The Real ResQ Podcast

In this episode of The Real ResQ Podcast, host Jason Quinn sits down with retired U.S. Coast Guard aviator Richard “Dick” Wright for an incredible look at a career spanning military aviation, combat, search and rescue, and the development of the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program.
Wright’s journey took him through the Navy, Marine Corps, Army flight school, combat operations in Vietnam, the U.S. Coast Guard, and an exchange tour flying search and rescue with the Royal Air Force in Scotland.
One of the most powerful stories comes from Vietnam, where Wright’s Huey was hit by enemy fire, lost its engine, and crashed into a river. Trapped underwater for nearly three minutes, he ultimately escaped—but the loss of a fellow serviceman during that mission would stay with him for the rest of his life. 
After transitioning to the Coast Guard, Wright flew demanding SAR missions from New Orleans to Alaska, supported the 1980 Cuban refugee boatlift, and gained experience in some of the most challenging rescue environments imaginable. 
Later, at Coast Guard Headquarters, Wright played an important role in expanding the Rescue Swimmer Program beyond open-ocean rescue, helping develop capabilities for cliff, cave, ice, and direct-deployment operations, while also contributing to concepts that helped shape advanced rescue swimmer training. 
Throughout the conversation, Wright shares the rescues, losses, lessons, and people that shaped his career and helped influence the future of Coast Guard aviation search and rescue.
It’s a remarkable conversation with a man who simply calls himself “a pilot,” but whose impact reached far beyond the cockpit.
Enjoy!
Beyond the Podcast: Additional Chapters from Dick Wright’s Career
Following our conversation, Dick Wright shared several additional pieces of his remarkable military and Coast Guard career that we did not have an opportunity to explore during the podcast.
From the Navy to the Marine Corps
During the episode, we mentioned that Dick served in the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard—but we did not explain the circumstances that led him from one service to the next.
After being discharged from the United States Naval Academy, Dick was placed in the Naval Reserve because he still owed the Navy a service commitment. In 1968, as the Vietnam War continued, he requested to be recalled to active duty and assigned to the Navy’s Swift Boats operating in Vietnam.
The Navy denied his request.
Still determined to serve on active duty, Dick began exploring opportunities with the United States Marine Corps. That decision marked the beginning of the next chapter of his military career and ultimately became part of the extraordinary journey that would take him through three different branches of the United States Armed Forces.
Leading a Caribbean Drug-Interdiction Operation
Another important chapter occurred in 1989 while Dick was stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City.
His commanding officer, Commander Mike McCormack, nominated him for a special drug-interdiction assignment. Rear Admiral Pennington, Commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District, personally selected Dick to serve as the officer in charge of an operation based in Curaçao in the Caribbean.
Dick led the operation from a Dutch naval air station, directing a pair of E-2C fixed-wing aircraft supporting counter-narcotics missions in the region.
When he arrived, relations between the Coast Guard detachment and the Dutch military command were strained. Dick’s predecessor had reportedly treated the air station as though the Coast Guard controlled it, nearly causing Dutch officials to withdraw permission for continued Coast Guard operations.
Dick was uniquely equipped to repair that relationship. He had previously lived in Holland, spoke Dutch, and understood Dutch culture. His family also had a meaningful connection to the country: Dick’s father had been knighted by Queen Juliana as a Knight Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau.
Through diplomacy, respect, and his ability to communicate directly with the Dutch command, Dick rebuilt the relationship between the two organizations. The improvement was so significant that Dutch military leaders formally commended his team to the Coast Guard command in Miami responsible for overseeing the operation.
Under Dick’s leadership, the deployment became the most successful operation of its kind in several years.
Although this part of his career was not directly connected to search and rescue, it reveals another side of Dick’s service: his ability to lead complex operations, build international partnerships, and step into a difficult situation where success depended as much on trust and diplomacy as it did on operational expertise.
A Memorable Medevac from the SS Rotterdam
During the interview, Dick also recalled one particularly memorable—and surprisingly enjoyable—search-and-rescue mission: the medevac of an 84-year-old woman who had broken her leg aboard the SS Rotterdam in Glacier Bay, Alaska.
Shortly after our conversation, Dick’s wife asked him to retrieve an old scrapbook from their years in Sitka. Inside, she discovered a newspaper article documenting that very rescue. After all those years, the story Dick remembered so clearly was still preserved among the family’s photographs and newspaper clippings.
Dick can be seen in the accompanying photograph, standing in the rear on the right—back when, as he jokingly noted, he still had “a head full of brown hair.”
Of all the missions Dick flew throughout his career, it may seem surprising that this particular case remained so vivid. Not every memorable rescue is remembered because it was the most dangerous or dramatic. Sometimes it is the people, the circumstances, the teamwork, or simply the feeling of a successful day that stays with a rescuer for the rest of his life.
These additional stories help complete the portrait of Dick Wright’s career: a career shaped by determination, military service, aviation, international leadership, diplomacy, and a lifetime of answering the call when others needed help.
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In this episode of The Real ResQ Podcast, Jason Quinn sits down with Brad Newbury and his daughter, Kiera Newbury, to talk about rescue, emergency medicine, CPR, and the lasting impact of saving a life.
Brad brings more than four decades of experience in fire and EMS, while Kiera grew up around emergency medicine, became CPR certified at eight years old, later earned her EMT certification, and worked in a Level I trauma center in Boston. Together, they co-authored The Saved Effect, a book focused on what happens after the rescue is over. 
Our conversation explores powerful stories of cardiac arrest and drowning survivors who went on to live for years and even decades after being saved. One survivor lived another 27 years, long enough to walk both daughters down the aisle, help raise grandchildren, and meet great-grandchildren. 
Brad and Kiera also discuss the importance of bystander CPR, the emotional side of rescue work, and why first responders rarely get to see the full impact of the lives they help save. The episode is a reminder that the rescue may end when the patient is handed off, but the story often continues for years afterward. 
For rescuers, healthcare professionals, and everyday people alike, the message is simple: “learn CPR, be prepared, and be willing to step forward when someone needs you.”
Enjoy.
Get the book, The Saved Effect https://thesavedeffect.com/
Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ: 
READYBAR https://getreadybar.com/
Switlik https://switlik.com/
We also have some amazing companies supporting The Real ResQ. These brands offer you exclusive discounts when you use our code, and when you do, you’re helping to support the show. To check out the full list of these supportive brands and the deals they offer, head over to TheRealResQ.com.
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In this special finale of The Real ResQ Podcast's six-part series, "What It Takes to Become a Hoist Operator," host Jason Quinn sits down with three men who helped shape his own career in helicopter rescue: Dan Cancetty, Pat Barber, and Joe Martin. Together, they bring decades of experience spanning military, civilian, offshore, law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue, and international helicopter operations.
Unlike the previous episodes that focused on specific agencies and organizations, this conversation takes a broader look at the profession itself. Drawing from careers that have taken them around the world, the group discusses the many different paths that can lead to the cabin door—from the U.S. Coast Guard and military aviation to fire departments, EMS, law enforcement aviation units, utility helicopter operations, and civilian rescue programs.
The guests share their own stories of how they became hoist operators, including flood rescues in Honduras, Coast Guard search and rescue missions in Alaska, offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico, international training programs, and countless real-world rescues performed under some of the most demanding conditions imaginable. Along the way, they reflect on the mentors who shaped them, the lessons learned from mistakes, and the importance of remaining a student no matter how much experience you accumulate.
The conversation dives deep into what aspiring hoist operators can do to prepare themselves for the profession. Topics include medical training, rope rescue, firefighting, law enforcement aviation, cross-training opportunities, aircraft knowledge, emergency procedures, crew resource management, and the mindset required to safely operate in high-risk environments. The group emphasizes that while there is no single roadmap to becoming a hoist operator, the common traits among successful operators remain the same: humility, professionalism, curiosity, discipline, and a commitment to continuous learning.
Listeners will also hear stories from years spent teaching hoist operations around the world, working with agencies ranging from sheriff's departments and DEA aviation units to military organizations and international rescue programs. The discussion highlights how different organizations may approach the job differently, but the core principles of safety, communication, teamwork, and service remain universal.
Whether you're already flying, working in public safety, considering a career in rescue aviation, or simply fascinated by the world of helicopter rescue, this episode offers invaluable insight from four professionals who have collectively spent decades learning, teaching, and refining the craft.
More than anything, this episode serves as a reminder that becoming a hoist operator isn't about mastering a checklist—it's about committing yourself to a lifetime of learning, responsibility, and service to others.
Enjoy!
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READYBAR https://getreadybar.com/
We also have some amazing companies supporting The Real ResQ. These brands offer you exclusive discounts when you use our code, and when you do, you’re helping to support the show. To check out the full list of these supportive brands and the deals they offer, head over to TheRealResQ.com.
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In this episode of The Real ResQ Podcast, host Jason Quinn continues the "What It Takes to Become a Hoist Operator" series with two guests from Australia who represent both the volunteer and professional sides of helicopter rescue operations: Kane Treloar of Life Saving Victoria and Peter McDonell of CHC Helicopters.
