About 2 the Rescue

Why Choose 2 The Rescue Life-Saving Training?

“The experience of the presenters made a difference. Knowing that they lived it, not just studied it!” Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department, Marshall, MI”

Many of todays training resources are not only out-of-date, but also dangerously incomplete. These deficiencies can put your department or employees at risk of burnout, injury or worse case even line-of-duty deaths, not to mention the less-than-best practices that can bring inefficiency to your operations.

Recognizing the need for a better solution, 2 The Rescue was established to provide field-tested safety techniques and emotional wellness strategies to better prepare your employees for the actual on-the-job experiences that they face each and every day. The latest developments and industry best practices are integral to all that we do.

2 The Rescue training is presented by experienced certified subject matter experts who have successfully performed all the techniques, strategies and maneuvers live and in the field. The organizations needs-specific training is at once innovative, cost effective and designed to lay a solid foundation for managing everyday tasks. This includes the life-threatening conflicts and risks that are involved not only in line-of-duty occupations but elsewhere among drivers, educators and others.

Throughout it, we will enhance your ability to properly evaluate a situation and make timely decisions thereby limiting not only your liability but also more importantly reducing the chance of harmful stress, injury and death to your team.

Meet Our Experts

Headed by two public safety professionals combining more than 55 years of experience, the 2 The Rescue team has witnessed many preventable deaths of co-workers as well as citizens.

In light of this, the teams mission is to reduce these tragedies by presenting affordable, convenient and passionate educational programs that increase awareness, modify behavior and change the attitudes of the civilian and public safety community.

Its leaders are:

Terry Bykerk

Terry Bykerk has over 25 years of law enforcement experience in patrol, vice, S.W.A.T., field training, investigations and street undercover operations. He has extensive experience in standard operating guideline liability and implementation, training program development and adult learner advancement including over 6,000 hours of classroom and practical skill instruction in area colleges, universities, hospitals and security agencies as well as fire and police departments. Terry has a unique way of sharing his personal successes and pitfalls not just as war stories but in an educational way that will get you thinking!

Work Experience:

  • Owner 2 The Rescue L.L.C.
  • Retired Police Officer at Grand Rapids Police Department
  • 2 Time Officer of The Year Nominee
  • Emergency Vehicle Operations (EVO) Coordinator
  • Field Training Officer (FTO) Coordinator
  • In-Service and Recruit Training Instructor/Coordinator
  • Patrol Unit Officer
  • Training Unit Officer
  • Field Training Officer (FTO)
  • Special Response Team (SRT) Officer
  • Vice Unit Detective
  • Background Investigations Officer
  • Grand Rapids Fire Department Instructor
  • Michigan State Police Precision Driving Unit Instructor
  • Grand Valley State University Instructor
  • Police Union Steward

Certifications:

  • Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement (MCOLES)
  • Michigan State Police Precision Driving
  • Michigan State Police Advanced Precision Driving Instructor
  • Ohio Peace Officers Training Commission Pursuit Intervention Techniques Instructor
  • Gryphon Group Advanced Executive Protection
  • MACNLOW Police Supervision
  • Field Training Associates (FTA) Advanced Coaching Strategies
  • MCOLES Field Training Officer (FTO)
  • Stop Stick Instructor

Involvement:

  • Ford Interceptor Prototype Evaluator
  • Police Magazine Contributor
  • Lt. Colonel David Grossman: Bulletproof Mind
  • Dr. Kevin Gilmartin: Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement

Awards:

Mike Wierenga

Mike Wierenga is a co-founder of Two The Rescue L.L.C., and has over 30 years of law enforcement experience combined with 18 years as a firefighter and over 6,500 hours of classroom and practical skill instruction in police, fire and EMS departments as well as colleges, universities, hospitals and security agencies. Mikes training and experience includes 550 hours of critical-incident stress management programs combined with an immeasurable number of front-line applications in line-of-duty deaths, officer-involved shootings, suicides, violent tragedies and deaths. Mike is an active team leader with his departments peer support Cop to Cop Critical Incident Stress Management team and was instrumental in the creation and implementation of a pre-incident wellness educational program for new recruits and their families. Mikes passion for the emotional wellness and the safety of emergency responders is readily apparent in his professional presentation skills. Mike is currently assigned to the Training Bureau at the Grand Rapids Police Department.

