A rescuer is someone who saves another person or animal from danger, harm, or a difficult situation. When a firefighter carries a child out of a burning building, or a lifeguard pulls a struggling swimmer to shore, they're acting as rescuers. The Coast Guard rescues sailors stranded at sea, and mountain rescue teams search for lost hikers in dangerous terrain.

Rescuers need courage because they often put themselves at risk to help others. They also need quick thinking and special training: a wilderness rescuer needs to know first aid, navigation, and survival skills. Some rescuers, like emergency medical technicians, respond to 911 calls every day, while others, like volunteer search-and-rescue teams, drop everything when someone needs help.

The word can also describe everyday heroes. If you help your younger sibling who's stuck in a tree, you're their rescuer in that moment. Animal shelters rescue abandoned pets and find them new homes. People even talk about being “rescued” from boring situations, like when a friend rescues you from an awkward conversation at a party, though that's using the word more playfully. Rescuers are the ones who show up when someone genuinely needs saving.