Jake is an avid search and rescue operator, who works full time as a rescue crewman with the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter in Sydney, and a rescue volunteer with the NSW State Emergency Service. Jake was interested in helping others from a young age, volunteering with the NSW Surf Lifesaving Association to keep swimmers safe at local beaches. He started as a disaster volunteer with the NSW State Emergency Service in 2016, quickly climbing the ranks. He is now the Chair of the NSW SES Flood Rescue Capability Development Group, responsible for building technical capability within the agency across the state. Jake is a qualified arborist and holds many technical rescue qualifications. He has responded to hundreds of incidents in both a paid and volunteer capacity and has been awarded a prestigious Unit Citation for his rescue work. Jake is speaking at the upcoming 2024 Technical Rescue Conference in New York about the challenges of large animal rescue, and animal rescue from floodwaters.