Major Incident Coverage—Oklahoma City Bombing

April 19, 1995, is a day that will forever be etched in the hearts and minds of firefighters around the world. On this tragic day, 168 innocent civilian lives, including multiple children, were needlessly taken in the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. Overwhelmed by the magnitude of this event, the Oklahoma City Fire Department put out a call for help that brought firefighters from all parts of the country to the heartland in support of the search and rescue efforts. The event highlighted the significance of local and national incident management teams and urban search and rescue operations. The bombing also served as a tipping point for terrorism preparedness and emergency response for the American fire service.