SCHUYLER, NE (News Channel. Nebraska) - With the recent flooding events, knowing how to rescue a person in danger can make the difference between life or death.

Nearly twenty fire and rescue members from cities like Columbus, Oxford, and Schuyler came together to participate in a water rescue training program. The purpose of the program… educate and provide hands-on rescue and safety training to better equip personnel during flood emergencies, something that fire official, Brad Sock says is necessary and has been long overdue.

“Back in March when we were flooded, that really brought it to order of what we needed to do in Schuyler,” says Schuyler Fire Department Chief, Brad Sock. "Obviously, we've got nineteen miles of river that we protect, a lot of people use this river, and you never know when this practice is going to come and have to be used."

The program caps off with participants putting the different water rescue and safety drills that they’ve learned over the course of their training to practice.

“I’m hoping that when they come into any location, that they take away safety is paramount and primarily that their safety is number one in the equation,” says Public Safety Diver Services Instructor, Bo Tibbetts. “Number two is to better protect the community and provide those services, that if the community needs them, they are well-prepared to call upon them to make a rescue."

Water rescue practices that Sock hopes his participants will never have to use.

“It's better to be proactive than have nothing, that we have no idea of what we're up against," says Sock. " And hope that all we have to do is practice and never have to use it in real life."