Staff |
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We come from a variety of professional backgrounds with a broad range of experience relevant to the technical rescue field. Many of our instructors are professional firefighters. Several have careers in the lifeguard service. As a group, we have over 600 years of experience in technical rescue. All of our instructors and support staff are full volunteers.
Mark Anderson
Mark Anderson - Gear Guy
On November 24, 2021 our friend and Peak Rescue Instructor Mark Anderson died at the age of 62 after a 20+ year battle with recurring brain tumors.
Mark was a founding member of the Peak Rescue Instructor cadre. In addition to being a great instructor, Mark's wonderful technical illustrations have been used throughout Peak Rescue Institute’s manuals.
In 2016 Mark retired from the Kirkland Fire Department as a Lieutenant after a 40 year career in which he worked for several fire departments in King Country, WA. Since retiring from the fire service Mark's passion for the mountains led him to Talkeetna Alaska where he designed and oversaw the construction of his dream cabin. He lived there for just over a year before the tumors returned.
Mark's love of the outdoors was infectious and lead him to volunteer for the American Lung Association guiding their fund raising clients on training climbs in the Cascades to prep them to climb Mt. Rainier.
Mark always had a smile on his face. He loved being a Dad to his daughters Jessie and Jenny, who meant the world to him. Mark loved laughing and seeing other people laugh. He enjoyed cooking and cooking for others. He loved to learn new things and loved to teach those things to others. He would literally give you the shirt off his back.
Mark said that he wanted to be remembered as being a good guy that likes to help people and it is with that sentiment that Mark established the Mark Anderson Scholarship for Peak Rescue Institute.
On November 24, 2021 our friend and Peak Rescue Instructor Mark Anderson died at the age of 62 after a 20+ year battle with recurring brain tumors.
Mark was a founding member of the Peak Rescue Instructor cadre. In addition to being a great instructor, Mark's wonderful technical illustrations have been used throughout Peak Rescue Institute’s manuals.
In 2016 Mark retired from the Kirkland Fire Department as a Lieutenant after a 40 year career in which he worked for several fire departments in King Country, WA. Since retiring from the fire service Mark's passion for the mountains led him to Talkeetna Alaska where he designed and oversaw the construction of his dream cabin. He lived there for just over a year before the tumors returned.
Mark's love of the outdoors was infectious and lead him to volunteer for the American Lung Association guiding their fund raising clients on training climbs in the Cascades to prep them to climb Mt. Rainier.
Mark always had a smile on his face. He loved being a Dad to his daughters Jessie and Jenny, who meant the world to him. Mark loved laughing and seeing other people laugh. He enjoyed cooking and cooking for others. He loved to learn new things and loved to teach those things to others. He would literally give you the shirt off his back.
Mark said that he wanted to be remembered as being a good guy that likes to help people and it is with that sentiment that Mark established the Mark Anderson Scholarship for Peak Rescue Institute.
Peter Bloom
Peter was an Advisory Director at General Atlantic, where he led technology due diligence and strategic portfolio support for 15 years. Peter is based in New York and is actively involved in a number of non-profit and for-profit ventures. He is a frequent speaker to investment, corporate and educational organizations on technology trends and strategy.
Peter has been actively involved with Peak Rescue Institute since its inception and currently serves as the Chairman of our Board of Directors.
Peter has been actively involved with Peak Rescue Institute since its inception and currently serves as the Chairman of our Board of Directors.
Geoff Bogar
Currently a Capt. in the Maui County Fire Dept., Geoff has worked for this Dept. for 24 years serving on Maui, Lanai and Molokai. He instructs the Dept. in high angle rope rescue and RIT. In his time on Maui Fire, Geoff has served as a Firefighter, Rescue Firefighter II, Engineer and Capt. He posses a lovely wife and two awesome children along with a dog, 2 cats, pig, chickens, mouflon and other assorted creatures that he likes to hang out with. His hobbies are as varied as the animals that he chills with. He truly enjoys his time teaching at Peak and looks forward to meeting the many varied students that come through our programs. For more details meet him in person at our classes in Joshua Tree and he'll run on like a broken faucet.
Doug Bouck
'Douglas is a Captain with the Miramar Fire Department located in San Diego, California. He has been in the fire service since 1998. Prior to the fire service, he was a helicopter crew chief with MCAS El Toro Search and Rescue in Orange County, California.
Currently, Douglas is a member of his departments rescue committee and through his training and experience has helped improve his department's rescue tactics. He is a graduate of PRI’s Technician and Specialist courses and now serves on staff as an Apprentice Instructor and Peak’s Assistant Communications Advisor.
Currently, Douglas is a member of his departments rescue committee and through his training and experience has helped improve his department's rescue tactics. He is a graduate of PRI’s Technician and Specialist courses and now serves on staff as an Apprentice Instructor and Peak’s Assistant Communications Advisor.
Kevin Brown
Kevin is a Captain with the Miramar Fire Department located in San Diego, CA. He has been in the fire service since 1993. After attending PRI’s Technician and Specialist level courses, he has helped bring his department’s rope rescue skills up to date and serves as the chairperson of their Technical Rescue Committee. Kevin has been an instructor since 2005 and is our Travel Supervisor.
Tom Brown
Tom’s background is in the construction industry. He is a retired member of Sheet Metal Worker’s Union Local #105. Tom’s main duties are maintenance and upgrade of the camp facilities and equipment. He has been doing that since 2004 and is appropriately nicknamed, the Human Swiss Army Knife.
Mike Calhoun
Mike is a Battalion Chief with Jackson County Fire District #3 located in southern Oregon. He has been a member of his department since 1994 and an original member of his department’s technical rescue team since its inception in 1996. Mike also teaches a rescue class at the local community college and is an adjunct instructor for the local fire academy. Mike also serves as our Safety Officer.
Frank Carus
Frank has been climbing rocks and mountains since 1983 and working as a climbing guide off and on since 1993. Currently he is a US Forest Service Snow Ranger on Mount Washington, NH. Professional guides training includes AMGA Alpine Guides Course, Certified Rock Instructor Exam, and Aspirant Ski Mountaineering Guide program.
Frank is also a Team Leader for Mountain Rescue Service and an EMT and Firefighter for Brownfield Volunteer Fire Department and Fryeburg Rescue in rural western Maine. Frank enjoys collecting exotic canned goods, inner-tube origami and competitive mopping in his spare time. Frank serves on the Technical Committee.
Frank is also a Team Leader for Mountain Rescue Service and an EMT and Firefighter for Brownfield Volunteer Fire Department and Fryeburg Rescue in rural western Maine. Frank enjoys collecting exotic canned goods, inner-tube origami and competitive mopping in his spare time. Frank serves on the Technical Committee.
Dave Clark
Dave began his fire service career in 1976 with the USFS and retired in 2013 from the Gresham
OR FD after 26 years there. At Gresham he was a Captain and leader of the Department's rope
and confined space rescue teams. He still volunteers as a rescue leader and training chair for
Portland Mountain Rescue and is a past president of the Mountain Rescue Association. He
enjoys backcountry skiing, hiking, cycling, alpine climbing and teaching rope rescue skills.
OR FD after 26 years there. At Gresham he was a Captain and leader of the Department's rope
and confined space rescue teams. He still volunteers as a rescue leader and training chair for
Portland Mountain Rescue and is a past president of the Mountain Rescue Association. He
enjoys backcountry skiing, hiking, cycling, alpine climbing and teaching rope rescue skills.
Paul Cormier
With 46 years of climbing experience and 25 years working as a guide, Paul is one of the most experienced mountain guides in New England. He has more than 150 first ascents in the White Mountains on both rock and ice. Paul has led guided expeditions to Tanzania (Kilimanjaro), Argentina (Aconcagua, Tronador) and Ecuador (Cotapaxi, Chimborazo, Antisana, and Illaniza North and South). He has been on ten expeditions to Bolivia and has climbed so many peaks that he can't remember them all. Additionally, Paul has been a guest guide for Exum Mountain Guides in Teton National Park. He has guided on Mt. Rainier, Mt. Shasta and in Chamonix, France. Paul is a team leader with Androscoggin Valley Search and Rescue and a member of Mountain Rescue Service in North Conway. Paul also works for SEI, a company that teaches Tactical high angle rescue and rope work using minimalist techniques to military teams.
John Everhart
John served as an ocean lifeguard for the San Diego City Lifeguard Service since 1984 and has recently retired. He was a member of the River Rescue team for 17 years, the Boating Safety Unit for 15 years, and the Cliff Rescue team for 5 years. He has received national awards for excellence in various rescue disciplines.
John has participated in several hundred technical rescues, either on the coastal cliffs of San Diego, or in flooded river areas. He is rated at the instructor level for all types of aquatic rescues, including rescue boat handling and Marine Firefighting.
John has participated in several hundred technical rescues, either on the coastal cliffs of San Diego, or in flooded river areas. He is rated at the instructor level for all types of aquatic rescues, including rescue boat handling and Marine Firefighting.
Jim Gagne
Jim works as a professional firefighter/paramedic with Londonderry Fire Department in New Hampshire. He is a registered nurse and a mountain guide with Mooney Mountain Guides. Jim began his climbing career in the White Mountains of New Hampshire over twenty-five years ago. As a kid he grew up exploring and hiking around his home in the White Mountains. Hiking, soon lead to technical rock and ice climbing and eventually to mountaineering around the world.
