Rich Atwood, Retired Captain/Paramedic
Urban Search & Rescue Division
Rich Atwood is a thirty one year veteran with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, he retired from LA County in January 2023. He held the position of captain/paramedic with Urban Search and Rescue Taskforce 103. Rich has been an active member of California Taskforce 2 (CA-TF2) and USA2 for twenty nine years. He held the position Rescue Team Manager (RTM), Operations Manager (OPS). During his tenure on the team he has held the positions of: medical specialist, rescue squad officer, heavy rigger, search team manager, technical search specialist, communications manager, rescue boat operator, rescue swimmer.
Rich was one of the main developers of the LACoFD Del Valle US&R training facility. He developed multiple US&R training programs. While being a member of the US&R cadre, Rich has been involved as a Exercise Control (EXCON) and Evaluator during more than 50 exercises held at Del Valle and throughout the state.
Rich was selected to be a member of the curriculum development cadre for California State Fire Marshal Structural Collapse Specialist 1 & 2, Confined Space Rescue Technician, Machinery Rescue Technician courses. Rich has been a California State Fire Marshal instructor for thirty four years.
Rich has deployed multiple times as a member of CATF-2/USA2 to local, state, federal, and international disasters. Rich was a member of the FEMA US&R Incident Support Team (IST) Red. He deployed on many incidents throughout the country.
Rich’s goal is to share knowledge and experiences from thirty nine years in the field. The opportunity to enable others and to enhance their knowledge, skills and abilities is truly rewarding.
Alan Baker, Engineer
Technical Rescue Instructor
Alan Baker is currently a Engineer for Newport Beach Fire Department, since 1992. Retired Engineer Alan Baker has been a Technical Rescue Instructor for the North Net Training Center since 1994. He is a California State Fire Training Instructor. He is a Senior Instructor for Rope Rescue Technician, Rescue Systems II and Trench Rescue Technician. He is a Primary Instructor for Rescue Systems I and Low Angle Rope Rescue Operations. He is part of the Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians (SPRAT) Level 1. Engineer Baker is a Member of the California State Fire Training. He is in the Trench Rescue Technician- Curriculum Development Working Group, Rescue Systems 2-Working Group and the Rescue Systems 1-Working Group.
Curtis Carter, Captain
Urban Search & Rescue Division
Curtis Carter is a 27 year veteran currently working at Soboba Fire Department. Curtis previously served with the Santa Fe Springs Fire Department for 20 years. Curtis has been a captain for 13 years and serves as a SCS1 instructor with North Net. He has been involved in the US&R field since 1996 and served as a member of RTF 2 in Santa Fe Springs. Curtis has been teaching Rescue Systems 2 for 8 years and has been involved in the development of numerous props for US&R training.
Daniel Claridge, Captain/Paramedic
Urban Search & Rescue Division
Captain Daniel Claridge is a 15 year veteran with Glendale Fire Department and previously served with Alhambra Fire Department for 7 years. He is a US&R Coordinator for Glendale Fire Department, HAZMAT Specialist, and REMs qualified. Dan is a California State Fire Instructor for Rope Awareness/Operations, Rope Rescue Technician, Confined Space Rescue Technician, Structural Collapse Specialist 1 and 2, Trench Rescue Technician, and Firefighter Survival. He is a Senior Instructor for Confined Space Rescue Technician and Trench Rescue Technician, as well as a Primary Instructor for Rope Rescue Tech for North Net.
Wade Haller, Captain
Urban Search & Rescue Division
Wade Haller is a 20-year veteran with the Long Beach Fire Department. He has 18 years of experience in Urban Search and Rescue and 15 years in teaching. Wade is an active member of the Long Beach Fire Regional US&R Task Force as well as FEMA CATF-5.
At North Net, Wade is a primary Instructor in Structural Collapse Specialist 1 and 2. He is also an instructor in Low Angle Rope Rescue (LARRO) and Trench Rescue.
Ken Harrison, Retired Fire Chief
Urban Search & Rescue Division
Ken Harrisons’ fire service spans over the past 30 years where he has held positions from firefighter/paramedic, to fire captain, to battalion chief and most recently as a fire chief in the high desert area of Southern California. A majority of his career was in Orange County (OCFA), with the last nine years as a battalion chief.
Operationally; he is a qualified Division Supervisor, Type III Safety Officer, Strike Team Leader, Hazardous Materials Incident Commander and Type IV Incident Commander. At the time of his retirement from OCFA he was rostered as a Type III Incident Commander (OCFA Team 2). He has been an instructor with California State Fire Training for nearly twenty years, instructing on topics ranging from technical rope rescue, to fire officer development and emergency incident management. In addition to those; he is an instructor in the basic fire academy at Santa Ana College teaching Rescue Systems 1, Low Angle Rope Rescue Operational and Confined Space.
He holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Columbia Southern University, a bachelor’s degree from Calif. State University Long Beach, is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program, and is a certified Chief Officer from both the State of California (CFSTES) and the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE).
