After joining the Roco CSRT Team in January 2021 as a rope rescue technician, Hunter quickly moved up to Senior Crew Member. Hunter was a full-time paramedic for 7 years before coming on board, so he is very familiar with emergency response and the demanding pace that it requires.

Hunter also shares Roco’s belief in saving lives by helping emergency responders and giving back in any way he can.

A native of Ville Platte, Louisiana, Hunter still calls this city home. He enjoys cooking, learning new skills, and watching sports, either on TV or in person, whenever possible.

A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Dominic Velasquez has been an active emergency responder since 2003 when he joined the local fire department. During his fire department career, he has served in the Technical Rescue Division for 17 years. He was also a member of FEMA’s NMTF1 until the team was relocated in 2015. Dominic still serves as a Captain in the Albuquerque Fire/Rescue Department.

Dominic became involved with Roco Rescue in 2005 after completing Roco’s FastTrack 120 course. He primarily worked CSRT standby rescue for Roco and in 2013 was named CSRT Crew Chief. Also, in 2013, Dominic completed Roco’s Instructor Development Course and was selected as a Roco Rescue Instructor. Up until 2022, Dominic worked both CSRT and taught classes for Roco. In 2022, he was asked to take on the New Mexico CSRT Regional Manager role. You’ll still find him teaching a class or working a job as duty calls.

There are many rewarding aspects of working for Roco, according to Dominic. When working a CSRT job and the client expresses that they are glad we are there, and they wouldn’t want to do that job without us – that means a lot. As an instructor, Dominic enjoys watching students grow from barely tying knots on Monday to completing a difficult confined space rescue while wearing SCBA on Friday.

Lastly, Dominic adds that he enjoys the people. He states, “I have had the pleasure of meeting so many good people that I otherwise wouldn’t have if I didn’t work for Roco. This includes both co-workers and clients.”

In his home life, Dominic enjoys riding dirt bikes, flying airplanes, and running away to a cabin in the mountains with his family. He and his wife Valerie have been married for 28 years (since high school!) and are the proud parents of three grown children and two grandchildren. He is also continuing his education. Dominic holds an associate degree in Fire Science and is currently working on a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management.

Dominic states that for him, “Roco’s mission is to provide our clients with the services and training that will ensure the safety of their employees while they perform their job duties.” Roco is very fortunate to have such a talented and dedicated individual in its ranks.

Hunter is our newest Safety Specialist for Roco’s Safety Services. He came on board in 2021 as a crew member for CSRT, working his way up to Crew Chief. His passion for safety evolved into a natural transition to the safety services department of Roco. He is a National Registered Paramedic, a recent graduate of Columbia Southern University – with an associate in occupational safety and health (ASP), and a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

Before joining Roco, Hunter was a critical care paramedic for Acadian Ambulance for 13 years. This includes multiple hurricane responses, mass casualty incidents, and neighborhood outreach programs such as Start-A-Heart CenLa – where free CPR training was offered to the public. He was also a four-year member of the Safety & Health Team for the CenLA district of Acadian Ambulance. Hunter eventually moved to the Safety Management Systems division of Acadian Companies and provided contract work for British Petroleum.

For Hunter, building trust and relationships with all workers on-site is the most rewarding part of working for Roco. He said, “Roco gives its people the knowledge to achieve, and its clients the tools to succeed.” He is starting his bachelor’s program this year so he can take his safety credentials to the next level and continue to help more companies ensure their workers get home safely.

Hunter resides in Pineville, Louisiana, where he was born and raised. When he is not on a jobsite, he can be found working on cars, cooking or doing something outdoors with his family. His daughter currently attends Northwestern State University, and his son loves computers, being outdoors and cooking. We understand there are some pretty serious cook-offs in the family!

Michael Lemoine’s role spans a wide variety of tasks covering a broad cross-section of Roco Rescue’s business as Operations Manager. He works with all department managers and office staff to assist where he can and ensure that they have what they need to do their jobs most effectively. He is proud of Roco’s reputation for providing the absolute best customer service and wants to see that it continues. Michael is also responsible for business development for Roco – coordinating efforts across the organization to provide an extra level of customer care while discovering new clients along the way.

Before joining Roco Rescue, Michael spent the past 10 years working in finance – holding multiple roles from a financial advisor, manager, and loan officer. He served his financial customers as a consultant, account manager, financial analyst, and occasional therapist. He has a B.S. in Finance and an MBA. Additionally, he has served in the U.S. Air Force and Louisiana Air National Guard for the last 14 years—the last 10 as an officer in various leadership positions. He currently serves as Medical Readiness Officer for the 159^th Medical Group in a management capacity (Major).

To his credit, Michael has spent the last 6 months getting to know Roco from the ground up. After attending a Roco Rescue FastTrack^TM course, he worked as a CSRT Crew Member in our standby rescue division. As such, he has spent much of his time working on a crew in one of our local industrial facilities.

