Houston Chronicle

Jason Holt (third from left) lunges onto a life raft after swimming 75 yards in boots and full air crew gear during a training exercise for the USCG Air Station Houston crew members Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010, at Clear Lake Park in Seabrook. Crew members participated in a refresher training course structured around the proper utilization of various survival gear including pyrotechnics. "The importance of this training is to bring light to a situation we hope never happens; where the rescuers become the ones needing rescue. We work in a dangerous environment and mishaps do happen. The ability to survive depends on a number of factors, one of which is survival training. The is why Air Station Houston and every other air station in the Coast Guard performs these drills every calendar year," said Chief Petty Officer Kurt Revels, Air Station Houston aviation survival technician. ( Michael Paulsen / Houston Chronicle ) (Photo by Michael Paulsen/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)