Dive team members from three Suncoast law enforcement agencies jumped from a helicopter into Nathan Benderson Park's lake on Friday, Aug. 21, then practiced something new: getting hoisted back out.

The biannual helicopter-and-dive training brought together the Sarasota Police Department, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office and the Manatee County Sheriff's Office for helocasting and hoisting drills over the park's open water. Previous iterations of the exercise only involved deploying personnel from the aircraft into the water. This year, a new helicopter recently acquired by the Sheriff's Office made the hoisting extraction possible for the first time.

Sgt. Kenton Montegna, SPD's dive team leader, described the experience of leaping from the aircraft at roughly 10 to 15 feet above the surface while wearing fins and a mask.

"It was actually pretty interesting and exhilarating to jump out of a helicopter and into the water," Montegna told WWSB. "We haven't done it with full gear yet but it's still from a height of about 10-15 feet down into the water with fins and a mask on."

Montegna said the hoisting capability could prove critical during hurricanes, high-water rescues or any scenario where shore or boat access is cut off.

The Sarasota Police Department said on X that as a coastal community, helicopter deployment or extraction can be critical when dive locations are not safely accessible by boat. The department asked for the community's patience during the exercise, noting it strengthens readiness for hurricanes, flooding and water-related emergencies.

The Sheriff's Office posted that its aviation and dive units "joined forces" with SPD and the Manatee County Sheriff's Office for the helicopter-water entry training.

The drill came during hurricane season.

A separate swiftwater and flood rescue training also ran on Aug. 21 at Coquina Beach, involving SPD, the Town of Longboat Key, the Sheriff's Office and Manatee County Public Safety lifeguards.

The helicopter-and-dive exercise is held twice a year. No date has been announced for the next session.