When asked what Roco’s mission means to him, Michael said, “No matter what Roco department you look at, when you get down to the root of what we are doing and why it is to get people home safely to their families every day. And this is really true whether you are talking about training, safety services, CSRT, and even equipment sales – we are there to get people home safely.” Michael also said that his favorite part of working at Roco is seeing the pride Roco employees take in that mission.

When not working, Michael loves spending time with his wife and their three children while living out in the countryside of Ville Platte, Louisiana. He enjoys playing golf, cooking, the occasional fishing trip, and flying. Flying is his passion, and he has his private pilot’s license; however, he rarely has the time to fly these days. With his Roco job and three young children under the age of 10, we can certainly understand!

As a full-time firefighter with the Baton Rouge Fire Department, Austin is accustomed to “unpredictable days at the office”; however, he also gets this sense of adventure when working CSRT Boat Operations for Roco Rescue. Since most of Roco’s work is on the Mississippi River, the fourth largest river in the world, it can be very unpredictable. According to Austin, “Each day there is always a change or new challenge, it never gets old!”

Austin began his career with Roco in October of 2013 as a CSRT standby crew member. The following year he was promoted to CSRT Crew Chief. In addition to his Roco Rescue training, Austin also completed his COSS (Certified Occupational Safety Specialist) certification through LSU. This allowed him to perform duties as a field safety tech for Roco. Then, in 2019, he was offered a position as a boat operator for our Marine Rescue Division.

Today, Austin continues to serve Roco in all three capacities (CSRT Chief, Safety Tech, and Marine Rescue) with a focus on the Marine Division of CSRT. His other certifications include Firefighter 1; Firefighter 2; HAZMAT; Fire Equipment Operations; EMT (NREMT) and COSS.

According to Austin, “Roco provides its clients with peace of mind when on their site or in their facilities. While confined space and high-angle work can be a daunting task for our clients, we readily offer our support. We add an additional layer of safety by educating those around us on how to be properly prepared in case of an emergency and to aid in the prevention of such events from ever occurring.” He routinely hears, “Man, we sure are happy to see y’all here!”

In fact, he says this is what he enjoys most about working for Roco – the support and education we provide to our clients while working on site. He adds, “We provide a calming effect. You can tell when they realize we have their back if something goes wrong.”

Austin and his wife, Kristen, live in Albany, Louisiana. And, some very exciting news…they are expecting their first child in December – a sweet baby boy. Austin will soon have someone to accompany him when he’s enjoying the outdoors, whether it’s fishing, hunting or just enjoying friends and family. He spends his Sunday mornings at church and looks forward to spending time with his church family as well.

Tactical Chief Instructor Danny McNeely has truly lived a life of adventure. From his six years as a USAF Pararescueman to his time as paramedic/extrication specialist for the Red Bull Air Race Circuit, he has yet to slow down. Danny is an avid climber, an AMGA[1] guide and an alpinist, who is always chasing the next adventure. Of course, his current career with Roco’s Tactical Program is no walk in the park either, which is just the way he likes it.

In 2014, Danny joined Roco’s Tactical Division, which eventually evolved into the role of a chief instructor. While he teaches all modules of Roco’s tactical training, he is currently responsible for heading up new curriculum and training plans for rope access programs for various Roco clientele including the DoD and DoJ.

As an operator, Danny has extensive experience working with special operations teams in multiple combat zones including Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and the Horn of Africa (Djibouti). As mentioned, he also served as paramedic/extrication specialist for the 2015/16 Red Bull Air Race Circuit, training and integrating with rescue assets from around the world. His innovative mindset and a drive for efficiency bring an array of skills and knowledge to the rescue community.

According to Danny, the most rewarding part of his Roco job is knowing that the training we provide to the various teams can and will positively impact a negative situation. Which goes back to Roco’s mission of training people to utilize minimalist gear in any environment to accomplish movement, rescue, and recovery while doing it all safe, fast, and efficient.

Originally from Albuquerque, NM, Danny currently lives in Denver, CO. He said, “Roco has allowed me to travel all around the world which has given me a great perspective on how lucky I am to be in the position that I am.” Outside work, his favorite things are climbing, mountain biking, riding dirt bikes, and playing the bass guitar.

[1] American Mountain Guides Association is the United States’ sole representative to the 21-member International Federation of Mountain Guides Association, the international governing body responsible for guiding standards and education around the world.

Kanen joined Roco in 2014 as a part-time crew member in the CSRT division, while working as a full-time firefighter. He began working as a firefighter after graduating high school and has been a full-time firefighter for 8 years now. He currently works for the Baton Rouge Fire Department as a firefighter on engine 1. He is a member of Louisiana USAR Task Force 2. Kanen started with Roco as a CSRT crew member and then began working as a crew chief. After taking the instructor development course, he works in both divisions as CSRT Crew Chief and Instructor for Roco Classes.

