Oklahoma State University Fire Service Training will bring first responders from across the country to Oklahoma City Aug. 24-28 for the 2026 Swiftwater Conference and Championship Games at RIVERSPORT’s Whitewater Center.

The five-day event gives firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, urban search and rescue teams and military personnel an opportunity to sharpen the skills needed to respond to some of the most dangerous and unpredictable emergencies they face.

Hosted in partnership with RIVERSPORT, the conference combines classroom instruction led by OSU Fire Service Training with hands-on exercises in a controlled whitewater environment designed to replicate conditions responders may encounter during floods and other water emergencies.

Participants will work through realistic rescue scenarios and advanced techniques, including raft flips, vehicle rescues and tension diagonal operations. The training is designed to strengthen technical rescue skills and the rapid decision-making required when conditions can change in seconds.

“Swiftwater is so dangerous because conditions can change rapidly,” said Greg Merrell, lead instructor for surface and swiftwater courses with OSU Fire Service Training. “The current and routing of water are dynamic, and the ability to ‘read’ the water is paramount for safety and rescue success.”

Swiftwater rescue training has become increasingly important for emergency responders in Oklahoma and beyond. Flash flooding is a recurring hazard in the state, and rescues in moving water can place victims and responders at significant risk.

Merrell said one of the greatest dangers is underestimating the speed and power of moving water.

“A lot of people grew up around water, so they don’t always respect the speed and power of swiftwater and the additional dangers,” Merrell said. “As the speed of water doubles, the force quadruples. Swiftwater is the most common technical rescue that first responders will face in their careers. It’s not if it will occur, it’s when it will occur.”

RIVERSPORT’s Whitewater Center provides responders with an unusual training environment where they can practice complex rescues in powerful, moving water while instructors control the conditions. The facility has become a key part of OSU Fire Service Training’s effort to provide realistic, experience-based instruction that responders can take back to their communities.

“Working with OSU Fire Service Training has shown us how valuable it is to bring different areas of expertise together,” said RIVERSPORT Executive Director Chris Sorensen.

“We've learned so much from the instructors and first responders who come through RIVERSPORT and their experience continues to shape how we approach safety on the water. We're proud to be part of a growing partnership that brings people from across the country to Oklahoma City to learn from one another and share best practices.”

Through programs such as the Swiftwater Conference and Championship Games, OSU advances the university’s land-grant mission by providing first responders with practical education, advanced training and resources that help them better protect the communities they serve.

OSU Fire Service Training has helped organize the annual swiftwater conference since 2022. The event has grown into an international training opportunity, drawing participants and instructors with experience in major floods, hurricanes, urban search and rescue deployments and other large-scale emergencies.

That range of experience is central to the program. Instructors are selected for their active field experience and ability to prepare students for hazards and challenges they may encounter during rescue operations. The conference also gives responders from different agencies and regions an opportunity to exchange strategies, techniques and lessons learned.

“This training is provided by an instructor cadre that includes OSU Fire Service Training instructors and subject-matter experts from across the country,” Merrell said. “They bring real-world experience from local, state and national deployments into each skill station and scenario, providing attendees with unique and expert training.”

Merrell said the goal is for participants to leave with knowledge they can immediately put to use in their own departments and agencies.

“The lessons learned will provide skills and knowledge that attendees can bring back to their own organizations,” Merrell said. “This conference will save lives — the lives of victims and rescuers alike.”

The week will conclude Friday, Aug. 28, with the RIVERSPORT Swiftwater Championship Games from 1 to 4:30 p.m. The competition will challenge individual responders and teams to demonstrate their technical rescue abilities in RIVERSPORT’s whitewater environment.

The championship games are open to first responders nationwide. Spectators are encouraged to attend, and media are invited to cover the competition.