OKLAHOMA CITY (September 27, 2026) - Today, Governor Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) announced that Oklahoma is sending two Type III swift water rescue teams to New Mexico to assist with flood response.

The teams include 12 Oklahoma Task Force 1 members from the Tulsa and Oklahoma City areas, along with boats, trailers, and equipment. They deployed Sunday morning in response to a request from the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

The teams will be staged in Santa Fe, NM and are expected to be deployed for up to six days depending on the duration and severity of the flood conditions.

“These Task Force 1 teams have the training, experience and equipment to help communities respond when they need it most,” said Governor Stitt. “I’m proud of these Oklahoma responders for answering the call. We’ll continue to work with New Mexico and our partners through EMAC to provide support as long as it’s needed.”

EMAC is a national mutual aid system that allows states to send personnel, equipment and commodities to help disaster relief efforts in other states. The state-to-state system was developed after Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and was established in 1996. In recent years, Oklahoma has sent state, local and tribal personnel to support EMAC requests in Arkansas, California, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and New Mexico.

“Oklahoma’s Task Force 1 teams are trained and equipped to respond when specialized rescue capabilities are needed and EMAC provides the mechanism to support our neighboring states,” said OEM Executive Director Annie Mack Vest. “We are grateful for the responders who are deploying to New Mexico and the local agencies supporting them as they assist with swift-water rescue operations.”

OEM continues to monitor additional requests from the affected areas. Further support may be deployed if needed.

Governor Stitt signed HB 4043 into law on April 23. 2026, allocating $1 million to Task Force 1 for operational costs and equipment upgrades.