Oklahoma Firefighters Needing Drinks And Snacks; But Now Saying No To Energy Drinks

November typically kicks off a long dormant season for when wildfires are most active in Oklahoma, with the threat remaining through March.

During that time frame, Arcadia Fire Chief Robert Davis says his firefighters will often spend hours on a call.

“It's bound to happen,” he said. “And that's our season right now. It's coming.”

His department is almost always in need of water, snacks, and electrolytes for its crews. 

But a recent decision from the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association is advising against caffeinated energy drinks.

“We're discouraging the use of energy drinks right now with firefighters due to some recent line of duty deaths up in Kansas,” said Sheri Nickel, deputy director for the association. “So, it's important that they have water, Gatorade. Those are the most important things.”

The need weighs heavier for volunteers, or mostly volunteer departments like Arcadia's.

“We can save our budget on those things and use the things that people bring us instead of using our budget on it,” Davis said.

The state association's ban is being enforced at training, but firefighters are recommended to monitor their consumption.