WTC Records Folder 0128 Disaster Information General label, 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Responding to Terrorism Victims - Oklahoma City and Beyond Page l of 6

Chapter 1I The Immediate Crisis Response A Summary of Victims' Needs During the Immediate Crisis

The immediate response to the bombing encompassed the search-and- recovery effort that lasted through May 4 and centered upon the need for information about the identity and status of victims and emergency support. The following victims' needs quickly became evident:

• A crisis response plan for identifying and assisting victims of criminal incidents causing mass casualties that is linked to an overall system for responding to acts of terrorism.

• A mechanism for providing information to families about their loved ones and to provide comfort and protection from the media.

• A system for gathering pertinent information from families necessary to facilitate the identification of remains, for relaying information about the remains of a loved one, and for providing counseling services during the process of recovering and identifying remains.

• A system of death notification that ensures that victims receive information about their loved ones before the media broadcast this information and that takes into consideration the wishes of the family and the safety and care of family members once they receive notification.

. _Mental health care service providers with experience and training in working with victims, their families, and others impacted by mass- casualty crimes.

■ Awareness of financial, technical assistance, and training resources for meeting the needs of terrorism victims.

■ A system for providing for first responders' physical and emotional needs, including regular communication with family members.

The Initial Incident Response

ithin minutes of the blast, a massive search-and-rescue effort commenced that included fire, emergency, medic rna well as a large number of citizens. Citizens and emergency personnel joined together and entered the bombed structure, forming human chains to locate and

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/publications/infores/respterrorism/chap2.html 9/29/01

NYC-WTC 000137313