To make every student the best rescue practitioner he or she can be.

The Mission

Through conceptual instruction that is both accessible and practical, to provide the highest level of training that will enable our students to effect successful rescues in every incident encountered.

After all, EVERYONE’S BETTING ON YOU.

Technical Rescue Is… Well, Difficult.

We’ve been there. We get it. But let us help you change that! High Stakes Rescue is here to untangle your ropes and simplify the complex. We’ll give you and your team the tools and knowledge to be successful on every rescue mission because the stakes are always high. Our philosophy of conceptual education will equip you with the necessary training to make technical rescue accessible and practical! 

We love rescue! It’s what keeps us up at night; it’s what we dream about; it’s what we do. Plain and simple. Check boxes are great for ICS forms, but rescue is way more than just making marks on a piece of paper – see what we did there? And it can be fun too! We spend time in our courses teaching you the “why” behind the “what” so that practitioners can attack complex scenarios with ease, and incidents become second nature.

Critical Thinking is our Goal.

The goal of High Stakes Rescue is to create rescue practitioners who can think critically instead of just performing rote tasks. Rescue is a practice and an art, not just a series of checklists. There are no cookie-cutter incidents.

We provide research-based programs that are both accessible and practicable. By training at a level higher than the incident, we prepare practitioners to attack challenging incidents with ease.

See what we can do for you and your team!

  • Erik is an incredibly knowledgeable, personable, and down-to-earth technician and instructor. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside him in classes, and rescue deployments in the past, and most recently under his instruction as a student. He is dedicated to not only understanding the ‘why’ of standards and guidelines that influence our operations, but challenging them with skills and techniques rooted in real world application. He is a student of his craft and presents no bias towards ideas or brands – he simply wants to find the best solution for the challenge at hand. A natural leader, and instructor. Highly recommended.

    Christian Peta | Lionville (PA) Fire Company

  • Erik brings a contagious enthusiasm and passion to the craft of rope access and rescue. He is always looking for ways to improve his skills and add to his breadth of knowledge. Erik is precise and thorough, ensuring that all students not only learn but also understand the reasoning behind both core and advanced concepts. He does this through his real-life experience and his down-to-earth style of instruction. You cannot help but become a more well-rounded practitioner after having been through a class with Erik and High Stakes Rescue!

    Sergio Ora | Rope/High Angle Team Manager

    Chester County (PA) Rescue Task Force 1, Urban Search and Rescue

Keep pushing yourself further.

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After all, EVERYONE’S BETTING ON YOU.