Blades Robinson, Executive Director

Blades Robinson joined the International Association of Dive Rescue Specialists in 1988 and has served as the Executive Director of the since 2001. He is an active public safety diver in Indian River County, FL where he has served as his agency's Dive Team Coordinator since the early 1980s. Since the 1970s, he has been involved in the SCUBA industry in multiple capacities including commercial diving harvester (lobster), dive store manager, Open Water SCUBA Instructor, Public Safety SCUBA Instructor, Dive Rescue Trainer and serving on the Executive Board at Dive Rescue International, the largest public safety diver training agency in North America.
 

Ana Anderson, Director of Communications

Ana Anderson joined the International Association of Dive Rescue Specialists in January 2009 as the Director of Communications. Ana is assuming the role previously held by Susan Watson.  For more than 15 years, Ana has assisted CEOs and Presidents of organizations in general day-to-day business operations.  She has vast experience in the preparation of corporate level presentations and newsletters.  She has worked with tradeshows, conferences and in the preparation of corporate events.  Ana received her Associate in Arts degree in Business Administration from Indian River Community College and continued her education at the University of Central Florida , pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

Pat Madden, Associate Director

Pat Madden has been an active diver since first getting certified in 1968 and a few years later became an instructor.

He joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1977 and was posted to Alberta. In 1986 he was transferred back to his home province of Manitoba and was immediately recruited to the Underwater Recovery Team there by a former diving instructor comrade who was also in the RCMP. In 1991, he became the Division Diving Supervisor for the team, the position he held until 1998. While in this position, he instructed on the RCMP URT National Induction Training courses on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts (where he worked with Bob Teather and Ken Burton as well as others).

In 1999, he left the RCMP and the team for a leave of absence. He returned to Manitoba the following year but was transferred to Ottawa in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks where he was posted to National Security.

He retired from the RCMP in August of last year and moved to Vermont. 

  
Fred Jackson, Advisory Board

Lieutenant Fred Jackson has served the public for the past twenty-four years. He serves as the officer in charge of the Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department. He serves as the Director of the Ohio County and Regional Special Operations Teams. He teaches with Dive Rescue International, the University of Akron and is a member of the NFPA 1670 and 1006 committees. He has been a supporter of the IADRS for many years, conducts and publishes research, writes and lectures frequently.

Lt. Jackson will discuss the current changes to the NFPA 1670 and 1006 Standards how they affect public safety teams around the country.

Steve Fleming, Board of Directors

Steve Fleming is a company officer for the Poudre Fire Authority in Ft. Collins, Colorado. He has been involved with the fire/rescue service since 1977. In 1986, he founded Technical Rescue Systems, a service that teaches rescue organizations throughout the country. In 1990, Steve was elected on the Board of Directors for NASAR. In 1992 he was selected to serve on the NFPA 1983 standard committee. In 1996 was selected to serve on the NFPA 1670 Technical Rescue committee. Currently Steve is a senior instructor for Safety One Inc. which teaches Antenna and Tower Safety / Rescue around the world. Steve has also been a regular columnist for Fire Rescue and Search Lines.

Susan Watson, Board of Directors

Susan Watson became the Director of Operations in 2002. She also serves as the Educational Services Director for Dive Rescue International. Since 1999 she has been involved in working with trainers both corporate and departmental. She graduated with Honors from the University of Northern Colorado in 1998 with a Bachelors degree in Social Science and a minor in Geography.