Show notes
Don Lester is a veteran swift water and technical rescue professional with extensive field experience across firefighting, emergency medical response, and advanced rescue instruction. Over the course of his career, Don logged more than 150 days per season on the water and served as both a Swift Water Rescue instructor and a Rescue 3 International instructor trainer.Known for his thoughtful and disciplined approach, Don emphasizes continuous learning and risk awareness in dynamic water environments. This episode is essential listening for lifeguards, firefighters, river professionals, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of water rescue safety.00:00 Introduction00:08 Meet Don Lester: Swiftwater, Technical Rescue Expert00:53 A Day on the American River01:10 Don's Early Life and Rafting Beginnings01:40 Innovations in Rafting and Early Adventures06:31 Guiding and Professional Development08:12 Pioneering Whitewater and Rescue Techniques19:59 Teaching Philosophy and Influences29:02 Lifeguard Training and Swift Water Rescue36:00 Throw Bag Rescue Techniques36:52 Mindset Differences: Lifeguards vs. Firefighters38:09 Balancing Planning and Action in Rescues40:21 A Real-Life Rescue Story46:20 The Importance of Training and Experience54:40 Creating Effective Rescue Teams01:13:31 The Evolution of Emergency Medicine01:14:26 Learning from Real-World Experiences01:15:42 Challenges and Adaptations in Rescue Training01:17:46 The Complexities of Tsunami and Flood Rescues01:23:55 Mental Health in Rescue Work01:27:15 The Importance of Practice and Preparedness01:35:49 Old Growth Rescue: A New Initiative01:38:57 Final ThoughtsRead More About Don Here:https://oldgrowthrescue.com/Presented by The Ben Carlson Foundation:https://www.bencarlsonfoundation.org/https://www.instagram.com/bencarlson_foundation/Subscribe to the Podcast Here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lifeguard-project/id1748861682https://open.spotify.com/show/7EoZTDiET6jJ6XJ1g5X54thttps://www.instagram.com/thelifeguardproject/https://thelifeguardproject.org/Host, Drasko Bogdanovic:https://www.bogdogphoto.com/https://www.instagram.com/bogdogphoto/#SwiftWaterRescue#LifeguardPodcast#FirstResponderTraining#TheLifeguardProjectPodcast#BenCarlsonFoundation#WaterRescue#RiverRescue#LifeguardLife#FirstResponders#FirefighterTraining#EMTLife#TechnicalRescue#RescueTraining#RiverGuide#FloodRescue#WaterSafety#SearchAndRescue#EmergencyResponse#RescueMindset#OceanSafety