Marcel Rodriguez

Marcel is a volunteer Search & Rescue Team Member and Rope Team Leader with Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue in Portland, Oregon. He currently holds qualifications as an EMT/WEMT, Advanced Swiftwater Rescue Technician and Technical Rope Rescue-Technician Level Instructor for Rescue3. He is passionate about teaching and sharing the things that work in a way that resonates with people and allows them to be better, safer rescuers because of it. His goal is to develop his team to be a group of rescuers that are confident to approach any technical rescue situation within our scope and to make good decisions that support them all getting home at the end of the mission.

At Rigging Lab Academy, Marcel wants to bring the voice of the volunteer rescuer to the table. The majority of folks out rescuing in the backcountry are not paid responders with agency budgets. Decisions on training, equipment, and techniques all have a cost – one which is generally borne by the individual. Marcel hopes to put out information that helps those rescuers make solid informed decisions, as well as providing a forum for sharing the experiences (positive and negative) of those that have been down the road. When not engaged in teaching and SAR activities, Marcel works in mergers & acquisitions for an international software company.