Together, they provide a fascinating look at the uniquely Australian pathway into rescue aviation—a journey that often begins not in a helicopter, but on the beach.
Kane shares how he started as a volunteer surf lifesaver at just 13 years old before progressing through the ranks to become a rescue swimmer and eventually a hoist operator aboard the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter. He explains how Australia's surf lifesaving organizations have built a world-class volunteer rescue system that has been protecting coastal communities for decades while also developing the next generation of rescue aviation professionals.
Peter discusses his own path from surf lifesaving to a 20-plus-year career with CHC Helicopters, one of the world's leading helicopter operators. He explains why many of Australia's most successful hoist operators and rescue crew members begin their careers as rescue swimmers, developing water confidence, decision-making skills, and real-world rescue experience long before stepping into the hoist operator role.
The conversation explores the selection process, training requirements, and mindset needed to become a hoist operator. From fitness testing and psychological evaluations to aircraft systems knowledge, confined-area operations, and overwater rescues, the guests explain why technical skill alone isn't enough. Curiosity, adaptability, professionalism, and the ability to think several steps ahead are often what separate good operators from great ones.
Kane and Peter also discuss the importance of mentorship, continuous learning, and maintaining the humility to recognize that qualification is only the beginning. As they explain, earning your certification isn't the finish line—it's simply your license to start learning.
Throughout the episode, listeners will gain insight into the strong partnership between volunteer surf lifesaving organizations and professional helicopter operators across Australia, and how that relationship continues to produce highly skilled rescue professionals who serve both their local communities and the broader rescue aviation industry.
Whether you're interested in becoming a hoist operator, pursuing a career in search and rescue, or simply curious about how rescue aviation works in Australia, this episode offers valuable lessons from two professionals who have dedicated their lives to helping others.
Enjoy!
Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ: 
READYBAR https://getreadybar.com/
We also have some amazing companies supporting The Real ResQ. These brands offer you exclusive discounts when you use our code, and when you do, you’re helping to support the show. To check out the full list of these supportive brands and the deals they offer, head over to TheRealResQ.com.
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In this episode of The Real ResQ Podcast, host Jason Quinn continues the "What It Takes to Become a Hoist Operator" series with two highly experienced rescue professionals from Germany: Simon Kremser and Sebastian Schneider.
Although they arrived at the same destination, their journeys could not have been more different.
Kremser began his career as an aircraft mechanic before finding his way into mountain rescue, offshore hoisting operations, and international helicopter rescue training. Schneider's path started in emergency medicine and military service, eventually leading him into rescue aviation where he now serves as a Chief Hoist Instructor and Training Manager. Together, they provide a unique look into how Germany develops and trains helicopter hoist operators.
Throughout the conversation, Kremser and Schneider explain that becoming a hoist operator is about far more than learning how to operate a hoist. It requires a deep understanding of aircraft systems, crew coordination, emergency procedures, human factors, risk management, and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure. They discuss the demanding training pipeline, the importance of mentorship, and why technical proficiency must be paired with humility and professionalism.
The discussion explores the differences between civilian and military rescue operations, mountain rescue environments, offshore missions, and the unique challenges faced by rescue crews operating throughout Europe. Both guests share stories from their careers, lessons learned through years of experience, and insights into the training philosophies that help prepare the next generation of hoist operators.
One of the recurring themes throughout the episode is that there is no single roadmap to becoming a hoist operator. Some begin as mechanics. Others as medics, rescue specialists, or military aircrew. While the paths may be different, the common traits among successful operators remain remarkably consistent: dedication, discipline, curiosity, teamwork, and a commitment to continuous learning.
Kremser and Schneider also discuss the importance of building a strong foundation before ever touching a hoist control. From mastering communication and aircraft knowledge to understanding rescue systems and crew resource management, they explain why earning the qualification is only the beginning of the learning process.
Whether you're an aspiring hoist operator, an aviation professional, or simply fascinated by the world of helicopter rescue, this episode offers valuable insight into one of the most demanding and rewarding roles in aviation.
This is an inside look at Germany's rescue aviation community, the people who make it work, and the many paths that can ultimately lead to the cabin door.
Enjoy!
Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ: 
READYBAR https://getreadybar.com/
We also have some amazing companies supporting The Real ResQ. These brands offer you exclusive discounts when you use our code, and when you do, you’re helping to support the show. To check out the full list of these supportive brands and the deals they offer, head over to TheRealResQ.com.
Follow The Real ResQ for all updates on Facebook, Instagram or visit TheRealResQ.com