Scotty Barrier
Olalla,USA
Summary
Accomplished Search & Rescue Supervisor with a proven track record in Antarctica and New Zealand, enhancing emergency response capabilities and leading complex, aviation-based rescues. Expert in Incident Response Management and Training Facilitation, demonstrating proactive engagement and effective strategy execution. Achieved significant improvements in team proficiency and safety outcomes.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Park Ranger - Search and Rescue
Denali National Park
Talkeetna, AK
03.2025 - Current
- First season serving on the Denali National Park Alpine Rescue Team.
- The team is responsible for staffing the West Buttress of Denali and managing the safety and emergency response for over 1,000 climbers who expedition on the mountain annually.
- Establishing the route, providing medical services, briefing teams on current route conditions, and providing technical, aviation-based alpine rescue are core pillars of the role.
- Team members are required to recruit, outfit, train, and utilize a team of 3-5 'specialist' volunteers to help conduct 10-30 day mountain patrols around the Alaska Range.
- A-star B3 helicopters, with short-haul capability, are the primary means of rescue within the range and park.
Project Lead, Ranger - Search & Rescue
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
01.2022 - 02.2025
- 2.5 years serving as a team leader and project lead for the Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Rescue Team
- Responsible for planning, coordinating, and conducting training for the team across five core pillars of proficiency: Aviation, Alpine Climbing, Technical Rope Rescue, Avalanche Rescue & Wilderness Medicine
- The role requires generating and maintaining professional relationships with outside agencies and partners: Police, RCCNZ, LandSAR, NZMGA, Air Ambulance Services, CMC, local helicopter operators, local guiding companies, international partners, as well as the general public
- The Project Lead role entails managing, budgeting, spending, and reporting annually on $150,000 of external funding from the SAR Secretariat
- During periods of absence from the SAR Supervisor, the position assumes management of the team
- As a team leader, I was required to coordinate and implement monthly training across the aviation space to include technical short-haul and winch-based rescue techniques across a variety of aviation platforms
- Familiarity and utilization with both Boost dual hook configurations and ARS 3-ring Heli-bridel configurations for short haul and winch operations
- Contact: Sally Jones / Operations Manager / sajones@doc.govt.nz
Search & Rescue Supervisor
McMurdo Station, Antarctica
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Company Overview: United States Antarctic Program
- 2 seasons as the SAR supervisor for the United States Antarctic Program based out of McMurdo Station
- Responsible for recruiting and training both primary and secondary response teams as well as a joint search and rescue team with the Antarctic New Zealand program
- Designed on-call rostering and conducted multiple trainings per week with upwards of 15-20 members in total
- Served as primary SAR IC or field team leader for all incidents
- Issued, inventoried, and maintained all necessary SAR equipment and vehicles, including Piston Bulley and Haglund tracked vehicles
- Served as subject matter expert for incidents involving white-out escorts, white-out searches, missing person searches, technical rope rescues, crevasse rescues, MCI incidents, aircraft incidents, STEP maneuvers, deep field responses, etc
- Coordinated with medical staff, fire department, helo operations, fixed wing staff, and field camp managers to improve emergency response capability across work streams
- Off-season recruitment, hiring, purchasing, and planning for science support and preventative search and rescue (PSAR)
- United States Antarctic Program
- Contact: Meghan Walker / Field Manager / Meghan.walker.contractor@usap.gov
Seasonal Climbing Ranger
Mount Rainier National Park
06.2013 - 09.2020
- 8 summer seasons serving as a team member and team leader on the Mt
- Rainier climbing ranger program
- Called upon to serve the greater climbing community within park boundaries for education, preventative SAR, permit issuance, route patrol/establishment, snow assessment, and general SAR/EMS response
- Annually conducted and received professional training in areas of EMS, SAR, aviation, mountaineering, and snow safety
- Had opportunities to instruct peers/co-workers through formally developed, in-house training in areas of technical rope rescue, alpine climbing, aviation, and snow safety
- Duties routinely entail training and utilizing park contracted A-star B3 to accomplish rescue and project work throughout the park in backcountry/alpine terrain
- Experience with all levels of SAR from first on scene to Incident Command of complex, aviation-based rescues with 20+ resources involved
- Contact: Stefan Lofgren / Climbing Manager / +1 253 732 2099
Ski Guide & Level 1 Avy Instructor
Big Sky Backcountry Guides
Bozeman, USA
01.2016 - 01.2020
- Four winter seasons working professionally as a ski guide and avalanche instructor in SW Montana.
