Drawing on extensive hands-on experience in confined spaces and working at height, Dan specialises in delivering bespoke training and emergency response solutions. He has worked on complex international projects and currently manages major contracts, ensuring the safety and preparedness of rescue teams across the UK.
Meet Dan Hopper, Rescue Team Leader, Houghton-le-Spring Centre
Dan is a Rescue Team Leader at MRS Training & Rescue, where he has served since 2013. He began his career as an industrial cleaner, regularly working in confined spaces for six years—a role that provided him with extensive industry knowledge and practical experience.
Upon joining MRS, Dan was deployed to a challenging 18-month contract involving an FPSO refurbishment and a 60m high offshore jacket at a northeast shipyard. During this time, he gained first-hand rescue experience responding to various incidents, including fires, trauma, and falls from height. This included deploying under air to search accommodation blocks during emergencies.
Dan later joined the underground mines rescue team, utilising closed-circuit breathing apparatus and participating in national mock rescues, a role he takes great pride in, contributing to the rich history of the mines rescue service.
His work has also taken him abroad, including two years in Ghana providing emergency response and safety training for FPSO projects. In the Ivory Coast, he facilitated offshore rescue training and conducted mock rescues for teams onboard another FPSO. These experiences sharpened his ability to deliver specialised safety training and incident response.
In 2021, Dan was promoted to Rescue Team Leader. In this role, he oversees team deployments, conducts rescue cover audits, and ensures operational equipment is maintained to the highest standards.
He is instrumental in developing bespoke confined space and working at height training courses for utility and manufacturing clients. Alongside a colleague, Daniel manages a significant energy sector contract, training hundreds of rescue team members across the UK.
Dan holds NEBOSH and FREC 4 qualifications, enhancing his expertise in safety and first aid. He is also responsible for maintaining breathing apparatus on site and training staff in their operational checks and maintenance. His commitment to safety, training, and operational excellence continues to play a pivotal role in MRS’s mission to deliver industry-leading rescue and safety solutions.
"Dan was brilliant at presenting the PowerPoint in a way that we were involved so ease of learning. Practical side was explained perfectly and he was very friendly and helpful." - Stacey Woods
Career highlights:
- Provided training and recue cover in Ghana and Ivory Coast
- Achieved NEBOSH General Cert with distinction
- Became a member of the underground mines rescue team
- Maintained and developed a unique contract within the Energy Sector training rescue teams across the UK
- Achieved FREC level 4 Award and logged clinical hours to support the qualification
Accreditations:
- BA Hons Degree in PVD
- NEBOSH General Certificate
- IOSH Managing Safely
- FREC Level 4
- Draeger Engineer
