Which option best describes a direct rescue?

• A. Using a floating object to support the victim before extraction.
• B. Waiting for the victim to reach shore on their own.
• C. Pulling the person directly from the water.
• D. Rescuing the victim to a buoyant surface before any water contact.

Answer: (C)

Direct rescue means you make contact with the victim in the water and physically pull them out to safety in one uninterrupted action. Pulling the person directly from the water fits this description because there’s no intermediate aid or surface used before extraction—the rescuer uses direct contact to remove the victim. The other options rely on an intermediary aid or passive waiting, which means the rescuer isn’t performing a direct withdrawal from the water.