Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Details Central Texas Flood Rescue of 165 Children

Mission Overview

• 🎯 The initial tasking was to reach Camp Mystic, where approximately 200 campers were in need of airlift evacuation due to severe flooding.
• ⚠️ Bridges and roads were destroyed, and water levels were too high for boat rescues, making airlift the only viable option.

On-Scene Strategy

• 🧠 A crew discussion involving Scott Ruskan, Ian, Blair, and Seth determined that leaving Ruskan on scene would be the best course of action.
• 💡 This decision allowed for additional capacity on the aircrew to potentially rescue more children by fitting a couple of extra kids.

Rescue Operations

• 🚁 The aircrew, with Ian, Blair, and Seth, proceeded to a more dangerous location with a tighter landing zone.
• 👏 They successfully airlifted about 15 children from that challenging spot.
• 🤝 Meanwhile, Ruskan facilitated organization and triage on the ground at Camp Mystic, providing comfort to the children.
• ✅ A total of 165 children were ultimately evacuated from Camp Mystic via Army Blackhawk helicopters.