Four rescue swimmers from Tulsa and three rescue swimmers from the Oklahoma City area are leaving soon to assist with teams responding to Hurricane Florence.
The members are part of a federal Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team known as "Oklahoma Task Force 1."
The rescue swimmers are paired up with the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s helicopter teams.
Officials said the group has trained together for the past year across the state in flash flooding response and urban search and rescue.
After the crew got the call to assist with Hurricane Florence efforts, they had three hours to mobilize and respond.
Oklahoma Task Force 1 also has a 70 person unit that can perform rescue missions from the ground.
The groups last major deployment was for Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Apple and Android and Kindle devices.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.