Co-Owner/Instructor

Jerry “Whaler” Whaley

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Co-Owner/Instructor

Craig “Doc” Spieker

Craig has been involved in organized SAR work since 2005 and is a Co-Owner/Operator
of Buckeye Emergency Response Training School. He is a 2010 graduate of the
National Search and Rescue School. Craig is a Type III SAR Incident Commander and is
certified by the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) as a SARTECH I/
Crew Leader, ISAR, FunSAR, ADSAR, Man-Tracking and MLPI Instructor, a SARTECH I, II
& III Lead Evaluator and an ASHI Wilderness Emergency Medical Instructor.

Additionally, he is an Ohio Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist, a nationally
certified Child Passenger Safety Technician and has been trained in Fundamentals of
Search and Rescue, Advanced Search and Rescue, Advanced Man-Tracking, Inland SAR
planning, UAS in SAR, Wide Area Search, Applied Search Management, more than 45
FEMA IS & residential courses, HAZMAT Technician, CERT, Ohio Peace Officer
Certification, Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) Tactical Driving Instructor,
OPOTA Pursuit Termination Techniques Instructor, Police Radar Instructor, Stop Sticks
Instructor, State of Ohio Firefighter I, Nationally Registered & Ohio Paramedic,
Wilderness Paramedic, Wilderness First-Aid, Master Public Safety Diver, Water Rescue, High Angle Rescue, Confined Space Rescue,
Structural Collapse Rescue, Ice Rescue, CERT Train the Trainer and many others.

Craig has worked and/or trained with U.S. Military, Foreign Military & Special Forces personnel, U.S. Deputy Marshals, FBI Agents,
CIA Agents, Postal Investigators as well as multiple Police and Sheriff’s agencies, local, state and abroad. He has trained and/or
certified persons from 43 different states and 8 other countries.

He has 5 years active Army experience as a Combat Airborne Military Policeman, stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. While
stationed in NC, his tours of duty include serving in Saudi Arabia and Iraq during Desert Shield/Desert Storm; Panama;
Newfoundland; Homestead, Florida for Hurricane Andrew relief efforts and has conducted various other missions around the world.
As the former B Company 1st Civil Support Battalion’s First Sergeant in the Ohio Military Reserve, he served as a Military Security
Specialist, Senior Military Emergency Management Specialist, trainer and leader. In 2006 he was awarded the Senior NCO of the
Year Award.

Craig is a retired Police Officer with over 33 years of Law Enforcement experience and an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice
Technologies. He served in the Patrol Division as a Traffic Accident Reconstructionist, Emergency Medical Dispatch Instructor,
Driving Instructor, Crisis Intervention Officer and on the Emergency Response Team as a Master Underwater Crime Scene
Rescue/Recovery Diver. He served as a guest instructor at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy as a pursuit, emergency driving,
Stop Sticks and defensive driving instructor. He still serves as a Special Deputy and Master Public Safety Diver with the Sheriff’s
Office Dive Team and is a FAA Licensed UAS Pilot on the County UAS Team.

He also retired November 2021 as the Chief of Hanco EMS and a State of Ohio EMS Instructor, with 24 years of EMS service. He is
also a retired Firefighter I/Medic and Hazmat Technician with the Liberty Township Fire Department, with 32 years of service, where
he was selected as “2012 Firefighter of the Year.” He was also a HazMat Technician with the Findlay/Hancock County HazMat Team
and Captain with the Ohio Special Response Team.

Craig is an avid shooter, bow hunter, fisherman, and camper. He loves the outdoors and enjoys all that it offers. He is an Eagle
Scout with the Boy Scouts of America, earning this honor in 1990, and volunteered as a Merit Badge Counselor and was the Director
of the Fire & EMS Explorers program in Hancock County. He is also earned 2nd Degree Black Belts in two different Karate Disciplines
and a 1st Degree Black Belt in the Chuck Norris System.

