Drainage Ditch Rescue Prompts Firefighters To Warn Against Going In The Tunnels

Firefighters warn people to stay out of drainage ditches during storms after rescuing two people Tuesday.

“People underestimate the power of these waters,” said Scott Douglas, district chief with the Oklahoma City Fire Department.

Water can be calm, but it’s never constant. 

“The water levels can rise very, very rapidly,” Douglas said.

Many people find refuge under a bridge near Interstate 44 and North Pennsylvania Avenue.   

“People love to take shelter in these tunnels,” Douglas said. 

Especially people who have nowhere else to go. 

“Swift water is very dangerous,” Douglas said. 

Douglas has a message for those who listen.   

“You can find yourself in trouble really fast,” Douglas said. 

The Oklahoma City Fire Department rescued two people from a drainage ditch Tuesday morning.

“We just dropped a ladder down to them. We did send a firefighter down into the tunnel.”  

Firefighters’ efforts produced what Douglas calls the perfect rescue.  

“Everyone goes home safe,” Douglas said.

There is a fence meant to keep people out of the drainage ditch, but it doesn’t do much good when people can cut the fence.

“Until they stop, we’ll continue rescuing people from these drainage tunnels,” Douglas said. 

Oklahoma City Firefighters practice swift water rescues to save people and protect themselves. 

“We try to do our jobs very safely,” Douglas said. 

Douglas remembered a family of seven several years ago that took shelter in a drainage ditch to escape a tornado.  

“There was some torrential downfall with this tornado, and they were unable to get back out of the tunnel and they were swept downstream,” Douglas said. 

This is news rescuers don’t want to report.  

“No … unfortunately we respond to these kinds of events,” Douglas said.

That’s why Oklahoma City Firefighters prepare by land or by water 

“Swift water rescues -- rescuing people from the tunnels is just a daily part of our job, and we’re glad to do it,” Douglas said.