This story is crazy/funny but it's true that being calm is a huge lifesaver. It's why one of the elements of military training is not just learning "what to do

This story is crazy/funny but it's true that being calm is a huge lifesaver. It's why one of the elements of military training is not just learning "what to do" but also practicing those things in stressful conditions so that a habit can kick in. I have no military background but do have (and teach) a couple of outdoor hobbies that have on three occasions caused me to think that there was a high chance I would not survive. I still sporadically wake up with nightmares of them years later. Interestingly at each time my initial overwhelming thought was "I'm an idiot for letting this happen" while without really thinking I took action as I teach my students. In two cases I had a large dog with me and that was probably decisive. In all cases I was alone (not with other people, just the dog) which is also a massive risk factor. Obviously irrelevant to the Titanic case.