Oklahoma Task Force 1 Completes Helicopter Rescue Training

Oklahoma Task Force 1 completed its helicopter rescue training on Thursday.

Organizers said this is one of the more challenging and high risk exercises the task force does.

"We can do urban search and rescue, swift water boat teams, we can do of course the helicopter search and rescue team, we've got the K9's to do searches," said rescue coordinator Terry Sivadon.

The team practiced on helicopter rescues, practicing saving people from balconies and school buses.

Sivadon said the team pushes the limits to make sure they can respond in all elements.

"There are wind speeds that we won't train in, but maybe for a rescue they may get up and go the extra mile and make that happen," he said.

He said this great training for the work they do in the state, for water rescues or responding to tornado damage, but also for the work they do outside of Oklahoma, when responding to natural disasters.

"August is hurricane season, it's approaching so we want to be ready, so if a disaster or a storm hits, we're ready to be deployed," he said.

Sivadon said this is important training to make sure the team is prepared.

"I think we are as ready as any FEMA team out there, Cause we train, we've got the manpower and the equipment to do it," he said.

He said the team does training exercises similar to this one, once a month.