What is the primary goal of a swiftwater rescue operation?

The primary goal of a swiftwater rescue operation is to save lives. Swiftwater rescue teams are deployed in response to emergencies in moving water environments, such as rivers or flood situations, where individuals may be in immediate danger due to strong currents, rising water levels, or other perilous conditions. The emphasis during these operations is on safeguarding human life.

While recovering equipment, documenting the event, and securing the area can be components of the operation, they are secondary to the primary mission of ensuring the safety and survival of victims at risk. The urgency of the situations encountered in swiftwater rescue scenarios often dictates that the priority is to act quickly and effectively to reach and extricate people from danger, thereby making life preservation the foremost concern.