About Us
FOUNDED ON RESCUE, BUILT ON EXPERIENCE
If we say something is going to fail, that’s because we’ve seen it fail. If we say something is going to work, that’s because we’ve seen it work.
Founded on Rescue, Built on Experience
Recon Response Engineering began life not as an engineering firm, but as an Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) training consultant.
Our mission was to teach firefighters to perform rapid assessments of damaged buildings in danger of structural collapse. We also were accepted to the State of Florida’s US&R Task Force and were deployed for rescue operations on multiple hurricanes as well as the Surfside (Champion Towers) collapse.
Along the way, we recognized that when human lives are endangered there is little room for unnecessarily complicated explanation, or for ego. We learned to “cut the crap” and prefer short, crisp, site-specific guidance tailored for its intended audience.
Our background has given us a unique vantage point. We’ve seen what happens when building structures encounter the worst adverse loading that they will likely ever experience – and whether they have collapsed or not. If we say something is going to work, that’s because we’ve seen it work. This helps our clients optimize their limited budgets through prudent application of funds. They can feel confident that they’re applying their budget where it will do the most good.
Why We're Different
Our experience working as General Contractors and First Responders has shaped our approach to problem solving:
If it’s not functional,
forget it.
Our engineering specifications are intended to be less bulky and more useful.
We’re not here to listen to ourselves talk.
Talk to us about what you think you want, and we will help you get there.
No more nerd-speak.
If we can’t explain something simply, that means we don’t understand it well enough yet.
By continually reinforcing these tenets, we save everyone time, effort, and energy while providing a superior product.
Our perspective, influenced by our background in the search-and-rescue community, has a validity and reality-checked authenticity that not every engineer has the privilege to possess.
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Services
- Structural surveys of existing conditions
- Condominium milestone inspection
- Inspections of roofs, walkways, balconies, and exterior walls
- Settlement and Wind damage investigations
- Construction observations and inspections for general conformance
- Production of construction contract documents
- Inspections for delaminated stucco, concrete, paint coatings, and waterproofing
- Expert witness engineering consultation
- Insurance claims Assistance
- Structural repair consultation
- Production of engineered permit drawings, engineering specifications and project manuals
The Team
Andrew Schrader
Founder
Andrew Schrader is a Florida-board recognized Structural Engineer (FRSE) as well as a Special Inspector of Threshold Buildings (SI). He serves as the lead engineer for the State of Florida’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces. He has been deployed for four separate hurricane events as well as the Champlain Towers (Surfside) building collapse in 2021. He earned his bachelors and masters degrees in Civil-Structural Engineering from the University of South Florida.
Marc Shen
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Marc is a United States Marine Corps veteran who has worked in the private sector and government sectors. His background is in the industrial power generation field and specializing refuel/defuel projects of nuclear power stations. Mr. Shen is a ICC Certified Permit Technician as well as an ICRI Concrete Repair Technician. In his off time Marc enjoys time with his new bride and is an accomplished waterman. He has completed the 32-mile open ocean endurance paddleboard race, The Catalina Classic, the 22 mile Rock to Rock Race as well as the the 32 Mile Chattajack Race.
HAL DEERING
Engineering Technician
Hal brings solid experience and expertise as an Engineer Technician. He is an International Code Council (ICC) Certified Permit Technician as well as an International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) Concrete Surface Repair Technician. In addition to his professional endeavors, Hal is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommerliers. He enjoys spending time fishing the waters of Tampa Bay and most of all spending time with his family.
Amanda DeCort
Assistant to Operations
Amanda DeCort has worked in administrative and executive assistant roles throughout her career. She is fluent in report production, spreadsheets, research, presentations, and project management and has worked as a direct assistant to multiple CEOs and business owners.
Ms. DeCort is an ICC Certified Permit Technician and is currently working towards accreditation as a state-licensed Home Inspector. She is also an avid swing dancer, creator of the social and charity group Tampa Bay Cherry Bombs, and a founding member of the Battlin’ Betties, a veterans service organization.
