Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Saves 165 Lives in Texas Flood Disaster as Death Toll Climbs

U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan is being hailed a hero after saving 165 individuals during his first rescue mission in the devastating floods that struck Texas last week.

The Department of Homeland Security publicly recognized Ruskan’s efforts along with 65 other Aircrew members, including Lt. Ian Hopper, Lt. Blair Ogujiofor, and Flight Mechanic Seth Reeves for their heroism and bravery during the operation.

“I just happened to be on the duty crew,” Ruskan, a 26-year-old New Jersey native, told Good Morning America on Monday.

“We decided to leave me on scene at Camp Mystic. That was kind of our main triage site we were trying to help out with,” he recalled.

“I kind of discovered I was the only person there as far as first responders go. So I had about 200, kids mostly. All scared, terrified, cold, having probably the worst day of their life. And I just kind of needed to triage them, get them to a higher level of care and get ’em off the flood zone.”

The heroic first responder worked alongside members of the United States Army National Guard to get the people loaded and to safety.

“We kind of came up with two different landing zones. There was one off an archery field and then one in a soccer field. We were able to kind of land those 60s [rescue helicopters] in there. I was kind of the main guy as far as grabbing people,” he said.

The catastrophic flooding began on Friday, July 4th, when a massive flash flood on the Guadalupe River near Kerrville caused widespread destruction. Coast Guard assistance was requested at approximately 5:57 am when Texas A&M Task Force 1 personnel called for support with rescue operations.

In response, the Coast Guard deployed MH-65 Dolphin helicopters and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry Aircraft from Air Stations in Corpus Christi and Houston. The agency conducted 12 flights to affected areas, rescuing 15 campers from Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas. Additional rescues included three people from a mobile home community in Leander.

Captain Ulysses S. Mullins, Coast Guard Heartland District Chief of Staff, emphasized that “the preservation of life during this incident is our top priority,” highlighting the coordination between the Coast Guard and other responding agencies.

The flooding has claimed 81 lives across six counties as of Monday, July 7. Kerr County reported 68 deaths, including 40 adults and 28 children. Camp Mystic is grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors.

President Donald Trump has signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, which is located west of Austin. Multiple agencies continue to assist in the response efforts, including Texas Task Force 1, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas National Guard, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Country STAR Flight, and local police.

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