Episodes

  • Ep 31. Rock Exotica

    Ep 31. Rock Exotica
    Feb 6 2025
    On this episode of the CMC Podcast, CMC instructor Doug McElmury talks to Rock Thompson from Rock Exotica. Rock Thompson is one of the most innovative and prolific people in any discipline that involves life safety rope equipment. In this podcast, Rock tells the story of the humble beginnings of Rock Exotica and how it has grown into a brand known around the globe. He shares fascinating accounts of how many popular products were developed and how they went on to change the rescue, access and arbor disciplines. Rock has had the honor of working with many other inventors in the rope equipment world and brought their ideas to realization. We are confident you will enjoy hearing his story.
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
  • Influential Books

    Influential Books
    May 14 2024
    In this CMC Podcast our school instructors Craig McClure, John McKently, LeRoy Harbach, and Jason Ilowite hold a roundtable a discussion about the books, aside from technical manuals, that have been influential to them in their lives and careers. Books mentioned: "The Mission, The Men, and Me" By Pete Blaber "Up the Organization" by Robert Townsend "Young Men and Fire" by Norman MacLean "Green Eggs and Ham, Oh the Places you'll Go" by Dr Suess "Deadliest Seas" by Caley Thompson "Damn Lucky" by Kevin Lawer "We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance" by David Howarth "Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman "Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun" by Wes Roberts "Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts" by Annie Duke "The Ashley Book of Knots" by Clifford W. Ashley
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
  • G Vs. T

    G Vs. T
    Mar 5 2024
    In this CMC Podcast CMC Instructors Wayne Chapman, John McKently, Doug McElmury, and Kelly Byrne hold a roundtable discussion about NFPA General Use vs Technical Use ratings. They explore how the ratings are defined, if there is a requirement to use one over the other, and possible use cases. Overheard this episode: “As long as you are buying good stuff from reputable places you are not in danger of breaking things... don't put your Wish .com carabiners on your high change of direction” at 07:41 “Are there NFPA police?” at 17:28 "Hipsters of rope" - at 32:34
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Fred Salazar | CMC Instructor Podcast

    Fred Salazar | CMC Instructor Podcast
    Feb 1 2023
    This week we are joined by Fred Salazar. Fred started his journey into the fire services at a young age when he attended a fire academy through a junior college, followed by paramedic school. Fred's first position out of school was with a fire team working for a petrochemical plant in Southern California where he served as a full time industrial Fire Fighter for 7 years. After his service in the industrial world, Fred moved to Colorado where he has worked for a metropolitan fire department for 26 years. Currently, Fred is a fire lieutenant in his department's Heavy Rescue program and has been an instructor with CMC since 1994. Overheard from this episode: “For me, one of the most enjoyable moments is when you see the student actually get it.” “Everything will come full circle at some point.”
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • LeRoy Harbach | CMC Instructor Series

    LeRoy Harbach | CMC Instructor Series
    Dec 13 2022
    35 mins
  • Craig McClure | CMC Instructor Series

    Craig McClure | CMC Instructor Series
    Nov 30 2022
    This week we are joined by CMC School Instructor Craig McClure. Craig got his start in rope rescue volunteering for a Search and Rescue team in Bend, OR. Eventually after many years of volunteering and teaching in the rope rescue field Craig started his own training company called The Crackerjack Group, which he ran for nearly 10 years. After selling the Crackerjack Group he returned to his passion of rope training world joining CMC as an instructor in April 2022. Overheard this episode: 4:46 - “Dude, rope is where it’s at.” 16:55 - “I really enjoy what we do in this, which is help people overcome those fears and kind of open up new things in their lives.” 24:52 - “That caving influence in ITRS (International Technical Rescue Symposium) is vital to the growth and vital to the history.” 30:54 - “If you’re going to pick up a new technique, you need to consider what you’re going to stop learning if you’re going to learn a new one.” 35:57 - “Their risk profile is different than yours, so maybe don’t adopt their practices.”
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
  • Matthew Scharper | CMC Instructor Series

    Matthew Scharper | CMC Instructor Series
    Oct 27 2022
    22 mins
  • Kelly Byrne | CMC Instructor Series

    Kelly Byrne | CMC Instructor Series
    Oct 12 2022
    More podcast episodes here: https://www.cmcpro.com/podcast/ Join us weekly to get to know our CMC instructors. This week we are joined by Kelly Byrne. Kelly Started his fire service career as a Highschool cadet volunteer in 1992. After Highschool Kelly served in the United States Army as an Airborne Infantryman with the 82nd Airborne. Upon completion of his service in 1999 Kelly moved back into the Fire Services where he found himself working for the Washington DC Fire Department where he currently serves. Kelly has been an instructor with CMC since 2013. Overheard this episode: “I anchored to the foot of Freedom. There is no more bombproof anchor than that.” “I wanted to be a guitarist in a rock n roll band and have big, long hair, dreams of that!” "Gravity is the same for everybody and the techniques aren’t too terribly different.”
    Show More Show Less
    23 mins