Who is Scott Ruskan? NJ Coast Guard officer saves kids at Camp Mystic, Texas flooding

New Jersey native and Coast Guard Petty Officer Scott Ruskan was sent on his first mission to central Texas to assist with catastrophic flooding during July 4th weekend and is now being dubbed an “American hero.”

Ruskan, a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer from Oxford, New Jersey, is being credited with saving 165 kids and camp counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp where around 200 children were trapped by rising flood waters.

The death toll reached over 100 on July 8 as search and rescue operations continued after heavy rainfall overwhelmed the Guadalupe River, which sent floodwaters through homes and summer camps. President Donald Trump said Monday he plans to visit the ravaged southern state this week.

Here’s what to know about Ruskan, his NJ connection and the latest on the devastating floods.

Who is Scott Ruskan?

Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan is a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer from Oxford Township in Warren County. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, with a minor in Homeland Security Policy, from Rider University in 2021, according to his LinkedIn page. He is a 2017 graduate of Warren Hills High School, who recognized their alumnus in a Facebook post.

What did Ruskan do?

Scott Ruskan was on his first rescue mission in Texas during the catastrophic floods when he was credited with rescuing 165 people, mostly kids from Camp Mystic, as floodwaters burst through homes and campsites.

Ruskan told Good Morning America he had “about 200 kids all scared and terrified, cold, probably having the worst day of their life,” explaining that he relied on the high-level training he received as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer to bring victims to safety.

Ruskan has been stationed at US Coast Guard Station Corpus Christi, about 210 miles from Kerrville in central Texas, where the Guadalupe River flooded its banks. He told GMA it took nearly six hours to reach the flood zone due to the weather, and once he landed, he was the only certified rescue swimmer on scene at Camp Mystic.

Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, dubbed Ruskan an “American hero” in a post on the X platform, remarking that it was Ruskan’s “first rescue mission of his career and the only triage coordinator on scene.”

“His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the USCG,” she added.

Where is Oxford NJ?

Oxford, New Jersey, is a township in Warren County and spans just six square miles. It is in the northwest portion of New Jersey and has a population of around 2,400, according to 2020 US Census data.

Camp Mystic updates today

Among those killed in the Texas floods are at least 27 children and counselors from the storied Camp Mystic, a Christian girls camp in Kerr County, Texas, where flooding hit hard during July 4th weekend, according to USA Today. Ten Mystic campers and one counselor remained unaccounted for as of Tuesday morning, July 8.

Texas flood death toll

The death toll in the Texas floods was at least 104 people, including at least 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic, as of Tuesday morning, according to USA Today, where live updates are being provided.

When is Trump going to Texas?

President Donald Trump said he would visit Texas on Friday, July 11 as the state reels from devastating floods that left 100 people dead over the July 4th weekend. Trump confirmed his trip with reporters during a White House dinner Monday night with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Texas was just so badly hurt by something that was a big surprise, late in the evening,” Trump said. “So, we’ll be working with the governor and all of the people of Texas. We’ll be going on Friday.”

Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.