First responder trainers in Oklahoma will have an opportunity to learn safety procedures and best practices about alternative fuel vehicles on Aug. 24 and 25 at Oklahoma City Community College's Professional Development Institute.

The courses, taught by the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) are hosted by Tulsa Area Clean Cities (TACC), and are tailored to each profession. With an increased use of alternative fuel vehicles throughout Oklahoma, the chance of these new technologies being involved in a collision also increases. Fire, emergency medical services (EMS), and law enforcement personnel need to be trained on the proper procedures for safely addressing incidents involving these new technologies.

These three targeted courses feature techniques to safely respond to vehicle collisions, incidents and injuries involving alternative fuel vehicles. Additionally, the courses include information on alternative fuels, their properties and origins, and ways in which alternative fuel vehicles differ from conventionally fueled vehicles.

Developed by the NAFTC, these courses were made possible by TACC through funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Clean Cities program, and were constructed from existing NAFTC First Responder Safety Training materials.

Registration is free and open to trainers from each field - police, fire, and EMS. Trainer status will be verified. Space is limited to 20 students per class, and registration ends Aug. 5.

For more information, e-mail Daniel Jeffries at djeffries@incog.org.