Robbyn’s passion for Search and Rescue began April 19th, 1995, when she answered the call for all available First Responders to assist the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Over the years, she continued assisting with evacuations along with Search + Rescues for Hurricanes and Wild Fires by any means necessary, using the contacts and skills she had acquired through her EMT work and 911 Dispatching for Stanislaus County. As fires and hurricanes increased in intensity and frequency, so did Robbyn’s involvement, transforming from a part-time passion to a full-time obsession during the 2020 Hurricane Season. In the Fall of 2020 she joined Jake to form the GulfSAR Team. “This isn’t a Team, GulfSAR is a family. And there is nothing better than working with a highly skilled, elite group of people that work seamlessly together, due to the trust we’ve built as a family over the years.”

US Army Veteran
26 years working in the Fire and EMS Fields as a Critical Care Paramedic.
Alpha Team Lead for multiple Hurricane and natural disasters dating back to Katrina.
EVOC, NIMS, CPR, ACLS, PALS and PHTLS.
Father and Husband.

Miranda Garner is a proud mother of two and a nursing student. Living in Mississippi, she became involved in hurricane rescue and relief after personally seeing the devastation that happens post hurricane, the enormous amount of people panicking and stuck with nothing. Living on the Gulf Coast, Miranda’s family has been the ones in need and the help and resources available today wasn’t around. “I want to continue to be the light through some of people’s darkest days!”

Colin Bush has put his passion for helping others in times of need to work through his Disaster Response efforts since 2016. Colin has a degree in Emergency Medical Service, a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, and has been a Volunteer Firefighter in his community since 2019. Along with FEMA National Incident Command Systems Certifications required to be a member of the GulfSAR Team, Colin also holds Instructor Certifications for CPR, First Aid, AED, Basic Life Support, ALS, PALS, and Emergency Medical Responder.

Brian Edwards is a 40 year veteran of the rescue industry and is Owner/Instructor of Airboat Training Service of North America, LLC. ATS is a specialized company that conducts advanced Airboat Operations Training in Search/Rescue, Swiftwater Rescue, Ice Rescue and Flood Rescue to Government Agencies, Industry and Fire/Rescue departments throughout the world. During Hurricane Katrina, Brian was one of 10 airboats that conducted rescue operations for the three hospitals in downtown New Orleans.10 airboats over 3.5 days moved over 4,400 victims during daytime operations only, and another 400 were rescued by Brian’s airboat alone on the 4th day. Brian was awarded The 1999 Firefighter of The Year for Ballville Twp. Volunteer Fire Department, and then again Countywide for Sandusky County (Ohio) of the same year.

As a former firefighter of almost 15 years, Robert wanted to continue helping others. After hurricane Ian hit Florida, Robert wanted put his years of training as a First Responder to use helping those that were trapped by the flood waters in his home state of Florida. This began his passion for water search and rescue.

As a former boy scout, he is an ASM for scout troop 143 in Fruitland Park, FL. He has 4 sons that were/are active in the troop.

Zander Hall’s passion for rescue began at an early age. At 16 he started kayaking in rivers of the Colorado rockies, that’s when he took his first swift water rescue course. By 18, he was already volunteering with his local fire department. Through college he volunteered with the Arizona Rangers, where he began gaining experience in law enforcement. Zander gained his Bachelor’s in Aeronautics and left the state of Arizona; having also gained his rotorcraft pilot’s license, and instrument rating. Zander, through some twists and turns, spent a little more time in law enforcement, worked as an EMT, and then followed his other passion for water. Zander became a full time Charter Captain in the Florida Keys, and owns Lightly Salted Charters.

We can’t forget to mention Zander’s first mate, Bax. Bax isn’t just his first mate though, Bax is also a member of the team! He’s a certified K9, and has been on numerous deployments to disaster zones alongside Zander. Both deployed to Laura, Delta, and most recently Ian. Bax and Zander are excited to continue tuning their skills and helping the best way they know how to: on the front lines, with Gulf SAR.

Scott is a devoted family man residing in Idaho with his wife and two daughters and is the kind of person who will stop anything to help those in need. Scott’s remarkable commitment to helping others was evident when, as Hurricane Ian swept through Louisiana, he immediately declared, “I need to go,” leaving his home behind for nearly two months to aid complete strangers. His selflessness is a defining trait, as he readily puts others before himself, be it fellow fishermen or communities in distress. Scott formally decided to join GulfSAR when he assisted the GulfSAR in the recovery efforts of Everett Jackson in his own community of Gem County, solidifying his place in the GulfSAR family. His journey from a family-oriented fisherman to a dedicated GULF SAR volunteer serves as a powerful testament to the strength of compassion and the profound difference one person can make in the lives of many.

Ahrad Nathan is a California native currently residing in Florida, where he is enrolled in a postbaccalaureate program with the eventual goal of becoming a physician. While in school, Ahrad has put his EMT credentials to work and has thousands of hours working in the back of an ambulance. When he’s not studying or working, Ahrad trains in martial arts, primarily boxing, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jui Jitsu. In addition to his FEMA ICS certifications, he also holds certifications in NREMT, EVOC, and CPR/BLS.

Growing up on the coast of south Florida, water has always been a big part of Pope’s life. At 18, Pope left for the Army with the goal of helping those in need. While enlisted, he learned a multitude of skill sets from first aid to rappelling and after leaving the service his initial goal never changed. When Hurricane Ian destroyed his hometown, he volunteered to help rescue those in need. Pope is an FCC-licensed Amateur Radio Operator and continues to acquire new certifications or skills that will help further GulfSAR’s goal of being “highly trained and dedicated to saving those who cannot save themselves”.

James Seiffert’s passion for helping others started in 2014 when he decided to join his local volunteer fire department at the age of 18. Department training led him to a flood and  swift water rescue course where he saw a need to help others on a larger scale. After hearing testimonies from the lead instructor of the FAST1 course (who happens to be an active GulfSAR member), James decided to join GulfSAR. James’ current certifications are: FAST 1, TEEX Swiftwater Rescue, BLS Provider, FEMA ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-700, and ICS-800. James continues to pursue training that will make him a better asset to GulfSAR.