The Real ResQ Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 79 Danny Huisman Winch Operator from Holland Mar 18, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Danny Huisman, prior Air Force Fuel Technician from Holland. Danny tells us of how his career started while he was in the Air Force. As he watched SAR teams get called out on rescues, he knew that he wanted to be a part of it. After going to a ground simulator course and passing all the requirements, he thought he was guaranteed to get on the Air Force SAR teams. When that didn’t happen, one of his pilot friends called to offer him a job with a helicopter company that completes winching to wind farms offshore. After doing that for a while, he was offered a position in the company to do HEMS operations. With an additional three months of training, he had his first HEMS hoist flight to a supply vessel for a patient with an eye injury. We talk about his next rescue with a patient who had an injured foot off a fishing vessel in ten-foot seas. Then Danny tells us of another rescue that was a little more difficult for the crew. With a tight area to winch in, the vessel was not staying on course and the paramedic was getting hung up. Danny owned up to his mistakes on this case and we talked about the great lessons learned for all who were included in this rescue. We finish with one more rescue about a couple of windsurfers that found themselves way off shore and not able to get back. As Danny and team were out on the search, he compared it to ‘looking for a needle in a haystack’. Enjoy!

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Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ;

Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

Axnes https://www.axnes.com/

Life Saving Systems Corporation https://lifesavingsystems.com/

SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/

Episode 78 Eric Williamson USN RS Mar 13, 2022

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In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Eric Williamson, retired USN Rescue Swimmer. Eric brings us through his incredible 30 year career with the Navy. He talks about a memorable experience that made such an impact on him. He watched the SAR alarm go off, the on-duty crew took off, and returned later with a family that they had saved. From that day forward, there was no quitting! We get into his first case which, like some, was a rough start to his career. Eric tells us about a dramatic rescue of a river rescue where 4 people were saved off of a car. This case was recognized and a letter was written to the crew from the House of Representatives. We keep going as we talk about another rescue which earned him recognition from Boeing for saving a survivor of a fishing boat. As we continue through Eric’s amazing career, we finish with his role as a Rescue Swimmer instructor and a glimpse of what goes on in the background of Rescue Swimmer School. Enjoy!

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Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ;

Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

Axnes https://www.axnes.com/

Life Saving Systems Corporation https://lifesavingsystems.com/

SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/

Episode 77 Bill Moss aka Red Dogg USN RS Mar 05, 2022

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In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Bill Moss, aka Red Dogg, retired USN Rescue Swimmer. Red Dogg brings us back to 1963 when he graduated high school and came to his dad to say, “I want to join the Navy.” From there, began a life of adventure and service. He talks about his deployments all over the world and the adventures had at each of his assignments. We get into some of his very memorable rescues while in the Navy, two of which earned him Air Medals. One rescue took place in Hawaii in 1977, with victims stuck on the side of a mountain. The second was out of Nevada where an ice climber was stuck in the snowy mountains for 5 days. Our conversation included amazing stories and memories from Red Dogg’s incredible career in the Navy. He had some amazing advice to share with us as well. Red Dogg was a blast to have as a guest. Enjoy!

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Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ;

Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

Axnes https://www.axnes.com/

Life Saving Systems Corporation https://lifesavingsystems.com/

SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/

Episode 76 Kevin Kissner and Mike Abbott Virgina Flight Nurses Feb 26, 2022

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In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Flight Nurse Kevin Kissner and Flight Paramedic Mike Abbott from Virginia State Police MedFlight Program. Their normal operations consist of scene call and hospital to hospital transports. On the days when they’re dispatched on a SAR call, the level of rescue is elevated to the next level. Kevin tells of his first SAR call in the Appalachian Mountains. A member of the local university’s cross country running group had fallen about 150 feet off the trail. Then Mike tells us about one of his rescues which literally came the day after Kevin’s call. At almost the same location, with almost the same scenario, Mike and his crew knew exactly what to do. We discussed a couple other rescues that stand out to them including a river rescue, heart attack patient, and a patient that was in a motor vehicle crash. We finished our conversation talking about training. Kevin and Mike stress the importance of having an outside training company, like SR3 Rescue Concepts, come in for proper hoist training. Once completed, they said the training changed their entire operation in multiple ways. By the end of the training, the crews had built incredible confidence with rescue and hoisting among the entire crew. Enjoy!

