PTP Highlight: TEAM-1 Academy

TEAM-1 Academy is a Safety & Rescue training and Product Sales company focusing in the areas of Work at Height/Rescue, Confined Space Entry/Rescue and HazMat. TEAM-1 Academy conducts over 1300 training courses annually across North America.

As part of a new 2023 series highlighting the Petzl Technical Partner Program, we’re featuring a different Partner each month. The PTP Program aims to develop a diverse network of training company partners and recognized leaders that can help Petzl promote our products and solutions to a wide variety of industries and end-users. Our PTPs are recognized experts, companies, or individuals in vertical environments that demonstrate a thorough understanding of their respective industry, contribute to the development of best practices, and meaningfully integrate Petzl into their systems and curriculum. 

Inducted as a PTP in 2020, TEAM-1 Academy is a Safety & Rescue training and Product Sales company focusing in the areas of Work at Height/Rescue, Confined Space Entry/Rescue and HazMat. TEAM-1 Academy conducts over 1300 training courses annually across North America.

Petzl recently spoke with Scott Connor, Chief of Training of TEAM-1 Academy, about their company and partnership with Petzl. 

To contact TEAM-1 Academy about their services, email info@team1academy.com.

What is your company’s mission statement?
Our mission is to keep workers safe and productive on the job, by offering customers timely service and expertise.

Briefly describe your company’s history. 
TEAM-1 originally started out as a HazMat Response/Stand-by Rescue company, responding to hundreds of incidents a year. The company evolved to TEAM-1 Academy Inc., simply focusing on Safety & Rescue Training and Product Sales in the areas of Work at Height/Rescue, Confined Space Entry/Rescue, and HazMat-- since those were our main areas of expertise in the field. 

TEAM-1 Academy conducts over 1300 training courses annually across North America and is ISO9001, ISO45001, and GWO accredited. In early 2022, TEAM-1 Academy Inc. became part of the GME Supply group of companies. We have training centers in Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, Missouri, Texas, and California.

How is your company a leader for those you serve?
Our focus has always been quality and practical training for our customers. The safety of customers' employees is paramount. We treat every one of our customers' employees like they are one of our own. All our customer facility managers and safety managers know we will provide them with quality training, products, and advice. We will do anything to help our customers succeed.

What does success look like to your company? 
Success to me is maintaining our reputation as the gold standard for training services and product sales. With the expertise and resources of GME Supply, it can only strengthen our ability to provide an even higher level of service to our customers.

What is your favorite part about being a Petzl Technical Partner?
We have been working with Petzl in some capacity for many years. I have been using Petzl gear all the way back to my rock climbing days back in high school. I have always been impressed with the quality and style of the gear, and am always excited to see what innovative new products Petzl is coming out with. For example, when I started to get involved in professional rope rescue back in the days of figure 8’s and bar racks, I always thought how handy it would be if Petzl made a GRIGRI for professional rescue, since the equipment we were using made many simple rescues very complicated. The day the I’D was introduced, this was exactly what I was dreaming of. The newest version of the I’D is simply incredible, and with the MAESTRO, rescues can be done much safer and proficiently.

What is your favorite Petzl product? Why?
It is so hard to pick just one. The I’D, MAESTRO, and JAG System haul kits are definitely in the top 3.

We use the JAG System 1m and 5m haul kits on a daily basis in both our wind turbine and telecom rescue courses, and have really been able to make all our rescue evolutions safer, quicker, and more efficient.