John M. Olshanski, Executive Director

John Olshanski is the Founder and the Executive Director of Safe And Fast Extrication, Inc. He has over thirty years of experience in the fire rescue and emergency medical services specializing in vehicle disentanglements, ongoing research, and development of new techniques in vehicle rescue. He continues to instruct, develop, and customize vehicle extrication programs for rescuers and their communities.

Mr. Olshanski served as a Fire Service Instructor and Interim Fire Service Coordinator for Western Wisconsin Technical College. He is the recipient of the Wisconsin Board of Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education Challenge Award, a prestigious honor recognizing individuals for their contributions. He obtained his Associate Degree in Fire Science with the Madison Area Technical College and has participated in many National Fire Academy programs such as, Managing Company Tactical Operations, Incident Command, Instructional Techniques for Company Officers T/T, Leadership 1, 2, and 3, among others. He is a member of the International Society of Fire Instructors of Wisconsin and a certified Fire Service Instructor II with the State of Wisconsin.

Mr. Olshanski is a founding member of the Transportation Emergency Rescue Committee (TERC) and currently serves on the Educational Committee where he interacts with professional vehicle extrication members worldwide. His professional endeavors led to organizing a team to compete in international vehicle extrication competitions. He implemented and coordinated the first TERC, Great Lakes Vehicle Extrication Competition and Learning Symposium.

In 1985, Mr. Olshanski was the conference coordinator for the Fifth Annual TERC Vehicle Extrication Competition and Learning Symposium. His new ideas and innovative changes have served as the standard for vehicle extrication competitions and learning symposiums worldwide.

In 1991, he was selected by the Office of Fire Marshall of Ontario, Canada to serve as the United States judge in the International Vehicle Extrication Competition. He has participated in vehicle extrication challenges as a competitor, judge, scoring coordinator, and safety officer in various international and regional competitions across the world.

In 1995, Mr. Olshanski provided vehicle extrication pilot programs for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Highway Safety Division. He instructed courses in advanced vehicle extrication techniques and implementation of strategic and tactical operations for the fire and rescue personnel.

In 1996, Mr. Olshanski was invited to London, England to speak and judge at the World Vehicle Extrication Competition and Learning Symposium.

For the past six years, Mr. Olshanski directed SAFE’s ongoing vehicle extrication research and development with biomechanic and injury researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) Neuroscience Research Laboratory.

Mr. Olshanski views a vehicle crash and its rescue through the victim’s eyes. His dedication to ongoing research, development, and education is a tribute to the rescue profession. His goal is simple: empowering rescue agencies with the latest vehicle extrication knowledge and skills so that entrapped victims are removed from vehicle crashes quickly and safely. Armed with such state-of-the-art extrication knowledge and skills, rescuers can thereby give victims of motor vehicle crashes a better chance for survival… ultimately SAVING LIVES.