India, July 7 -- Scott Ruskan, a 26-year-old rescue swimmer with the US Coast Guard, is being celebrated as an "American hero" for saving 165 individuals during his inaugural rescue mission amidst devastating floods in Central Texas. He was transferred from Oxford, New Jersey, to Camp Mystic, a girls' summer camp severely affected by the flash floods of the Guadalupe River. The river rose 26 feet in just one hour, washing away vehicles, homes, and campsites.

Stationed in Corpus Christi, Ruskan was not only a rescue swimmer on duty but also the sole triage coordinator at the location. Twelve helicopters from the Coast Guard, National Guard, and US Army airlifted victims while Scott Ruskan organized emergency medical treatment for those sa...