This article is about International Rescue as depicted in Thunderbirds. For the organization's depiction in Thunderbirds are Go!, see International Rescue (TB2015).
- "Oh, fantastic, the way the whole thing is cloaked in mystery!"
— Kyrano's Doctor
The organisation's logo
International Rescue is a secret, non-profit organisation dedicated to saving life. Any who find themselves in danger, anywhere in the world, need only put out a call for help - on any frequency - and, from...somewhere...I.R. will hear it, and respond.
I.R. is the vision of its founder, billionaire retired astronaut Jeff Tracy; and arose from his own personal tragedy: the death of his wife, under circumstances that - had proper rescue equipment been closer to hand - she might otherwise have survived.
Jeff's five grown sons - all with their own unique technical expertise - comprise the beating heart of International Rescue...piloting the five from-sea-to-space signature Thunderbirds, along with operating additional rescue equipment capable of fantastic feats thanks to the advanced technology that I.R. possesses. Strict security is maintained - at home and in the field - to protect both the organisation itself and its many secrets...
The organisation's carefully-concealed headquarters is at Tracy Island, somewhere in the South Pacific, where the extended Tracy family resides.
Members of the Organisation
A chart showing agents around the world by country
- Jeff Tracy: Main Operative at Tracy Island Headquarters
- Scott Tracy: Pilot of Thunderbird 1, sometimes assistant astronaut of Thunderbird 3 (also on-call, as needed, for monitor duty aboard Thunderbird 5)
- John Tracy: Space Monitor of Thunderbird 5, sometimes astronaut of Thunderbird 3 (also on-call, as needed, for rescues on Earth when he's home on bi-monthly leave).
- Virgil Tracy: Pilot of Thunderbird 2, one-off astronaut of Thunderbird 3
- Gordon Tracy: Aquanaut of Thunderbird 4, sometimes co-pilot of Thunderbird 2
- Alan Tracy: Astronaut of Thunderbird 3, sometimes space monitor of Thunderbird 5, one-off pilot of Thunderbird 1
- Brains: Lead Engineer and Mechanic
- Tin-Tin Kyrano: Reserve/Engineer
International Rescue Field Agents
International Rescue also has an extensive network of field agents, scattered in locations around the world, quietly looking out for the secret organisation's interests; including:
- Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward: London-based IR Agent
- Aloysius "Nosey" Parker: London-based IR Agent
- Sir Jeremy Hodge: London/England-based IR Agent/scientist/financier
- Jeremiah Tuttle: USA southern state-based IR Agent
- Gallup Din: India/Asian-based IR Agent
- Unnamed Australia-based IR Agent
- Unnamed New Zealand-based IR Agent
- Unnamed Hawai'ian Islands-based IR Agent (presumably on the island of Oahu).
Trivia
- In I.R. lexicon, "F.A.B." is used as code for understanding an order or message. (It is not, however, a true acronym; in fact, it doesn't really stand for anything!)
- The I.R. logo - a "winged helping hand" - was designed by Eddie Hunter.