JOHN MCKENTLY | INSTRUCTOR
Professional Service Since 1974 | CMC Since 1995
John has 49 years of Technical/SAR experience. His rescue service started at a recruitment meeting for the Montrose, CA Search and Rescue Team. He knew about the Montrose Search and Rescue Team from his days in the Boy Scouts, newspaper articles about SAR missions and from other personal contact with Team members. They interviewed over 100 people from the initial recruitment meeting and accepted 13. Seven recruits passed the Sheriff’s background check and went through the Sheriff’s academy together. He had a couple of different “real” jobs during this time, including 20 years at a financial institution, but eventually his hobby turned into a job with 25 years as a School Instructor and eventually School Director at CMC.
John worked at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for 47 years as a Reserve Deputy/Mountain Rescue Specialist. He was also a SME/Instructor for the Law Enforcement Branch of California OES for 35 years. Although retired, John is still active, engaged and instructing for CMC and OES. He has many years of practical experience with wilderness search and rescue operations, many of which required high angle rope techniques. John is one of only two people who are MSHA instructors for Mine Rescue.
CMC School classes taught by John include Rope Rescue Technician I/II/III, Confined Space Rescue and custom training offerings in specialized environments such as Tower Rescue, Rope Access for Bridge Inspectors, as well as Arizona Vortex Workshops. When asked what he likes about teaching classes for CMC, he replied: “Working with different instructors who have different backgrounds and experiences. Having an inside track on developing equipment to make performing rescues easier/faster/safer. Going to different locations to teach not only for the change of scenery but to learn about their unique situations and work with them on how to best perform rescues in their environment. Hearing back from students who have had successful rescue operations and being told ‘that stuff really works.'”
