Higgins and Langley Memorial Awards
in Swiftwater Rescue

The Higgins and Langley Memorial Awards in Swiftwater Rescue honor outstanding achievement in the technical rescue discipline of swiftwater and flood rescue. They are not heroism awards, but rather recognize preparedness, teamwork, and a job well done, sometimes under extreme conditions, where training is vital to the success of rescue missions, as well as the safety of rescue personnel.

The awards were established in 1993 by members of the Swiftwater Rescue Committee of the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) in honor of Earl Higgins, a writer and filmmaker who lost his life in 1980 while rescuing a child who was swept down the flood-swollen Los Angeles River, and Jeffrey Langley, a Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighter-paramedic and swiftwater rescue pioneer, who lost his life in a helicopter incident in 1993.

There are several award categories. The Higgins and Langley Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Swiftwater Rescue is the premier, internationally-recognized award for excellence in swiftwater and flood rescue. The Program Development Award honors programs that define "state of the art" deployment for swiftwater and flood rescue, and can be considered international models for the science. Incident, and Special Commendation Awards recognize individual contributions, as well as teamwork. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have made a significant, lasting and continuous impact in the field of swiftwater rescue.

The Awards are presented during the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) Conference, followed by presentations at the local level.

Donations to the Higgins & Langley Memorial and Education Fund: a 501(c)3 non-profit organization: Checks made out to the Higgins & Langley Memorial and Education Fund may also be mailed to: