Mario Vittone retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2013 after 22 years of service as a helicopter rescue swimmer and maritime accident investigator. He is a leading expert on immersion hypothermia, drowning, sea survival, and safety at sea. His writing has appeared in Yachting Magazine, Soundings, SaltWater Sportsman, The Washington Post, Slate.com, and Reader’s Digest. He has developed courses for municipal rescue teams and the military on search and rescue tactics and open ocean survival. His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross for Extraordinary Heroism. He is a former Coast Guard Enlisted Person of the Year and winner of the Alex Haley Award for Journalism. He lives and works in Apollo Beach, Florida as the general manager of Lifesaving Systems Corp. Mario has served on the JCMF board since 2012.