He holds multiple firefighter certifications as well as rescue certifications including rope, trench, and structural collapse. Kanen is currently taking classes online to obtain his bachelor’s in Fire Administration.

Kanen said, “My favorite part of the job is the people I get to interact with. Not only the students and clients but also the instructors and rescue technicians I meet every time I put on a Roco uniform. Roco has given me skills that I am able to implement in rescues while working at the fire department.”

Kanen believes that Roco’s mission is to be the gold standard in rescue. To provide the best standby and training services across many disciplines to those who need them including industry, emergency services, and the military. In short, the mission is to save lives and prevent injury.

He is originally from Tacoma, Washington where his father was stationed with the army during the 1990s. Kanen currently lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and when he isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his girlfriend Lauren and dog Major, camping and hiking across the country. He also plays beach volleyball throughout the year.

Coming on board with Roco in August of 2021 as a CSRT crew member, Chris Warrick was named our Medical Program Manager in July 2022. In this new position, Chris will oversee our medical protocols, procedures, equipment, and education alongside our medical director. He worked in CSRT part-time while teaching full-time at The National EMS Academy (Acadian Ambulance), this evolved into teaching medical courses and working in rescue full-time at Roco.

Chris worked the street as a paramedic for 3 years, then 3 years as a full-time paramedic instructor. He was the section leader for “Cardiology” as well as “Anatomy and Physiology,” and “EMS Operations” at various times. Chris holds an AAS in Paramedicine from South Louisiana Community College and is also certified to teach BLS and ACLS through the American Heart Association. He is also a licensed EMS educator in Louisiana. Chris has responded with the Acadian Strike teams to hurricanes: Harvey, Michael, Laura, Delta, and Ida.

When asked about Roco’s Mission, Chris said, “Roco Rescue is a company of leaders. You’ve got folks from every first responder background and every military branch joining forces with the same goal in mind. Humble, cohesive, and driven, the people here have the empathy and maturity to lead. It goes back to Roco’s Mission…To take care of the people who take care of people.”

Chris is originally from Pittsburg, Texas, home of Pittsburg Hot Links and Pilgrims Chicken, where his aunt owns the restaurant, and his dad owns the packing plant. He is currently living in Alexandria, Louisiana and outside of work, he enjoys fishing, hunting, playing basketball, and spending time with family. His wife of 12 years is a nurse, and they have a 1-year-old son and another baby on the way.

Dana joined Roco in April of 2022 as Human Resources Generalist. She helps onboard new employees and ensure that they are set up in all systems that Roco uses, as well as answers any new hire questions they may have.

Prior to working at Roco, Dana worked in human resources for a rehab company that staffed physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists for nursing homes and rehab centers. While there, she was responsible for benefits, open enrollment, and helping employees with the onboarding process. Before that, she worked for a law firm in downtown Baton Rouge as a department manager for 9 years before transitioning to human resources. She is a graduate of LSU with a degree in merchandising.

Dana said the most rewarding part of her job here at Roco is helping new employees complete their onboarding and watching those new hires grow and succeed within the company. It is our job to provide the best customer service not only to our clients but also to everyone within the company.

Dana lives in Baton Rouge, where she is originally from. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family. Dana and her husband are the proud parents of a son and daughter who are both in college at FranU in Baton Rouge. They enjoy vacationing at the beach, visiting Disney World, and tailgating for the LSU home football games.

Kim joined Roco in November of 2021 where she assists with CSRT billing and job cost. She said, “My favorite part of my job is the people that I work with. Roco values its employees and that makes the atmosphere a very pleasant work environment. It is very rare for a company to take pride in their employees and show appreciation and Roco does this as often as possible. I am very happy to be a part of the team.”

Before coming on board with Roco, Kim was the office manager and accountant for a local general contractor. She has her bachelor’s degree in Business Accounting. Kim is excited to bring her knowledge and experience to Roco to help assist in the company’s continuing success.

When asked about Roco’s mission She said, “The company’s mission is to provide training and personnel, if needed, to ensure the employees of other entities are safe and secure. Safety is the number 1 mission and everyone that is employed with Roco has ample training to be sure they are providing quality services. In addition, Roco Rescue is an OSHA VPP Star member and takes great pride in this accomplishment. Roco ensures its employees are aware of the 4 Key Elements of VPP which include, Management Leadership & Employee involvement, Worksite Analysis, Hazard Prevention & Control, and lastly Safety and Health Training.”