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Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ;

Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

Axnes https://www.axnes.com/

Life Saving Systems Corporation https://lifesavingsystems.com/

SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/

Episode 75 Brian Dickinson USN RS and Author of The Blind Decent Feb 21, 2022

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In this episode of the Real ResQ, we are joined by Brian Dickinson, USN RS, mountaineer and author of the book, The Blind Descent. After six years and two deployments in the Navy, Brian decided to move on to the next chapter of his life. He talks about how the training at the US Navy Rescue Swimmer school set him up for success when it came to tackling the tallest mountain on every continent. With the support of his wife and children, Brian set out to climb mountains that other people only care to read about in books. He walks us through some of his adventurous hikes and then, we talk about the big one, Mt. Everest. On the very top of Mt. Everest, Brian became snow-blind. On top of losing his vision, Brian was alone on his quest and had to figure out how to get safely off of the mountain. Nothing short of a miracle, it took him seven hours of a ‘Blind Descent’ to get to safety and thankfully, he lived to tell the tale. The inner strength and motivation that we learn in Rescue Swimmer school is so deeply embedded in us that we carry it for the rest of our lives. Enjoy!

https://therealresq.com/home

https://www.facebook.com/therealresq

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Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ;

Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

Axnes https://www.axnes.com/

Life Saving Systems Corporation https://lifesavingsystems.com/

SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/

https://briandickinson.net

Blind Descent - https://www.amazon.com/Blind-Descent-Surviving-Alone-Everest/dp/1414391722/

Episode 74 Phoenix Bean SAR and Flight Paramedic Feb 15, 2022

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In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Phoenix Bean, Flight Paramedic from South Africa. For Phoenix, her story begins with a CPR class and a crazy incident at her home that led to her meeting her Paramedic mentor. She tells about an array of crazy calls that she has seen working throughout many different countries. As an “observer” at her first call, she assisted in responding to a pedestrian vs motor vehicle accident. After a few years of working in South Africa, she traveled to Zambia to expand her experience in EMS and SAR. While there, she encountered an incident involving a hippo and then another involving an elephant. From there she traveled to Sierra Leone and Liberia where she dealt directly with the Ebola epidemic. After a couple years there, she made her way to the UAE. With her first call there, a car accident that was way way off the road and was not the standard pass down that she was expecting. Phoenix takes us through a story with a couple tourists that found themselves stuck in the mangroves, in the mud, with their kayaks gone and no way to get out. We finish our conversation talking about situations that she has had to deal with and what she has done and continues to do to adapt and overcome the situations she has encountered. Enjoy!

https://therealresq.com/home

https://www.facebook.com/therealresq

https://www.instagram.com/therealresq

Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ;

Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

Axnes https://www.axnes.com/

Life Saving Systems Corporation https://lifesavingsystems.com/

SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/

Episode 73 Steve Ober USCG RS 01 Feb 09, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Steve Ober, USCG RS 01. This conversation was a blast for me. It was so much fun talking our way through Steve's crazy cool career! He begins by talking about how the road that led him to be a Rescue Swimmer. We talked about him getting through ASM “A” School before they had Rescue Swimmers. He tells us stories from his first AIr Station in San Diego, CA. When it came time to start implementing the Rescue Swimmer Program in the Coast Guard, Steve volunteered to embark on an unknown path that no one really knew what was going to come of it. After graduating Navy Rescue Swimmer School, he was stationed in Elizabeth City, NC. There he earned himself a Coast Guard Commendation Medal, which just so happened to be the first award ever given to a Rescue Swimmer. He takes us through a case where a guy was wrapped up in the winch and in critical condition. It took him over an hour to stabilize and package the patient. He covered a couple more cases out of Brooklyn, NY as well. I was so engrossed with Steve's stories of his career that we just kept on talking. It was a blast listening to all of his funny stories and how his career led him in all different directions. Enjoy!

