- Headquarters: Savannah, Georgia
- 9 Mall Terrace
- Savannah, GA 31406
- P O Box 3853, Savannah GA 31414
- Office 912.692.8911
- Fax 912.692.1338
About Us
Since 1992, Rescue Training Inc has been a leading provider of emergency medical services education, preparing thousands of professionals for rewarding careers in EMS.
Rescue Training Inc was incorporated in 1992 in the state of Georgia, USA. The corporation was registered in the state of Florida in 2009. The company is a registered active contractor for the federal government through the US Central Contracting Registry (www.sam.gov).
Since its inception over thirty years ago, Rescue Training Inc has become one of the leading EMT and Paramedic schools in southeast Georgia. In Savannah, RTI conducts several EMT, A-EMT and Paramedic courses per year for the general public and government agencies. In addition to these, RTI is also a contractor to conduct EMS training courses for the US Department of Defense and the US Department of Homeland Security. RTI has conducted over 100+ EMT-Tactical™ courses throughout the U.S. RTI is a training partner for the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT). Federal Tax ID Number: 58-2029975
Our comprehensive list of accreditations demonstrates our commitment to meeting the highest standards in EMS education.
Dave is the Founder and President of Rescue Training Inc., a private EMS training institute established in 1992 and dedicated to preparing high-performing emergency medical professionals. With more than 30 years of field and leadership experience, Dave is recognized as a leading voice in EMS education, operations, and tactical medicine. Dave began his career with Chatham County EMS, where he served for eight years as a frontline provider. He went on to co-found and lead a Level I Trauma Center-based Helicopter & EMS program (MedStar/LIFESTAR), which became the largest EMS and air medical transport agency in South Georgia. Over a 16-year span in EMS administration, he oversaw the development and growth of multiple operational divisions, gaining recognition for both service innovation and personnel development. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Management and maintains active certification as a Nationally Registered Paramedic (NRP). Dave is a Georgia Level II EMS Instructor, a Tactical Medic Instructor, and a licensed Paramedic in both Georgia and Florida. His instructional focus emphasizes operational readiness, clinical excellence, and leadership in high-stakes environments. Dave remains highly engaged in the public safety community through his work with the Chatham County Medical Reserve Corps, the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), and the Chatham County EMS Advisory Council. Additionally, he is a licensed U.S. Coast Guard Captain (Charter boat) and an FAA-certified Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) Pilot, bringing a unique perspective on emerging technologies and multi-disciplinary response. He continues to teach, consult, and present on topics including EMS operations, trauma care, tactical field medicine, and organizational leadership. His contributions to EMS education are marked by a deep commitment to integrity, innovation, and student success.
In 1984, Dr. Shields moved to Savannah to join Emergency Medical Group at Memorial Medical Center. While at MMC he served as Medical Director of the Emergency Department and Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine, and served on many hospital committees including Medical Executive, Occurrence Screening, Utilization Review, Critical Care, and Trauma.
At the end of 1997, Dr. Shields left MMC to help establish SouthCoast UrgentCare. In early 1999 he was recruited to join the expanding group of physicians at GEA. Dr. Shields was Board Certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) in 1984, and re-certified in 1994. He also serves as an Oral Board Examiner for ABEM. He is a member and Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. He has held numerous offices with the Georgia College of Emergency Physicians including a two-year term as President. He currently serves on the GCEP Board of Directors.
RTI began teaching the EMT-Tactical® program in 2002 after the CONTOMS (Counter Narcotics and Tactical Operations Medical Support) program lost its funding to continue the course. Savannah SWAT having a need for additional tactical medics in the local area and RTI having qualified staff, developed the first local EMT-T® course. Since then the program has developed into one of the most sought after TEMS programs in the country.
Dave utilizes some of the best pre-hospital medical and tactical instructors in the country to help teach and train others in these (tactical medicine) life-saving procedures. RTI has conducted over 100 EMT-T® courses throughout the United States and has provided this training to members of all branches of the Military and most branches of Homeland Security in addition to agencies that provide medics to their local SWAT teams.
Questions? Call us at (912) 692-8911 or email rti@rescue1.com