On May 24, 2006 Jim fulfilled a lifelong dream and became the first New Hampshire native to climb The Seven Summits including Mount Everest. Jim contributes his success in the mountains to his training in the harshest weather in the world at home on Mount Washington.
His professionalism, mountaineering skills and versatility have served many climbers around the world. He is a successful and modest climber. Teamwork and leadership in his personal, professional and adventure career are guiding forces in the life of Jim Gagne.
John Giddings
John has been a Firefighter/EMT with South County Fire near Seattle since 1979. He is a member of the department’s Technical Rescue Team and also the South Snohomish County Zone Task Force. John has been teaching various rescue disciplines since 1993. John is transitioning to an Instructor Emeritus role (now that he is on Medicare) and will be assisting the Logistics team during the course.
Eli Harris
Eli is a Battalion Chief and the training officer with Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District in Oregon and have been with them since 2004. He is an officer and technician on the rescue teams (rope, swift water and dive).
Stephen Katz
Steve has been a New York City Fireman since 1983. He spent 18 years working in Harlem and the Bronx before transferring to Special Operations in 2001. Steve teaches with the FDNY Technical Rescue School and is also a member of USAR New York Task Force 1.
Mike Lackman
Mike is an Apparatus Operator with East Hartford Fire Dept. in Connecticut since 1999. He is an AMGA certified Single Pitch Instructor, Apprentice Rock and Ski Guide, and AIARE avalanche course leader working in New England. When he’s not working you can find him climbing and skiing in the mountains across North America.
Ben Lewis
Recently promoted to Sergeant, 15 year San Diego Lifeguard veteran Ben has logged numerous rescues along the coastal cliffs of Black’s Beach and Sunset Cliffs. Ben has been with the Peak team since 2005. He has also been a rope rescue instructor with the SD Lifeguards since 2005.
Ashley Manniing
Ashley is an Engineer/Paramedic at Ashland Fire & Rescue located in southern Oregon. She has been involved with Peak Rescue since taking the technician class in 2012, and she is a graduate of both PRI technician and specialist courses. Ashley has been involved in rope rescue for 10 years and is currently her fire department’s rope rescue team leader.
Daryl McDonald
Daryl is a lifeguard Sergeant with the City of San Diego and has been with the department since 1986. Daryl is a cliff rescue instructor, a member of their swift water rescue team and a member of USAR Califrornia Task force 8. Daryl is also a California State Fire Training Instructor for Low Angle Rope Rescue Operational (LARRO Course). As with all the San Diego lifeguards, Daryl brings a wealth of actual rescue experience to the Peak Rescue team.
Edith Pinson
Edith is our logistics coordinator, more commonly known as “Queen of the Gear Cache”. She is responsible for tracking our equipment and managing our administrative functions in the field. She is also the one who welcomes our students and makes them feel at home. She can often supply a grateful student with a few feet of cordage or the gloves that they forgot to pack. She has been with our team since the beginning. Edith has a wealth of backcountry experience and has climbed, skied and hiked in venues all over the world.
Glenn Pinson
Glenn was a Paramedic and Fire Captain with the Beverly Hills, CA Fire Department for almost 30 years. He was a member of their Technical Rescue Team and has been teaching Technical Rescue since 1988. Glenn is an instructor and teacher in several disciplines including rescue, climbing, and skiing. He also works with a youth ministry teaching World View and apologetics. Glenn also brings climbing and guiding experience to our program. Glenn serves as our Operations Officer and is also a member of the Finance and Scholarship Committees.
John Sanfilippo
John works for Loveland Fire Rescue in Colorado. He has been there since 1998 and currently holds the position of Engineer. In 2003, John was assigned manager of the department’s rope rescue program. He has been involved with rope rescue since 1998 with three different agencies in Northern Colorado. John began teaching with us in 2004. He enjoys traditional rock climbing which compliments his interest in rope rescue.
George Shaw
George is a firefighter with Shenandoah Fire Department. He began as a volunteer in 2002. George currently hold the Fire Prevention Officer and Cadet Coordinator duties. SFD is a combination department with in-house duty engineers and a volunteer roster of 25 members. In 2008 EMT certification was obtained and paid on-call employment started with the Shenandoah Medical Center. SMC provides 911 ALS response to the area and operates 3 squads. Service with the Iowa Fire Service Training Bureau began in 2011 as a Field Staff Instructor. Primary teaching includes the Interior Attack Fire Simulator and the Fire Fighter 1 certification course. Married to his wife Angela in 1994, with their only children being of the four-legged Labrador Retriever variety.
Kevin Smoker
Kevin built a career using many of the skills he honed during his career as a lifeguard for the City of San Diego. He has served as a business leader in a variety of industries guiding teams through a variety of challenges from early stage growth to managing large corporate portfolios.