He is a Director on the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) Board, an associate member of the Mountain Rescue
Association (MRA), and a member of Tyler County West Virginia OEM Search & Rescue Team.

He has been married to a very supportive and encouraging wife for 31 years and they have 2 children, one young lady and one
young man ages 30 & 25 respectively.

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Instructor

Dr. Rob “Snapple” Davis

Rob has been involved in organized SAR work since He is a Registered Nurse (RN) and EMT with over 20 years of experience in several areas of nursing including medical intensive care and most recently as faculty in the Master of Science of Nursing program at the Chamberlain College of Nursing where he teaches Executive Leadership. Rob earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees from Case Western Reserve University and holds certifications as a National Healthcare Disaster Professional, Certified Nurse Educator, Nurse Executive, and Tactical Responder. Prior to his career in nursing Rob was a Sheriff’s Deputy for the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department in SC where he worked in traffic enforcement, narcotics/vice, and D.A.R.E. As a K-9 officer Rob and his K-9 Sabel worked with the U.S. Marshall’s fugitive task force, and they were the primary narcotics detection team for the SC Department of Corrections and the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office.

In the SAR world, Rob holds certifications with NASAR as an Instructor, SARTECH I/Crew Leader, SARTECH I & II Lead Evaluator, and Lead Evaluator for NASAR Canine area search, HRD, and trailing. He is a Lost Person Behavior Instructor. Rob handled K9 Probie (retired) who was nationally certified in wilderness area search and trailing and he handles his current NASAR certified HRD-Land canine Arie.

In the area of wilderness medicine Rob is a NASAR WEC instructor. He is a Wilderness EMT and is certified in Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS). Rob is a Fellow in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM).

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Instructor

Beth “Runaway” Davis

Beth has been involved in organized SAR work since 2012. She is a registered nurse and nationally registered paramedic and is the Pediatric Trauma Outreach Educator at University Hospitals, Rainbow Baby and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, OH. Prior to becoming a paramedic and nurse, Beth taught K-12 and college level music educator in Northeast Ohio for 24 years. In the SAR world, Beth holds certifications with the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) as a SARTECH I/Crew Leader, SARTECH I Lead Evaluator, SARTECH II Lead Evaluator. She is also certified as a Wilderness EMT. She is a NASAR certified K9 handler for Human Remains Detection. She has additional training in: Lost Person Behavior, K-9 Critical Care, Fundamentals of Search and Rescue, Advanced Search and Rescue, ICS 100, ICS 200, NIMS 700, NIMS 800, HAZMAT awareness, bloodborne pathogen awareness, Crime Scene Preservation, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Tactical Emergency Critical Care (TECC), and Trauma Nurse Core Course (TNCC).

Before losing her beloved K9 Shadow, Beth was a K-9 specialist with the Northeast Ohio Search and Rescue, an all-volunteer organization, where she the current vice-president. Her K-9 partner, Shadow, was a German Shepherd from Westwood Kennels in Hilliard, Ohio. Shadow was certified through NASAR in Human Remains Detection- Land. Beth is a Lead Evaluator for Canine HRD and area search certification through NASAR.

Beth is married to Rob Davis, another BERTS instructor. In her free time, she enjoys doing home improvement projects on their 1925 “fixer-upper” home. She is currently enrolled at Chamberlain University working on her Doctorate in Nursing (DNP).

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Instructor

Nicolas “Raptor” Spieker

Nicolas began a stellar career in Search and Rescue when he was in High School. He was the youngest person in World to earn his NASAR SARTECH I certification and, at the time, was the youngest NASAR SARTECH II Evaluator ever known to NASAR, obtaining this certification at the age of 15!

Nick began his SAR career in 2013, taking NASAR’s Fundamentals of Search and Rescue course and obtaining his SARTECH II certification. He also graduated NASAR’s ADSAR course and obtained his SARTECH I/CrewLeader III certification in early 2015. He enjoyed SAR work so much that he decided he wanted to assist BERTS with SARTECH evaluations and assist with BERTS classes, since he was too young to serve on a team.

