A New Jersey native is being praised as “an American hero” after rescuing nearly 200 people from catastrophic flooding in central Texas.
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, an aviation survival technician 3rd class stationed in Corpus Christi, directly saved 165 people from rising floodwaters in Kerr County, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene,” Noem said Saturday on X. “His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the @USCG.”
Ruskan, who grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Rider University in 2021, described the scene during an appearance on “Fox & Friends” the morning of July 5.
“I saw a huge crowd of about 200 kids at a campsite,” he said. “We were like, ‘Cool, that’s where we’re going to go and get as many people out as we can.’”
Torrential rains early July 4 caused the Guadalupe River to surge 26 feet in just 45 minutes, washing away homes, cars and entire campgrounds. Kerr County, located northwest of San Antonio, was among the hardest-hit areas.
Officials confirmed at least 80 deaths, including 28 children. More than 850 people were rescued in the first 36 hours, but dozens remained missing, including 10 girls from Camp Mystic, a summer camp that was destroyed by the floodwaters.
Ruskan’s LinkedIn page lists him as a rescue swimmer with the Coast Guard since 2022. His actions have drawn national attention as the region continues its recovery efforts.
How to help Texas flood victims
The Red Cross, World Central Kitchen and Kerr County Relief Fund have fundraisers set up to donate money to assist flood victims.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Scott Ruskan of NJ credited with saving nearly 200 from Texas floods