The Oklahoma Standard

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The Oklahoma Standard

By Frank Keating, Governor of Oklahoma, 1995-2003

On April 19, 1995, America suffered its worst domestic terrorist attack in our history. An angry young man, and embarrassingly a veteran, detonated a fuel oil and fertilizer bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. The explosion damaged or destroyed 302 buildings. 168 of our neighbors and friends were killed. Including 19 children.  Hundreds were injured.

Chaos reigned. Agony was omnipresent. Fear. Confusion. Pain. The community was in shock. How do we get through this?

My college schoolmate, then president Bill Clinton, sent FEMA urban search and rescue teams to help us. Everyone pitched in.

The focused efforts were led by Oklahomans. A highly gifted mayor. A truly professional Oklahoma National Guard Commander A first rate Police Chief and a first rate Fire Chief led their teams into the maelstrom. Health care members, hospitals at the site, performed with excellence and professionalism.

The perpetrator was promptly arrested.

My office performed with professionalism, humility and compassion. No one tried to take credit for the quality of the response.

We all worked and held callused hands together.

FEMA teams never received a bill for their meals. Everything: food, laundry, boots, phones (4/19 was a pre cell phone time),medical care, and equipment, was free. Our visitors were our guests.

Years later, the FEMA director told me that Oklahoma City was the only natural or man made tragedy that was responded to and led by local authorities. Oklahoma did it right. It was a first rate and memorable response.

It was the creation of the Oklahoma Standard.

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