The Space Rescue Corps or SRC was a branch of the Galactic Republic military and was responsible for maintaining the safety of travelers in space and would rescue those in peril.
The service did not change much with the rise of the Empire. The rescue vessels of the SRC were easily recognized by a striking red and black pattern. Likewise their uniform was black with red trim.
By the time of the Yuuzhan Vong War, the SRC had been reorganized as, or replaced by, the New Republic Search and Rescue Corps. After the Battle of Duro, SRC ships were used as a covert means of rescuing Jedi as part of the Great River project. The Catchhawks were a team that flew under the Corps.