ARDMORE, OK--While the temperatures might be slightly warming up, for people who have to be outdoors, there's always risks associated with freezing temperatures. As Dara Downs reports, for the Ardmore Fire Department being outside is just part of their job.

From frozen pipes to slick spots on the road, freezing water can be an inconvenience in many way. But for firefighters it presents a unique challenge.

"We're using water. That's what we do. We don't get to change because it's cold. We just try to be more careful," said Ardmore Fire Department officer Dave Tomlinson.

Tomlinson said the department doesn't have any special tricks to keep their equipment from freezing. He simply makes sure that water is constantly flowing through their hoses. One of the biggest changes the department makes for freezing temperatures is keeping a close eye on how much extra water their putting on the ground.

"We try to spray less water because the more water we put on the ground, if we're anywhere for any length of time, is hazardous to us."

With exposure to freezing weather for long periods of time comes the risk of frostbite or hypothermia. The Ardmore Fire Department wears extra layers, gloves, and hoods to keep themselves as covered up as much as possible. Tomlinson said while the cold weather can be inconvenient for the department, it doesn't change how they do their job.

"Our mission is the same. We're fighting fire. We're running medical calls. We're running accidents. We don't change what we take and we don't change what we do."

And Tomlinson said something most people don't consider is insulating the pipes that run to their fire sprinkler systems because those pipes, like any others, are likely to freeze.