- Worked with a small guide team to run the operations of both day trips and overnight ski trips, based out of backcountry cabins.
- I instructed Level 1 Avalanche courses, companion rescue courses, and guided many multi-day ski trips outside of a forecast area.
- The nature of the terrain and avalanche conditions required diligence within the work unit to make daily, field-based weather observations, snowpack evaluations, and long-term avalanche trends to generate an internal avalanche forecast.
- I took on a high level of responsibility while guiding solo in complex backcountry terrain.
- Daily operations were consistently in subzero, alpine conditions, with limited visibility.
- The use of 2-stroke snowmobiles was necessary to support operations in a remote, backcountry setting
- Contact: Drew Pogge / Owner: Big Sky Backcountry Guides / +1 406.581.5754
- Contact: Ben Zavora / Owner: Beartooth Mountain Guides / +1 406.539.1478
Education
B.A. - Natural Resource Conservation and Recreation Management
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Blacksburg, VASkills
- Training Facilitation
- Incident Response Management
- Search and rescue operations
- Effective Strategy Execution
- Project management
- Proactive Engagement
- Effective Interpersonal Communication
References
- Jono Gillan, NZMGA President & IFMGA Guide, jono@heliotago.co.nz, +64 27 690 6800
- Forrest Madsen, Ranger, SAR, forrestmadsen@gmail.com, +1 406 223-0960
Work Related Training Certificates
- Pre-Hospital Emergency Care (NZ), 2024
- Wilderness EMT, 2013-present
- AAI Pro 2, 2018
- AAI Pro 1 Bridge, 2017
- AIRIE Level 2, 2015
- Rigging for Rescue, 2016, 2017, 2019
- Conterra Technical Rope Rescue, 2015, 2018
- AAI Winter Weather Forecasting, 2015
- AMGA Alpine Skills Course, Mt. Rainier, WA, 2015
- AMGA Ski Guide Course, Jackson, WY, 2017
- AMGA Alpine Guide Course, North Cascades, 2017
- AMGA Rock Guide Course, Joshua Tree, 2018
- NZMGA Ski 1, 2023
- NZMGA Climb 1, 2023
- NPS Short Haul Certified, Mt. Rainier, 2016-2020
- NPS STEP Certified, Mt. Rainier, 2014-2020
- NZ Dept. of Conservation Short Haul Certified, Aoraki Mount Cook, 2022-2025
- NZ Dept. of Conservation Hoist Certified, Aoraki Mount Cook, 2022-2025
- Petzl LEZARD Certified, 2023
Accomplishments
- Recipient of NPS Tobin Award for teamwork, commitment & building morale, 2014
- Recipient of NPS Star (Special Thanks for Achievement) Award, 2015
- Recipient of USAP Take Flight Award for exceeding expectations as new employee, 2020
- Recipient of NZMGA Scholarship for distinguished Level 1 Ski Guide, 2023
- Recipient of NZMGA Scholarship for distinguished Level 1 Climb Guide, 2023
Timeline
Park Ranger - Search and Rescue
Denali National Park
03.2025 - Current
Project Lead, Ranger - Search & Rescue
Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
01.2022 - 02.2025
Search & Rescue Supervisor
McMurdo Station, Antarctica
01.2020 - 01.2022
Ski Guide & Level 1 Avy Instructor
Big Sky Backcountry Guides
01.2016 - 01.2020
Seasonal Climbing Ranger
Mount Rainier National Park
06.2013 - 09.2020
B.A. - Natural Resource Conservation and Recreation Management
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
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