Outside of work, Kim loves saltwater fishing. She said “I can be on a boat in the saltwater and not get a bite and I am still in heaven. Luckily my children enjoy it as much as I do!” Kim lives in Denham Springs, LA, just outside of Baton Rouge. She is the sole parent to her 3 children (Two are a set of twins!). Kim’s twins are active in sports and are very competitive, so she spends her spare time cheering them on at their sporting events.

If there’s one thing you can say about David Landrum…he’s a very versatile employee. In addition to being Roco’s Gulf Coast Regional CSRT Coordinator, he is also a Roco Rescue Instructor and a COSS Safety Specialist. What’s more, he just retired as a Fire Caption after 25 years of service in the Jackson (MS) Fire Department.

As Roco’s Regional CSRT Coordinator, David is responsible for the Mississippi Regional Area for CSRT Standby Rescue work. His focus is on customer relationships, business development, job coordination, equipment management and job scheduling. He also works on-site rescue standby jobs and safety specialist assignments.

When asked about Roco’s mission, David replied, “To provide our customers with professional rescue, safety services and training using the most qualified rescue personnel in the industry.” And, David works hard to make sure this is a reality for our industrial and municipal customers.

David started his Roco career in 2016 as a CSRT Rescue Standby Crew Member. Through this vast on-the-job experience, he was promoted to CSRT Crew Chief. As mentioned, he is also a Roco Rescue Instructor for confined space and high angle rescue. David states that one of the most fulfilling parts of his Roco job is, “As a Roco instructor, it is most rewarding for me when I personally see the growth and knowledge that students take away from their training.”

As a recently retired Captain with the Jackson Fire Department, David has experience in firefighting operations in addition to various disciplines of technical rescue including rope, confined space, trench rescue, structural collapse, swift water and wilderness rescue. He served on the State USAR team as a Mississippi Task Force Member. David currently serves his local community as a volunteer member of the Raymond Fire Department. He also had the honor of serving at the JFD alongside his brother, Scott, who is also a Roco CSRT Crew Chief.

Away from work, David enjoys family time with his wife, Daphne, of 16 years and their three daughters, Addison (16), Presley (13) and Shelby Grace (6). They enjoy vacationing in the mountains and at the beach – most anything that involves the great outdoors! His hobbies include fishing, working on hobby vehicles, and riding four-wheelers. He and his family currently reside in Clinton, MS.

When asked about some of his more interesting adventures in working with Roco – he mentioned attending his first Roco Rescue Challenge. He said when evaluators/instructors hung a vehicle from the side of the Roco rescue prop – at that moment, he knew that this was going to be a great place for him!

Meet our newest Roco team member – Zac Cain. While Zac has trained and worked with Roco since 2008, he literally just started his full-time career with Roco Rescue in September 2021. Recently retired from the U.S. Navy, Zac brings more than 28 years of truly unique military experience to Roco’s Tactical Program. This includes many years spent at Naval Special Warfare Development Group in Virginia Beach, VA, where he served as EOD Squadron Advanced Training Master Chief.

As Special Projects Manager and Chief Instructor for Roco’s Tactical Division, Zac will be instructing various military and law enforcement units in rope access and combat egress, container access, confined space, structural collapse, and high-angle search and recovery techniques for tactical environments be it maritime, urban, or mountain. During his past experience with Roco, he has helped shape container access and heavy lift techniques for military and law enforcement EOD teams.

Even though he’s new to our team but a long-time customer, we asked Zac about his thoughts on Roco’s mission. He replied, “Roco’s mission is in its name, Rescue – preparing and training people for rescue operations, and conducting search and rescue.” When asked about the most rewarding part of his new job with Roco, he stated, “While I’ve yet to discover that, I suspect it will be working with rescuers from across the nation, including America’s elite military and law enforcement, giving them tools and techniques to save lives.”

As a combat veteran, Zac made multiple deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, and other conflict zones. He leveraged his combat experience to prepare EOD, SEAL, and SWCC Operators to effectively operate in diverse environments laden with IEDs, explosive ordnance, and CBRNE hazards. Zac has trained personnel in EOD tactics from every branch of the U.S. military, nine foreign partner military units, and a multitude of law enforcement units. During this time, Zac also completed a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Military Leadership.

In proud service to his country, Zac received numerous awards for combat service in both Afghanistan and Iraq to include: Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal with V (2), Distinguished Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal with V, and Combat Action Ribbon (2).

After travelling and residing in different places around the world, Zac has recently returned to the Pacific Northwest. He lives in Bellingham, WA, only 78 miles from where he grew up. He is an avid skier and is an adjunct mountain warfare instructor for Snowbird Ski Resort’s Military Program. Zac and his family enjoy time in the mountains skiing, hiking, and climbing. He and his wife, Krista, are the proud parents of two teenage boys and two German Shepherds. Zac also owns a vintage Ford Bronco that he is currently restoring.

We welcome Zac to Roco and thank him for his contributions to the safety of our nation and our military personnel.