DRUMRIGHT, Okla. — Twelve Oklahoma counties are still under a state of emergency due to weather conditions that could cause fires.
2 News' Isabel Flores listened to volunteer firefighters in one of these counties about how they’ve been continuing to prepare for the worst.
Jason Dobson is the Chief of the Olive Volunteer Fire Department in Creek County — one of the counties still under a state of emergency.
The department is continuing to make sure it's ready for anything.
“Now, it is just trying to recover," said Dobson. "Making sure the trucks are ready to go, full of fuel. Repairs, we had some damages done during the fire, so now we’re working on getting them repairs made.”
Olive FD responded to the devastating fire in Mannford, injuring one of their firefighters.
According to the Department of Health, 200 injuries related to fires and high winds were reported:
Dobson said the fire was very hard to control with the high-speed winds.
“It was devastating, it was heartbreaking," he said. "Our job is to get there and make the day better for somebody and unfortunately, we were struggling with that because of our weather conditions.”
More than 400 homes were burned since Friday and four Oklahoma counties each suffered one fatality.
“It was just house after house after house," said Dobson. “We just have to be ready, we have to monitor the weather sites, monitor local news, monitor emergency management. If we can keep the fires small, and contained, that means less destruction.”
The Olive Volunteer Fire Department is always looking for people willing and ready to help.
For more information, you can visit the station website here.
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