Tulsa Firefighters Conduct Water Emergency Response Training On Arkansas River

Tulsa firefighters trained on the Illinois River on Wednesday to learn how to respond to emergencies on the water.

They worked on techniques to rescue people in quick-moving bodies of water like rivers.

The firefighters also took classes and went through exercises learning about hydrology and how to use the water to actually help during a rescue.

Tulsa Fire Captain Matt Bell said it's important for first responders to practice these skills to make sure they're always prepared.

"We experience a lot of flooding in Oklahoma and so it's important for them to develop those skillsets so as people call or request 911 when they find themselves in floodwater, our firefighters are prepared to respond to those," Capt. Bell said.

The team will continue its swift water training the rest of this week, including at the new flume on the Arkansas River in Tulsa.