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In Memory of the Oklahoma City Bombing Victims It is with great sadness that we remember the victims of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. This tragedy, which happened 10 years ago on April 19, 1995, claimed 168 lives, including 19 children, and injured 853 others. Individuals and agencies from Oklahoma City, the state of Oklahoma, and across the Nation showed extraordinary heroism during the immediate aftermath of the bombing and the criminal trials. Their dedication, compassion, and perseverance in their rescue efforts, in helping victims and survivors, and in bringing the perpetrators to justice is a testament to the human spirit in the face of such loss and devastation. Following this act of domestic terrorism, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) funded five initiatives to help Oklahoma respond to the specific needs of the bombing victims. The more than $1.7 million was used to provide victim services and support throughout the two federal trials in Oklahoma and Colorado, establish a safe haven and provide victim services during the Colorado trials, set up therapeutic debriefing sessions for rescue and recovery workers, coordinate and deliver mental health services to victims, and cover bomb-related expenses such as mental health counseling, medical services, funeral expenses, and lost wages incurred by victims. At the time of the bombing, there was no model for helping victim service providers and federal and local authorities respond to victims because the field had little, if any, experience responding to incidents of that nature and magnitude. Since that time, OVC has made progress in identifying ways to help victims of mass violence and terrorism, and developed guidance for communities affected by them. It has published two defining reports on the topic, Responding to Terrorism Victims: Oklahoma City and Beyond in 2000 and, following the tragedy of September 11, Responding to September 11 Victims: Lessons Learned From the States in 2005, which documents efforts in helping the 9/11 victims and survivors. From April 17–24, the Oklahoma City National Memorial will present A Decade of Hope to honor "those who were killed, those who survived, and those changed forever." Days will be devoted to faith (April 17), understanding (April 18), remembrance (April 19), sharing (April 20), tolerance (April 21), caring (April 22), and inspiration (April 23). On the 10th anniversary of this immense tragedy, we at OVC honor the memory of the victims and survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing and grieve for the families. Please remember them in your thoughts and prayers. |
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