On the anniversary of the tragic Oklahoma City Bombing, we revisit the experiences of someone who was there as part of the USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team, Joe Hernandez. Hernandez is a subject matter expert who has responded to consulted on the USAR efforts involved in some of the most well known and devastating disasters in US history including the Oklahoma City Bombing, 9/11, and others.

Since the tragic events of April 19, 1995 in Oklahoma City, the threat of domestic terrorism has only grown especially for emergency and disaster services. The attack on the United States Capitol Building on January 6th, 2021 and the federal response coordination surrounding the events of President Joe Biden's Presidential Inauguration is one of the most recent events fueling this concern as the threat of violence was strong enough to cause swift reaction by law enforcement and military groups.

Whether it's a peaceful protest, turned riot, or indications of a national security threat... emergency managers and first responders must understand the complexities of response to keep all involved safe. Calling on his experiences to events such as the Oklahoma City Bombing, Joe Hernandez is able to walk us through the preparations that responding parties must consider.

This week, we revisit Joe's interview from 2021, as a way to honor the victims and rescue workers of the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing, and address ideas and practices that can reduce the threat and impact to life, property, and continuity of operations that modern domestic terrorism poses.

Doberman Emergency Management owns and operates the Disaster Tough Podcast. Contact us here at: www.dobermanemg.com or email us at: [email protected].

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