Roco Rescue, a leader in technical rescue, announced today the appointment of Chris Carlsen as the company’s new Director of Training.

A graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Special Ops Program Management course, Carlsen spent more than twenty years as a municipal firefighter with Albuquerque Fire Rescue. There, he served as fire suppression training instructor and later as program manager for technical rescue, ensuring his teams had all the skills and equipment necessary to perform the many technical rescue sub-specialties required of a large municipal fire-rescue department.

Carlsen holds a SPRAT Level II certification and is an ITRA qualified instructor and assessor. He also developed the curriculum and taught fire science at Central New Mexico Community College. Carlsen has worked part-time with Roco Rescue since 2004, first as a standby rescue team member, and later as an instructor. He was promoted to Chief Instructor in 2012 and has served in that role for the past 8 years while concurrently serving the city of Albuquerque as a firefighter.

Recently, Carlsen was instrumental in designing the 2019 Rescue Challenge, Roco Rescue’s acclaimed annual event that attracts technical rescue teams from industrial and municipal agencies nationwide. As Roco Rescue’s Director of Training, he will be responsible for all aspects of the training segment of the business, ensuring the curricula meets customer needs and that it is delivered by a world-class team of instructors.

“We are thrilled to appoint Chris to lead the Roco Rescue training program,” says CEO Kay Goodwyn. “His commitment to safety and the rescue craft is unparalleled. He is also a very skilled instructor, universally respected by our clients, students and instructor community. We couldn’t be happier.” 

“I’m blessed to have always worked with great teammates and for great managers - both in my Albuquerque Fire Rescue family and in my Roco Rescue family. Many people have steered me in the right direction and helped me learn, grow and advance in my career,” says Carlsen. “I feel honored to have the opportunity to pay it forward by leading and shaping the future of Roco Rescue’s training program.” 

About Roco Rescue

Roco Rescue has been a leader in technical rescue for nearly 40 years as a provider of training, standby rescue services, and equipment. Roco Rescue's world-class instructors are trusted by special operations teams including Navy SEALs & EOD, Air Force Pararescuemen, and the Department of Justice, as well as by industrial rescue teams and municipal first-responders. Roco Rescue's standby rescue teams provide rescue services for turnarounds and expansions as well as daily operations at hundreds of refineries, chemical plants, computer manufacturers and other industrial facilities around the world. As well as performing rescues, these teams develop rescue preplans and make recommendations to reduce incidents of death and injury.

Learn more at RocoRescue.com.