Randy Gerke was raised in northern Indiana. From an early age he used most of his free time exploring the hardwood forests near his home. Family vacations were spent each summer traveling the country, hiking and camping in different wild places. The cold winters of the midwest brought the adventures of blizzards, ice storms, ice skating, hockey, building snow forts, and the challenge of staying warm. All of these experiences have led to his passion for the outdoors and a desire to share the things he's learned with others.

Since 1978, Randy Gerke has been teaching survival and rescue techniques to the general public and groups from corporations and government agencies. He is a former captain and a member of the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team in Ouray, Colorado, and a graduate of Brigham Young University. He has been a technical advisor to the television programs Rescue 911 and Worst-Case Scenario. He has been personally involved in many search-and-rescue operations in a variety of terrains and weather conditions during every season of the year.

Gerke is the founder and owner of Enviro-Tech International at www.etisurvival.com, a company devoted to teaching wilderness survival, high angle rope rescue, tower climbing safety and rescue, snowcat safety, wilderness medicine, and aircraft crew survival. Gerke has taught survival and rescue courses from Maine to Washington state, and Europe. His clients have included the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Air Force, U.S Navy, Verizon Wireless, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

When not working he enjoys mountaineering, ice climbing, hiking, cycling and playing acoustic music on the guitar and 5-string banjo.

Gerke lives with his wife Kay in Montrose, Colorado.