Founder/Director of Operations, Gulf States Dive and Rescue
Paul Fraser began his Louisiana EMS career in 1992. He has worked for several 911 agencies routinely faced with flooding problems including: Orleans, Plaquemines and St Bernard Parishes.
He began teaching Rescue SCUBA in 2000, PS Diving in 2004. His focus shifted to top water rescue June 2005 when asked to join SELATF1, actually hosting the first nationally recognized Swift Water Flood Rescue program in Louisiana the weekend Hurricane Katrina came ashore.
Today Paul is a certified Louisiana Emergency Manager (LEM-T), Paramedic, Marine Coordinator and multi-discipline water rescue instructor. He’s received national recognition in Washington DC for flood rescues, lead over a dozen volunteer teams in flood rescue and recovery, and continues to gain experience during regional flooding through the not for profit he founded. He is also active in the motion picture industry working closely with actors like Kevin Costner, Sylvester Stallone and over 50 other productions. Live event coordinators seek his assistance to coordinate water safety for events such as Ironman triathlons and cigarette/powerboat racing.
After conducting rescues and witnessing the devastation of Katrina, Paul set sights on what could be done to better prepare responders for future regional flooding.
Drawing experience from 11 named storms, including Hurricane Rita in Texas, to touring the damages of Hurricane Irene in Vermont, Paul continues to gain and share his experience with responders in varying levels and disciplines of water rescue and continues to work full time in the industry that he teaches.