You have likely heard about the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico this morning. The rig has 13 workers on it, who all jumped into the seas once the explosion occurred. All 13 of them were rescued by the Coast Guard within a rather short period of time.

The training of the crew on the Mariner Energy oil rig is being applauded today, as all 13 of the survivors are said to have put on gumby suits before leaping into the seas. Gumby suits are a type of survival suit worn on the seas. The suit is usually bright orange or red, and keeps the water out, sort of like a dry suit. The gumby suit, will also have several air bubbles in it to act as a flotation device, and usually is constructed of fire-retardant neoprene, with reflective strips on the arms, legs and head of the suit.

Although the suits may not have meant the difference between life or death today, it certainly shows that the crew on the rig were well prepared and trained for emergency situations.