryan Honnoll, Corpsman. We get a rare chance to debrief a mass casualty training exercise that was conducted just one week prior to recording this conversation. These guys set up an amazing scenario to try and mimic a multitude of types of rescue. With a vague brief to the crews, they were launched out for the SAR call. The scenario was set up where the crews had to ...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 8 min
