This article describes the procedures used and the lessons learned from the Oklahoma City bombing in April 1995.
Oklahoma City followed the Incident Command System (ICS), a nationally recognized system that establishes a framework for an organized response to a disaster, as well as a predetermined chain of command. The ICS is especially important for multi- agency response, because it defines each agency's role. It also establishes administrative positions and assigns each position appropriate duties. For the police, one of the more important tasks is to determine the agency's role and incorporate it into the city's emergency operations plan. Education and training are the two most important aspects of critical incident management. The Oklahoma City bombing taught some lessons about what is needed in these areas. Policies for emergency efforts should encompass treating the site of the emergency also as a crime scene. Further, police and firefighters should train together regularly; and police departments should devise a strategy that will enable patrol officers to respond without hindering the efforts of other emergency workers. The site of the emergency should be limited to those who are trained and properly equipped; and the media should be kept informed, so they do not issue calls for help that do not come directly from those charged with managing the response to the crisis.