The Real ResQ Podcast

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...

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...

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 r...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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 we...

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” qualifie...

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, Ala...

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 th...

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 f...

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. T...

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 ab...

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 th...

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 ab...

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 change...

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...

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 discus...

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 night...

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 thei...

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...

In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Dan Leary, USCG Pilot.  Dan and I recap some of his memorable moments as a pilot in the US Coast Guard.  His first rescue was out of Traverse City, Michigan for a jet skier who ran out of gas after trying to cross one of the Great Lakes. Or as he would say, it was a rescue call where “we [were] just a speed bump to the process of evolution.” He al...

In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Bradley Pigage USCG RS 646.  Brad and I get to review some of the rescues that stood out to him. He tells us about his first rescue where he was launched out for a capsized catamaran and one guy in the water.  After that, we get into the awards that he has earned, which include the Coast Guard Achievement Medal out of Kodiak, Alaska for two hunter...