ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Coast Guard Station Sand Key, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Pinellas County Sheriff, Pasco County Sheriff, Sarasota County Sheriff, Manatee County Sheriff, and Venice Police department marine units held a joint training exercise off Sand Key, Florida, June 7, 2023. The crews trained in hoist operations with a MH 60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from the Station Sand Key response boat and with their own vessels. Hoisting a person off a vessel is one of the worst-case scenarios on the water. It is important to train before the emergency so rescue boat operators will know how their vessel will respond to rotor wash and ensure communication between the helicopter crew and vessel is streamlined.