Joe M. Anderson II

Joe brings more than 20 years of experience in the fire service, technical rescue, rope operations and dive instruction. Born in Texas and now based in Colorado, he has trained and led teams in complex high-angle and rescue environments both domestically and internationally. He holds technician-level credentials in multiple rescue disciplines, including SPRAT (Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians) Level 3. Joe serves as Director of the Adams County Fire Rescue Technical Rescue Team, Chairman of the Colorado State Rope Committee, and a member of Colorado Task Force 1. Currently serving as a Truck Captain, his instruction focuses on practical systems, decision-making under pressure, and building rescue capabilities that perform in real-world environments.

Mike Railsback

Mike Railsback is a full-time firefighter for the city of Thornton in Colorado. He is a senior member and a primary instructor for the department’s technical rescue team. Mike is also the training manager for the North Area Technical Rescue Team; organizing and conducting training for rescue technicians from 10 fire departments in the metro area north of Denver. Mike serves as a Rescue Squad Officer for Colorado Task Force 1, FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team, responding to incidents and natural disasters nationwide. He maintains a high level of training in multiple technical rescue disciplines including Structural Collapse, Confined Space, Trench Collapse, Heavy Vehicle Extrication and Swiftwater, but holds a primary focus on Rope Rescue. Mike is a SPRAT (Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians) certified level 3 technician and is also certified in level 3 cave rescue through the NCRC (National Cave Rescue Commission). Mike has been on the Elevated Safety team since 2019 teaching a wide variety of rescue and work at height classes.

Eric Baynard

Erik Baynard is a Level III Rope Access Technician and West Coast Gear Sales

Representative for Elevated Safety. He is an 18 -year merit Lieutenant with the Indianapolis

Fire Department and member of the IN-TF1 as a Rescue & Medical Specialist.

Experience:

• Elevated Safety L3 Supervisor

• Lieutenant – Indianapolis Fire Department

• Firefighter/Paramedic

• FDIC Tower Rescue Hot Class Instructor

• Indiana Public Safety Diver

• Rescue & Medical Specialist – Indiana Task Force 1 FEMA Urban Search & Rescue Team

Certifications:

• SPRAT Level III Rope Access Supervisor

• Rope Rescue Operations and Technician (NFPA)

• Confined Space Operations and Technician (NFPA)

• Trench Rescue Operations and Technician (NFPA)

• Structural Collapse Operations and Technician (NFPA)

• Extrication Operations and Technician (NFPA)

• Hazmat Operations and Technician (NFPA)

• Public Safety Diver (DR1)

• Elevator Rescue Operations and Technician (NFPA)

•Tower Rescue Operations and Technician (NFPA)

• Cave Rescue Level 1 (NCRC)

• Swiftwater and Boat Operator Technician

• Licensed Paramedic (Indiana)

• Merit Firefighter/Lieutenant (Indiana)

Education:

• Ivy Tech

• Indiana state University

• Indiana University – Purdue University

• Indiana Public Safety Dive School

• Louisiana State University

Kenney Bower

With over a decade of experience in Fire, Rescue, and EMS, Kenneth (Kenny) Bower began his career in the fire service following 12 years in the military, where he specialized in various disciplines, including rescue operations in both wilderness and urban environments. He currently serves as a Truck/Rescue Captain with Fort Carson Fire and Emergency Services.

Kenny holds multiple technical rescue qualifications, including Rope Rescue Technician, Trench Technician, Structural Collapse Technician, Confined Space Rescue Technician, and Swiftwater Technician. For the past six years, he has been a member of FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (CO-TF1), serving in roles such as Hazmat Specialist, Technical Search Specialist, and Search Team Manager.

In addition to his operational duties, Kenny is an instructor for multiple rescue organizations, where he teaches Rope Rescue Technician I/II, Trench Rescue, and Confined Space Rescue courses. He is also a Fire Academy 1 instructor for PPSC. He values the opportunity to engage with students from diverse agencies and industries, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning in the field. As he often says, “We must always be constant students of the craft. We all learn from each other. I love meeting new people, learning from them, and passing on what I know because we only make the fire service and rescue world better if we do that.”