April 19, 1995

1
April 19, 1995

• A Day of Tragedy for Oklahomans . . .
  and the world

2
Lessons Learned

• 1
• Never underestimate the importance of having
  disaster preparedness plans in place which are
  practiced regularly via mock disaster drills

3
Lessons Learned

• 2
• No amount of planning or emergency drills could
  have THOROUGHLY prepared us for the blast which
  shattered our communityphysically and
  emotionallyon April 19, 1995.

4
Lessons Learned

• 3
• We were reminded of how fragile and precious
  life is the value of our loved ones.

5
Lessons Learned

• 4
• As a hospital family and community we are much
  more effective when we unify and work together
  toward a common goal.

6
Lessons Learned

• 5
• The importance of involving phone companies in
  disaster preparedness planning

7
Lessons Learned

• Within two hours of the bombing
• 12 million calls WITHIN the metro
• 1,800 911 calls in hour one 1,212 received
  busy signals
• The capacity of existing cellular and land lines
  became inadequate.

8
Lessons Learned

• Solution
• Cells on Wheels (COWs) were brought in from
  Dallas to add capacity
• Southwestern Bell1,500 phone lines in and
  around the perimeter Donated ALL resources to
  the rescue/recovery effort

9
Lessons Learned

• Solution
• Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems ATT Wireless
  
• Provided hundreds of phones to all agencies
  involved in rescue recovery

10
Lessons Learned

• Solution
• ATT Wireless Estimates
• 1,052 phones 4 million in equipment, time
  and resources
• All phone companies donated long distance
  services for rescue teams.

11
Lessons Learned

• 6Our medical community was prepared to handle
  mass casualties

12
Casualty Stats

• Within 3 minutes, 7 staffed ambulances were
  deployed to scene
• Within 60 minutes, 66 ambulances were staffed and
  operational
• A total of 47 ambulance services and 103 units
  were involved.

13
Casualty Stats

• 549 patients seen in 18 hospitals
• TR 433 adults 28 children
• Admitted 78 adults 10 children
• 233 additional patients reported treatment in
  physicians offices

14
Casualty Stats

• 3 months 84 years
• 19 children died
• 3 unborn children were killed
• 46 children were injured

15
Casualty Stats

• 159 children 23 years of age or less lost one or
  both parents
• 50 people will very likely have long-term
  disabilities.

16
Lessons Learned

• 7
• Building relationships with other response
  agencies BEFORE a disaster will lessen the
  confusion and chaos.

17
Lessons Learned

• Communications between agencies was initially a
  huge problem due to overburdened phone lines
• Much communications went directly from the media
  to the masses and not all of the information was
  correct

18
Lessons Learned

• Answers to know BEFORE a disaster
• Who is in charge of the incident?
• Who is in charge of your area of the incident?
• Where is the EOC, and is your organization
  represented?

19
Lessons Learned

• Other answers to know
• Who is the spokesperson(s) for the incident?
• Who is the spokesperson(s) for your area of the
  incident?
• What is the answer to all of these questions?

20
Lessons Learned

• It depends.
• .on the particular type of incident and the
  jurisdiction of various agencies.
• So, find out where all of these lines are drawn
  for various scenarios, BEFORE you HAVE to know.

21
Lessons Learned

• 8
• Frequently Test Emergency Communications
  Systems, including Back-Up Systems
• All ERs lost radio and phone contact with local
  ambulance service. Police officers dispatched to
  each hospital.
• Consider Daily Roll Calls!

22
Lessons Learned

• 9
• Prepare to share patient information with other
  hospitals and agencies during a mass casualty
  event.
• Parents and children taken to different
  hospitals
• Many people missing, including children
• Expect a media circus!

23
Media Lessons Learned

• 10
• Working with the international media can be
  challenging.
• Live coverage began immediately and continued for
  110 hours
• News crews were live outside hospitals within
  25 minutes.

24
Media Lessons Learned

• Local coverage will remain very heavy after
  national coverage slows.
• Last patient released Sept. 21, 1995, 5 months
  after the bombing.

25
Media Lessons Learned

• 24-hour (shift) coverage of PIO/PR department
• Are your policies for release of information
  different during a disaster?
• Communicate policies and procedures
• Remember the LOCAL media

26
Media Lessons Learned

• The media can be a great help
• (Missing children, available resources, PTSD,
  etc).
• Assess your supply of cell phones, extra
  batteries, two-way radios and alpha-numeric
  pagers BEFORE a disaster occurs
• Debriefings and PTSD counseling are NOT optional!

27
Lessons Learned

• 11
• Emotional Healing Takes Time
• People NEED to do something to help
• Time
• Resources

28
Lessons Learned

• Hospitals Helping the Heartland
• 135,000 raised by hospital family
• 1) Short-term Needs of Victims
• Critical Incident Stress Management Training for
  Mental Health Workers
• Long-term Counseling

29
Lessons Learned

• 12
• It takes a lot of resources to help a community
  heal

30
Lessons Learned

• Project Heartland
• Mental Health Clearinghouse initially funded by
  FEMA then DOJ
• Crisis intervention
• Group and one-on-one counseling
• Educational materials to assist in the healing
  process

31
Lessons Learned

• Project Heartland
• Counselors in 80 metro schools from Nov. 95-Dec.
  96
• Counselors for families/victims at the SafeHaven,
  during jury selection and McVeigh Nichols
  trials

32
Lessons Learned

• Project Heartland
• 9,106 individuals have received counseling and
  support group therapy
• 67,500 counseling sessions have been conducted
• 190,000 individuals have received some type of
  information or services.

33
Lessons Learned

• Project Heartland
• 100 clients/month
• 10-15 new clients/month
• Many existing clients are rescue workers and
  their families
• 700 rescue workers have received services

34
Most Important Lessons Learned

• Loved ones are valuable
• Life is Fragile and Precious
• We are all better off when we come together and
  work with one another to accomplish a common
  goal.

35
The Oklahoma City National Memorial
36
(No Transcript)
37
(No Transcript)
38
(No Transcript)
39
(No Transcript)
40
We come here to remember those who were
killed, Those who survived and those changed
forever. May all who leave here know the impact
of violence. May this memorial offer comfort,
strength, peace, hope and serenity. Mission
StatementOklahoma City National Memorial
41
Thank You!!!