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Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ;

Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

Axnes https://www.axnes.com/

Life Saving Systems Corporation https://lifesavingsystems.com/

SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/

Episode 72 Jason Vaughn USN RS Feb 03, 2022

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In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Jason Vaughn, US Navy Rescue Swimmer. We had a wicked fun conversation beginning with a story about a rescue he had while serving in the Navy. Jason talks about a vessel that was trying to dump their cargo to prevent getting detained for the illegal items on board. In this case, he volunteered to be deployed to help retrieve “contraband” out of the water. As the operation continued, the weather changed and started making the operation more difficult. The combination of the events that took place earned him a Navy Achievement Medal. Jason tells us about a case that happened in the Adriatic Sea where during a training flight, they came across a vessel that had hit something in the water punching a hole in it. Next thing they know, the crew is changing into a SAR configuration to assist 3 guys off the sinking vessel. With the quick response of the crew, this earned Jason a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. The last story he shares with us is not quite the rescue type story, but a phone call that came in requesting assistance. A unique experience where he and his crew were asked to help move a whale that had washed up on the beach. Next thing he knows, he and his crew are flying with a dead whale under their helicopter. Enjoy!

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Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ;

Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

Axnes https://www.axnes.com/

Life Saving Systems Corporation https://lifesavingsystems.com/

SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/

Episode 71 Stephanie Hyatt, Mechanical Engineer and Volunteer Rescue Jan 28, 2022

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In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Stephanie Hyatt, Mechanical Engineer and volunteer rescue emergency response member. She was told early in her career, “If there's not someone that looks like you in a position that you want, be that person.” Well, that's exactly what she has done! She tells us that she wasn't going to take no for an answer when it came to being part of the team. Her mindset revolves around rescue and helping in order to save lives. She has dedicated many hours of her own off time to learn all about rescue gear and her interest has turned into a passion. She tells of her first rescue call out at the methylene unit with a patient who was crushed by machinery. She helped coordinate a medical team for the facility with 10 people getting their EMT-B with her encouragement. She talked about going to an International Rescue and Emergency Care Association (IRECA) rescue competition with her team and on the way, a car accident happened right in front of them. Then she tells us about coming across a bicycle crash where she ended up helping the injured patient for 20 minutes before the ambulance arrived on scene. With her passion taking over, she and a coworker have created a rescue company called Vertical Integrity Rescue. They want to help those that need the help in rope rescue, tech classes, confined space, medical CE’s, and more. Enjoy!

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https://www.facebook.com/therealresq

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Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ;

Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

Axnes https://www.axnes.com/

Life Saving Systems Corporation https://lifesavingsystems.com/

SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/

https://www.verticalintegrityrescue.com/

Episode 70 Scott Holway USCG RS 387 Jan 22, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of The Real ResQ, we are joined by Scott Holway USCG RS 387. He talks about some of his incredible rescues that earned him The Coast Guard Achievement Medal for saving four guys on a sinking ship. Two separate Air Medals, the first for assisting two people off a sailing vessel off Cape Cod, MA and the second for his efforts during Hurricane Katrina. We also talk about a few more memorable cases. Scott talks about an overdue vessel off of Atlantic City, NJ, which unfortunately turned into a body recovery out of the marsh. He also describes a case where a mayday was called for a vessel going down and they arrived on scene to find five guys in the raft. We finished this great conversation by bonding over our love of Crossfit! Enjoy!

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https://www.facebook.com/therealresq

https://www.instagram.com/therealresq

Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ;

Breeze-Eastern, https://www.breeze-eastern.com/

Axnes https://www.axnes.com/

Life Saving Systems Corporation https://lifesavingsystems.com/

SR3 Rescue Concepts, https://sr3rescueconcepts.com/