Work Experience:

  • Owner 2 The Rescue L.L.C.
  • Police Officer at Grand Rapids Police Department
  • Firefighter at Thornapple Township Fire and EMS
  • Police Peer Support Team Member
  • Verbal Defense & Influence Instructor
  • Emergency Vehicle Operations (EVO) Coordinator
  • In-Service and Recruit Training Instructor/Coordinator
  • Patrol Officer
  • Field Training Officer (FTO)
  • Vice Unit Detective
  • Background Investigations Officer
  • Grand Rapids Fire Department Instructor
  • Michigan State Police Precision Driving Instructor
  • Grand Valley State University Instructor
  • Grand Rapids Community College Instructor

Certifications and Training:

  • FFTC I/II
  • Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement (MCOLES)
  • MCOLES Field Training Officer (FTO)
  • Police Executive Research Forum:Integrating Communications Assessment & Tactics
  • Force Science Institute: Realistic De-escalation Instructor
  • Vistelar: Verbal Defense & Influence Instructor
  • De-escalation Demystified: Simple & Effective Tactics
  • De-escalation Non-Bias Decision Making
  • De-escalation Skills for there Front Line: A Practical Approach
  • Verbal De-escalation: Surviving Verbal Conflict
  • Predicting Violence  & influencing Outcomes
  • Critical Incident Peer Support for Law Enforcement
  • Peer Support Team Evolution and Management
  • Peer Support and Mentoring in Law Enforcement
  • Law Enforcement Peer Support: Therapeutic Legal 7 Considerations
  • Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): Advanced Group Crisis Intervention
  • CISM: Group Crisis Intervention
  • CISM: Individual Crisis Intervention & Peer Support
  • CISM: Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention
  • CISM: Trauma to Addiction
  • CISM: Law Enforcement Perspective for CISM Enhancement
  • CISM: Line of Duty Death: Preparing the Best for the Worst
  • CISM: Team Evolution & Management
  • CISM: Networking and Training
  • Officer Wellness: Implementing CISM and Peer Support Programs
  • Law Enforcement Perspectives for CISM Enhancement
  • C.O.P.S.: Law Enforcement Wellness & Trauma
  • How to Safely Communicate About Suicide
  • Armor Your Self: How to Survive a Career in Law Enforcement
  • Caring for Cops: Survival Strategies for Officers and Their Families
  • Couple’s Psychological Resilience for Police Families Instructor
  • Serving Amid Chaos: Taking Care of Your Community, Colleagues and Self
  • How to Assess and Heal Your Stress Damaged Relationships
  • PTSD Training for First Responders
  • Disaster Behavioral Health Services: Fostering Resiliency in the Aftermath
  • Thin Blue Line (TBL): Death Notification and Funeral Protocol
  • We Regret to Inform You: Death Notifications
  • CopShock: Surviving the Emotional Repercussions of Law Enforcement
  • Law Enforcement Suicide: Tactics for Prevention & Intervention
  • Department of Justice: The Traumas of Law Enforcement
  • The Ready Responder: How Physical and Mental Wellbeing Affects Performance
  • Robertson Brain Health
  • ABLE: Active Bystander-ship for Law Enforcement Instructor
  • Scenarios & Tactics for the Field Training Officer
  • Michigan State Police Advanced Precision Driving Instructor
  • Ohio Peace Officers Training Commission Pursuit Intervention Techniques Instructor
  • Michigan Speed Task Force: Radar Instructor
  • SKIDCAR SYSTEMS Instructor
  • Stop Stick Instructor
  • Below 100 Instructor
  • Simunitions Scenario Instructor
  • Reid Interview and Interrogation
  • Street Officers and Terrorism
  • DWI Detection and Sobriety Testing

Involvement:

  • Presenter 2018 C.O.P.S. National Conference on Law Enforcement Wellness & Trauma
  • Presenter 2017 Michigan Crisis Response Association Conference
  • Presenter 2016 C.O.P.S. National Conference on Law Enforcement Wellness & Trauma
  • C.O.P.S. National Conference on Law Enforcement Wellness & Trauma
  • Breaching the Barricade Law Enforcement Conference
  • Building Warriors Resilience 180
  • Police and Family Conference
  • Police Magazine Contributor
  • Lt. Colonel David Grossman: Bulletproof Mind
  • Dr. Kevin Gilmartin: Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement

Awards: