Meet Megan: The Heart Behind Ready Set Rescue Training

If you had asked me as a little girl what I wanted to be when I grew up, I wouldn’t have hesitated—I wanted to be a nurse.

Some of my earliest memories are sitting beside my grandparents during their hospital stays. While I certainly noticed the medical care they received, what left the biggest impression on me was the nurses. They weren’t just caring for my grandparents; they cared for our entire family. They brought comfort during some of our hardest moments. They were calm when everyone else felt overwhelmed, and I knew from a young age that I wanted to be that person for someone else.

As a teenager, I became a lifeguard, and that’s where I discovered my love for emergency medicine. Anytime there was a rescue or emergency, I wanted to be involved. I thrived in the unknown, in the moments where quick thinking and teamwork could truly make a difference.

The road to becoming a registered nurse wasn’t always easy. Like many people pursuing their dreams, there were obstacles along the way. But every challenge only reinforced that this was exactly where I was meant to be.

After becoming an RN, I found my home in the Emergency Department. Over the years I gained experience caring for everything from minor injuries to life-threatening trauma. Emergency nursing taught me to think critically, stay calm under pressure, and always put the patient first.

One of the greatest opportunities of my career came when I joined Rush’s Mobile Stroke Unit. Being part of one of the nation’s pioneering mobile stroke programs was nothing short of incredible. I’ll never forget administering thrombolytic therapy (tPA) in the field for the first time and watching a patient’s stroke symptoms begin to resolve right before my eyes. Knowing that someone would walk away with their quality of life because of rapid intervention is a feeling I’ll carry with me forever.

Ironically, the Mobile Stroke Unit changed my life in another way too—that’s where I met my husband, Alec.

We connected almost immediately, and before long, we were building a life together. We married, welcomed our son Declan, and have been partners ever since—both at home and in business.

As my clinical career progressed, I became a charge nurse, then an assistant nurse manager at a Level II Trauma Center. I loved leading teams, mentoring nurses, and finding ways to improve patient care. Still, I knew I wanted to make an even greater impact, so I stepped into nursing leadership as a Director of Nursing. That experience broadened my perspective on healthcare, education, and the importance of developing confident, well-trained clinicians.

Today, I’m proud to serve as the ICU Manager of a busy critical care unit, where I continue to lead incredible nurses, support professional development, and advocate for excellence in patient care. Every day reinforces just how important high-quality education and preparation are—because when emergencies happen, training matters.

Ironically, it was during my time as a Director of Nursing that Ready Set Rescue Training was born.

I simply needed to schedule CPR classes for my staff.

What should have been an easy task quickly became frustrating. I realized there was a significant gap in accessible, high-quality CPR training throughout the western suburbs. Alec was already an instructor through his fire department, but due to logistics, they couldn’t provide the training our facility needed.

Now, anyone who knows us will probably laugh at what happened next.

Our friends have always joked that I’m Alec’s biggest supporter. He comes up with an idea—sometimes a little crazy—and without much hesitation, I usually say, “Let’s do it.”

One day he looked at me and said, “You know…there really aren’t companies out here offering what we can. I think we could do this.”

And just like that, Ready Set Rescue Training was born.

Neither of us has a business degree, but we were fortunate to grow up watching our parents build successful businesses. Between that experience, countless hours of research, and a shared passion for education, we built a company dedicated to teaching real-world, practical lifesaving skills.

Has it been easy? Absolutely not.

I work full-time (and then some) as an ICU Manager. I’m a mom to an energetic four-year-old, three wonderfully rambunctious dogs, and I do my best to keep up with our home—although I’ll be the first to admit the laundry never seems to end. (To be fair, Alec would probably tell you he does more of it than I do!)

There’s also an unspoken rule in the fire service: things only seem to go wrong when your firefighter spouse is at the station.

Trust me—that one’s true.

Despite the busy schedules and long days, I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything.

Ready Set Rescue Training combines nearly 30 years of real-world emergency medicine, nursing, and fire service experience. We don’t just teach from a textbook—we teach from experience. Every class is filled with practical insight, real scenarios, and skills you can confidently apply when someone needs help most.

At the end of the day, that’s why we’re here.

Because emergencies don’t wait.

And neither should your training.