Kevin has been involved in Peak Rescue since 2008 and completed the technician and specialist course before joining as an instructing staff member. Kevin currently serves as our Chief Financial Officer. He is an avid climber, ocean frolicker, and proud father.
Kevin has been involved in Peak Rescue since 2008 and completed the technician and specialist course before joining as an instructing staff member. Kevin currently serves as our Chief Financial Officer. He is an avid climber, ocean frolicker, and proud father.
Shane Snyder
Shane is a Captain with the Knoxville Volunteer Emergency Rescue Squad's Cave & Vertical Team. He is also a firefighter/EMT with Rural Metro Fire Department, full time technical rescue instructor and SPRAT® technician. His first formal rescue training was back in 1998 with Peak, then AMSAR. He serves on the Peak Technical Committee, and really looks forward to working with new students each year in Joshua Tree.
Andy Speier
Andy has been teaching rope rescue since 1992 and has been an instructor with Peak Rescue since we started. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Scholarship Committee and is the Instructor Coordinator. He has worked in the fire service for 40 years and presently is the Battalion Chief with the McLane-Black Lake Fire Department and the coordinator of the county Special Operations Rescue Team (S.O.R.T.) He has worked for fire departments around the country including the FDNY where he worked in midtown Manhattan on E-54 and L-4. He has also worked backcountry and SAR positions for the US Forest Service and the NPS. He is a voting member on the NFPA 1670 committee and has been a Technical Rescue Contributing Editor for FireRescue Magazine. As the director of the NW Region Office of Spec. Rescue International he has taught classes throughout the country and overseas. When not hanging on a rope or working in fire station he can be found out on his bicycle riding cycling at a randonnuering event.
Matt Speier
Matt is a rescue technician / paramedic with Colchester Technical Rescue in Northern VT and is on Vermont USAR Task Force 1. He has been a professional ski patroller since 2001 and holds Certified Level status with the Professional Ski Patrol Association and National Ski Patrol. Matt served as the Assistant Patrol Director for the Bolton Valley Ski Patrol, was the rope rescue training and lift evacuation supervisor for Belleayre Mtn Ski Patrol and is currently a member of the Mount Mansfield Ski Patrol in Stowe, VT. He was a contributing writer of the rope rescue chapters in Mountain Travel & Rescue: National Ski Patrol’s Manual for Mountain Rescue and instructs for that program as well as for the Vermont Fire Academy. Matt is a former FDNY paramedic and was a rescue technician with New York Search & Rescue.
Jon Vipond
Jon Vipond is a Sergeant in the Lifeguard Division of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. He is a member of the Lifeguard Cliff Rescue Instructor staff and a Swift Water Rescue Team supervisor. Jon is also an adjunct instructor at Miramar College in San Diego where he teaches multiple rescue-related disciplines including Low Angle Rope Rescue Operational (LARRO).
In 2004, Jon completed one of Peak’s first Technician courses, and the following year he completed the Specialist course. Jon has been instructing with Peak Rescue since 2005 and he serves on the Technical Committee.
In 2004, Jon completed one of Peak’s first Technician courses, and the following year he completed the Specialist course. Jon has been instructing with Peak Rescue since 2005 and he serves on the Technical Committee.
Mike Walker
Mike is an engineer with the Boise, ID Fire Department where he has worked since 1995. He is also a member of the Boise-Ada County Technical Rescue Team. Mike serves on the Technical Committee and is our Special Needs Supervisor.
Jeff Weaver
Jeff serves on the Finance and Contract Committees. Jeff has been working as a Firefighter and Paramedic since 2000 and currently works for the Forsyth County Fire Department just north of Atlanta, GA. Jeff is a member of the National DMORT team and has been teaching Technical Rescue since 1993.
Friends of Peak
Darren Jeffrey
Darren, served as professional Wildland Firefighter for 9 years before Starting Alpine Training Services (ATS) in 1999. An avid Rock Climber of 25 years reinforces the backbone of Darren’s life goal, the intent of spending more time in a harness.
Consequently Darren has also pioneered the sport of Canyoneering and Canyon Rescue in the United States. He also contributes his knowledge as a lead researcher and rope developer for the Sterling Rope Companies new product line. Darren hold’s a varied range of industry related training certifications and works closely with law enforcement and military teams across the country in vertical rope access and rescue training programs.
Consequently Darren has also pioneered the sport of Canyoneering and Canyon Rescue in the United States. He also contributes his knowledge as a lead researcher and rope developer for the Sterling Rope Companies new product line. Darren hold’s a varied range of industry related training certifications and works closely with law enforcement and military teams across the country in vertical rope access and rescue training programs.
Files
Resources for Instructors
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