Nick is a Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout, earning this prestigious rank in 2014 and has earned 51 merit badges. He is a Wilderness First-Responder and Health Care Provider CPR certified. He is a certified Scuba-diver, a United States Power Boat Squadron boating course graduate and has his Ohio Boater’s license. Nick was also an Explorer with the Hancock County Fire/EMS Explorers.

Nick was very active both in and out of high school. He was a member of the school’s marching band, pep-band, jazz band and PIT, where he played the trumpet. He has been selected on numerous occasions to play Taps for the Memorial Day activities for the City of Findlay. He attended the local “Warrior Academy” where he is learning valuable leadership, outdoor and life skills.

He loves the outdoors. He is an avid deer and turkey hunter, loves to fish, camp, hike, rappelling and playing baseball and wrestling, where he is a Varsity Letterman. He is also a Black Belt in American Karate through the Champion Karate Center. Nick also is a member of the audio-visual, sound and camera crew and enjoys ushering at his church.

Nick graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Military Science in 2021. He is a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He is serving as an Infantry Officer, graduating from the Infantry BOC and Airborne courses at Ft. Benning, GA in 2022. His first duty assignment was a Platoon Leader and then Company XO with the 11th Airborne Division (Artic) at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska where he earned his Expert Infantry Badge and graduated the U.S. Army Artic Warfare Operations Course. He was transferred to California in October 2023 and is currently serving as the XO of the Los Angeles area recruiting stations.

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Instructor

Rich “Skar” Meyers

Rich started his professional career receiving his associate degree in applied science and began working as a massage therapist and a chiropractic assistant. He later changed career paths and has been involved in the fire service for the last 13 years where he is currently a full time Fire Fighter with the Marion Township Fire Department.  Rich also serves his immediate neighbors and friends as a part-time Fire Fighter/Paramedic with the Pleasant Township Fire Department in the township where he lives.

Rich has additional training as a high angle rope rescue technician, confined space technician, HAZ-Mat technician, and in ice water operations rescue. He has been an ACE certified peer-fitness instructor for 5 years.  Rich received an accommodation for a “life saver” for joint efforts with his partner which resulted in the survivor of their combined interventions being part of the ceremony.  Rich has also been trained and worked multiple years on a Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU).  He is an ASHI Wilderness Medicine Instructor able to teach ACLS, PALS, CPR Pro, and advanced wilderness medicine courses.

Rich was involved in the Boy Scouts receiving the distinguished rank of Eagle Scout. He now is a scouting parent, giving back to his boys and others in his community.  He has a love and passion for the outdoors as a hunter, backpacker, and family camping man.  He and his loving wife of 15 years attend and participate in ministries in their local church.  He has 4 children with whom he loves to spend his time.

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Instructor

Sarah “Tiger Mouse” Whaley

Sarah has been involved in Public Safety since 2007, but only became officially involved in Search and Rescue in 2018, with the formation of the Lapeer County (MI) Search and Rescue Team, where she is currently the Director. Her SAR credentials include: NASAR SARTECH I/Crew leader, Wilderness EMT, Mounted SARTECH III, Search and Rescue Initial Actions, and Managing the Lost Person Incident. She is also a NASAR FUNSAR, ADSAR, and Wilderness Emergency Care Instructor, as well as NASAR SARTECH II, SARTECH I, and Mounted SARTECH III Lead Evaluator. She has also completed Man Tracking under Fernando Moreira.

Additional training and certifications that she currently holds, or has held, include Reserve Sheriff Deputy, EMT-Basic, HAZ MAT Awareness, Rescue and Extrication, Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), CPR for the Healthcare Provider, Emergency Dispatch Academy, Emergency Medical Dispatch, Basic Inland SAR School, ICS 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, 800 and many others, as well as is a FEMA ICS Instructor. She has position specific task books for Incident Commander, Liaison Officer, Logistics Specialist, and Grants Management Specialist. Additionally, she has completed the Type-3 All Hazards Incident Management Team training, including the position specific training for Situation Unit Lead, Unit/Group Supervisor, and others.

