CMC Podcast

Join us weekly to get to know our CMC School instructors. This week we are joined by John McKently. John began working in the rescue industry in 1974, became an instructor with CMC in 1995, and retired as the CMC School Director in 2020. John worked for 47 years on the Montrose Search and Rescue team in Los Angeles County, CA. In this interview, we talk with John about how he transitioned from working in the private industry as a construction manager for a bank, to being asked by CMC founder Jim Frank to teach rescue for CMC. John continues to teach classes for CMC in his semi-retirement.

Overheard this episode:

“We’re not in the business of exchanging lives.”

“The thing that I really like is when you got a bunch of students and the light finally comes on in their head and you can see it on their face.”

“Our team goes from 1,000’ in elevation to 10,000’ at the county line.”

More podcast episodes here: https://www.cmcpro.com/podcast/

Join us weekly as we get to know our CMC School instructors. This week we are joined by Derrick Walker. Derrick has a background in the industrial world working in power plants as a certified structural welder and welding inspector. Derrick has been teaching Rope Rescue Tech I / II classes with CMC since 2021. In this interview, we talk with Derrick about his background working in the industrial world and how that allows him to bring a unique skill set to the classroom.

Overheard this episode:

“I want to be able to pass along the things that I have learned.”

“I’m your industrial guy, so that’s my world.”

More podcast episodes here: https://www.cmcpro.com/podcast/

Join us weekly as we get to know our CMC School instructors. This week we are joined by David Harper. David started his career by taking an EMT class in Highschool and worked his way up from working for a private ambulance company to Fire Bataillon Chief. David has worked with FEMA and managed both a rescue team and squad. David has been teaching for CMC since August 2021 and teaches Rope Rescue and Confined Spaces. In his personal time David works on his farm at home in Montana.

Overheard this episode:

“I’ve been a member of the FEMA Task Force for about 10 years now, been on there as a Rescue Squad Officer, Rescue Team Manager, and currently one of the Task Force Leaders for California Task Force 5.”

“The middle of the call isn’t the time to start having what we call the good idea fairy come up in the middle.”

“There is certainly an art to teaching.”

More podcast episodes here: https://www.cmcpro.com/podcast/

Join us weekly as we get to know our CMC instructors. This week we are joined by Dan Claridge. Dan has been working in Fire Services since 2001 and has been an instructor for the CMC School since 2014. Currently an Engineer Paramedic, City Of Glendale Fire Department (CA), Dan teaches subjects ranging from Low Angle Rope Rescue, Confined Space Rescue Technician, and Rescue Systems I/II.

Overheard this episode:

“I find a lot of value in that and getting better as an instructor, being able to have those different opportunities and scenarios where you are teaching.”

“I like challenging people; I want them to challenge me.”

“I’ll tell you right now, within the first 15 minutes from when I walked into that fire station, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.”

More podcast episodes here: https://www.cmcpro.com/podcast/

With this CMC Podcast we are kicking off our Instructor Series. Join us weekly as we get to know our CMC instructors. This week we are joined by Alan Baker. Alan started his career as a firefighter in Newport Beach, CA, in 1992 and has been an instructor for the CMC School since 1995. He is a senior instructor teaching subjects ranging from Trench Rescue, Rope Rescue, Rescue Systems, and more.

Overheard this episode:

"I never wanted to teach something that I didn't actually do rescues in"

"As an instructor you have to open your mind up and just not say, 'I'm the one in charge and you're going to listen to me' , that's the wrong attitude to have."

"The number one word is consistency"

In this CMC GRIMP North America 2022 recap, we are joined by 49th Parallel (@49thparallelrescueteam) a Canadian team composed of Firefighters from all across Canada who are involved with Ronin Rescue (@roninrescue). In this episode Doug talks with the 49th Parallel team about why they decided to compete in GRIMP NA 2022, what they learned from other competitions that helped them prepare, how they trained during the pandemic, and how they excelled as a team despite meeting each other for the first time at the event.

We hope you have enjoyed our podcast series on the 2022 GRIMP NA teams. Stay tuned for information on our next GRIMP NA event, or sign up to receive updates: cmcpro.com/grimp-na.

Overheard this episode:

“It’s every discipline, all kind of formed into one, it’s like the Bruce Lee version of martial arts.”

“For 3 years, I have had sleepless nights and anxious moments forever wanting to do that one again.”

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More podcast episodes here: https://www.cmcpro.com/podcast/

In this CMC GRIMP North America 2022 recap, we are joined by Peak Rescue (@peak_rescue) members Micah Rush, Toph Steinhoff, Eric Christensen, and Tye Herron who all placed first in Grimp NA 2022. Peak Rescue is a team from parts of Wyoming and Utah composed of members who work in Fire Service, Rope Access and Mountain Rescue. In this CMC Podcast Doug speaks with Peak Rescue about how their combined skillsets across a multitude of industries benefited them in competition, why it was they decided to get involved in GRIMP in the first place, how GRIMP helped them reexamine their team dynamic and the individual contributions they all make to said dynamic, and how GRIMP NA 2022 challenged them in unexpected ways.

Overheard this episode:

“You learn a lot when you are uncomfortable.”

“It was cool to watch poetry in motion.”

“It’s all about your team.”

More podcast episodes here: https://www.cmcpro.com/podcast/

In this CMC GRIMP North America 2022 recap, we are joined by Intervention Rescue (@interventionrescue). Intervention Rescue is a UK based technical access and rescue training provider that offerers consulting services for rescue plans and risk assessments. Intervention rescue is comprised of professionals from the rope access industry and firefighters. In this CMC Podcast, Doug interviews Intervention Rescue member Nick Croudace about: what drew a UK based team to compete in a competition in California, the benefits and challenges of being a UK team competing in an American styled competition, and what their main takeaways were from competing.

Overhead during the episode:

“It was the most gritty, the most real world; it felt like a real incident.”

"Play with ropes, in the sun, in California, on a battleship; not many people going to say no to that I think.”

“The scenarios where very different than what we have been through before.”

More podcast episodes here: https://www.cmcpro.com/podcast/

In this CMC GRIMP North America 2022 recap, we are joined by members of the Rose City Ropers: Adam Salvetti, Sam Dougan, Josef Kuehnast, Tyler Hohl, David Mackovjak . The Rose City Ropers are a team comprised of members from Portland Fire & Rescue in Portland, Oregon. In this CMC podcast Doug speaks with the Rose City Ropers on how they prepared for the GRIMP NA scenarios, how they approached friction between team members, how that friction benefited their team overall, and how a flexible mindset benefited their team long term.

Overheard during the episode:

“Spend the time to align your goals, both personally and how you fit into the group, so that when the moment of truth arrives, you’re not focused on the friction that comes up between members and you can focus on the patients.”

“Simple is faster a lot of times.”

"He squeezed out of the hole like a muffin.”