Mike Maggard

Michael Maggard began his career in emergency services at an early age. Years passed, and Michael realized he would be more fulfilled with an occupation that allowed even further opportunity to save lives. With decades of search and rescue missions, remote emergency medicine experience, and professional EMT and Paramedic certifications, Michael has unique skills to offer his students as an Instructor for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Search and Rescue program.

Since becoming active in the Search and Rescue community, Michael has participated in over 300 searches, including technical, mountain, water, and cave rescues across the state of Virginia. Michael’s involvement in such a wide variety of crisis and disaster situations provided the opportunity to give back by teaching others.

He is not only the coordinator of Black Diamond Search and Rescue, but Michael is also one of the founding members. Black Diamond specializes in search management, use of trained canine and equine in searches, and wilderness ground searches. With over 30 years of live mission operational experience, Michael has been able to integrate these skills with a multitude of tactical high consequence situational responses. Michael’s understanding is that training and response take dedication. He has dedicated most of his life to saving others and has never given up on any mission, even the few unsolved.

When Michael isn’t prepping for a mission or searching for someone's loved one, he enjoys his quiet time in the mountains. Hiking, camping, and foraging wild edibles make him happy and find peace in the wilderness of Virginia. To evidence his love for the mountains, Michael’s favorite quote, when asked, is:

“Mountaintops inspire leaders, but valleys mature them.”

– Winston Churchill