Sarah’s equine resume applies to her role as a Mounted SARTECH III Lead Evaluator and includes the following: Certified Horsemanship Association Level I Instructor (English and Western), MiLLEAD 4-H State Horse Council, The Eventing Association of Michigan Board Member, Wisdom Ranch Board of Directors, 4-H Leader, Medical team for the USEA Hunter’s Run Recognized event, and having over 30 years in the industry, both riding and training horses in all disciplines, most recently in Eventing and Fox hunting. In addition to training horses, Sarah has also trained, handled, and shown dogs in several disciplines.

Educationally, Sarah holds both an Associate’s in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor’s in Public Administration. She spent 12 years working full-time in the EMS field as an EMT and Field Training Officer. Since leaving EMS full-time, her career has taken her to roles in community development for a large metropolitan area, followed by working for FEMA in Hazard Mitigation, which included being rostered as Command Staff as a Liaison Officer to the Regional Response Coordination Center, and the State EOC. Wanting to travel a little less, she transitioned to a position with the Michigan State Police in Emergency Management. Her current role has found her back in her hometown, serving as the Emergency Management Coordinator for a county of over 88,000 residents. She also currently serves on several boards, including the State AHIMT Board, PEM Board, FEMA Region 5 Regional Advisory Council, and the Region 3 Homeland Security Planning Board.

Sarah is married to Jerry, who shares her passion for SAR and anything out of doors. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys running ultra distance races, riding mountain bikes (and racing), and spending time with her horses and dogs.

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Instructor

James “Viper” Wimberly

Jimmy had been involved with the search and rescue community since 2008 and was employed as the Safety Coordinator for C&K Industries in Cleveland, Ohio.

His certifications included NASAR Fundamentals of Search and Rescue, Advance Search and Rescue, NASAR SAR Tech I and SARTEC II Evaluator, a Level 9 ASHI Wilderness Emergency Medical Instructor, Wilderness First Aid, AHA First Aid and CPR, Rope Rescue Operations, Swift Water Rescue Operations, Lost Person Behavior, Intermediate and Advance National Incident Command, HAZMAT Technician, Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy Training, Basic Inland Search and Rescue conducted by Air Force Coordination Center, and Risk Assessment. He also had extensive education training as an Emergency Medical Technician.

In addition to his search and rescue experience, he had 15 years of security/law enforcement experience. His certifications included NASAR Fundamentals of Search and Rescue, Advance Search and Rescue, NASAR SAR Tech I and SARTEC II Evaluator, a Level 9 ASHI Wilderness Emergency Medical Instructor, Wilderness First Aid, AHA First Aid and CPR, Rope Rescue Operations, Swift Water Rescue Operations, Lost Person Behavior, Intermediate and Advance National Incident Command, HAZMAT Technician, Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy Training, Basic Inland Search and Rescue conducted by Air Force Coordination Center, and Risk Assessment. He also had extensive education training as an Emergency Medical Technician.

He was a Lieutenant of Unit 7 for the Ohio Special Response Team, a state of Ohio approved search and rescue organization that provides a broad-based response unit equipped to respond to a variety of emergencies, natural or manmade disasters in support of civil authorities. James also was active part of the Mental Health Community promoting the mental health of public service workers. He was nominated and awarded by NAMI of Greater Cleveland as the Police Officer of the year.

He was an outdoor enthusiast in which contributes to his wilderness experience. He was an Alumni Member of the Boy Scouts of America and was involved in the organization as a parent.

Sadly, on February 11, 2023, Jimmy lost his battle with renal failure. Jimmy was an amazing instructor, father, person and friend. He was a “brother from another mother” to most. He will be dearly missed and never forgotten. Rest in peace, Brother and know that we will always have “PMA!”