Stan Klopfenstein, Retired Division Chief
Technical Rescue Instructor
Stan Klopfenstein is a Retired DIvision Chief of the Santa Fe Springs Fire Department. He began his Fire Service career with the Santa Fe Springs Fire Department in 1977. He became a Technical Rescue Instructor with North Net Training Center in 1996. He is a California State Fire Training Instructor. He is a Senior Instructor for Rescue Systems II, Confined Space Rescue Technician and Trench Rescue Technician. He is a Primary Instructor in Rescue Systems 1 and Low Angle Rope Rescue Operations. He is a member of California State Fire Training. He is in the Trench Rescue Technician-Curriculum Development Working Group (Chair of Committee), Rescue Systems 2-Working Group and Rescue Systems 1-Working Group.
Chris Linton, Firefighter
Urban Search & Rescue Division
Chris Linton is a 10-year veteran in the fire service, for the last 8 years Chris has served with Orange County Fire Authority. He has worked on a Technical Rescue Truck for 8 years, and is also a Rescue Specialist with CA-TF5 for the past 6 years. Chris started teaching as CSFM instructor 7 years ago; he is an instructor in Low Angle Rope Rescue, Rope Rescue Technician, Structural Collapse Specialist 1 and 2. He is also a member of the FEMA Rescue Subgroup.
Bob Masonis, Retired Captain
Urban Search & Rescue Division
Retired Captain Robert Masonis is a veteran firefighter of 30 years working for the City of Newport Beach. He is a Senior Instructor for the State Fire Marshall’s Office, and California Emergency Management Agency. He also teaches for FEMA, in the field of Urban Search and Rescue. Retired Captain Masonis is a past member of US&R FEMA Task Force 6, and the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Incident Support Team. He has been a part of rewriting Rescue Systems I, Rescue Systems II and Trench Rescue manuals for the State. Retired Captain Masonis, a Senior Instructor for Rescue Systems, Tench, CSRO, LARRO, and RRO 2022.
Joe Mathias, Captain
Urban Search & Rescue Division
Captain Joe Mathias is a 15 year veteran in the Orange City Fire Department. He has been an active member of the Orange City Fire Department’s CAL OES Type I US&R Company for 13 years. Captain Mathias is also a Rescue Specialist on FEMA US&R Orange County Task Force 5. He is a Senior Instructor for Rope Rescue Awareness Operations.
Chris Stevens, Captain/Paramedic
Urban Search & Rescue Division
Captain Stevens has been in the fire service for a total of 28 years; the last 21 years have been with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). Chris was promoted to Fire Captain in March of 2005 and is currently assigned to OCFA’s Heavy Rescue unit at Station 6 in the City of Irvine where he has served for 10 years; he also serves as both the Technical Rescue Program Coordinator and as a Rescue Team Manager on FEMA US&R California Task Force 5 (CA-TF5) for the OCFA.
Chris has been a member of CA-TF5 and CA-RTF 10 since 2006, serving as a Rescue Squad Officer, Rescue Team Manager, and Rescue Section Coordinator. He has deployed with the task force and CA RTF-10 six times during his tenure, including Hurricanes Rita, Gustav & Ike, the Montecito mudslides, and the Camp Fire in Paradise, Ca. Recently, Chris was appointed by the Orange County Fire Authority to assist with the FIRESCOPE TSAR committee and represent the organization on the REMS subcommittee as well.
Since 2007, Chris has served an instructor for OCFA’s technical rescue program, OCFA’s Recruit Academy, Santa Ana College Basic Fire Academy, LACo Regional Fire Training Group, and here at North Net Fire Training. He is a CSFM Senior instructor in Rescue Systems 1, 2, & 3, Confined Space Rescue Technician, and a primary instructor in Low Angle Rope Rescue and Rope Rescue Operations.
During his time away from work, Chris enjoys spending time at home with his family and friends and being a part of Orange County Fire Authority’s Pipe and Drum band, which represents the OCFA all over the state and the nation, celebrating the lives of those who have fallen in our chosen profession.
Darrick Woolever, Retired Captain/Paramedic
Urban Search & Rescue Division
Darrick has 30 years of experience with Los Angeles County Fire Department, serving as Firefighter, Firefighter Paramedic, Engineer and Captain/Paramedic until his retirement in 2018.
Darrick is one of the original 18 members of Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 103 (USAR), one of the main developers of the Los Angeles County Fire Department Del Valle Training Facility, and a California State Fire Marshal Instructor. Darrick’s experience and motivation allowed him to become the Lead Instructor for RS2 and RS3 from 2004 until 2018. He has been a member of California Task Force 2 (CATF2) for 22 years, holding positions of Rescue Specialist, Rescue Squad Officer, Heavy Rigging Specialist and Technical Search Specialist. He served as Qualified Relief for LACO FD Air Operations, living out his dream to hang out of helicopters.
Darrick has spent a majority of his career training other fire agency personnel in Advanced Technical Rescue through local and state courses. Darrick also was deployed internationally several times as a member of USA2 where he trained NGOs, which included law enforcement and military personnel, in Rescue Techniques. He represented the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) as a Rescue Instructor in South Africa, China and Haiti; worked as a Heavy Rigger in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami; was deployed as an Evaluator and Exercise Control Officer to Australia; served as a Classifier and Rescue Squad Officer for a multi-task force MOBEX on three separate occasions in the United Kingdom.
At North Net, Darrick is a Primary Instructor for Confined Space Rescue Technician, LARRO, Structural Collapse Specialist 1 and 2.