Oklahoma firefighters adopt new techniques to combat wildfires
By Olivia Hickey
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EDMOND, Oklahoma (KOCO) — As fire season kindles in Oklahoma, Edmond firefighters are practicing new techniques to fight the wildfires that continue to pop up weekly, drawing inspiration from methods used across the country.
“We have to change the way we fight the fires,” Edmond Fire Chief Terry Essary said.
The department is focusing on learning new ways to tackle the wildfires that are increasingly affecting middle America.
“We’re implementing some of the tactics the West Coast firefighters use here for the wildfires we’re starting to experience in middle America,” Essary said.
On Tuesday, firefighters spent time both in the classroom and out in the field, honing their skills with a new tool called a progressive hose pack.
This tool, while commonly used in other states, is new to Edmond Fire and not yet standard practice in Oklahoma.
“What it allows us to do is stretch our lined out. It can go out thousands of feet, and we won’t be going that far, but it can get us in places normally we wouldn’t be able to get to from a regular engine,” Essary said.
Firefighters believe that implementing these tactics can protect both land and homes.
“We’re going to have a yearly component of wildfire fighting tactics, and we’re going to polish up the tactics we already learned and add new ones as we go forward,” Essary said. “One of those things is learning how to triage homes and prepare homes for when wildfire does come—they’re more likely to survive the flame front.”
Essary also stressed the importance of prevention.
“Everything is dry. There’s fuel everywhere, so please, if you’re going to burn, please be very careful,” Essary said.
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