Born from Tragedy: How the Oklahoma City Bombing Created a Legacy of Care with OU Health’s Level I Trauma Center

OU Health’s Level I Trauma Center has saved thousands of lives over the decades, but its journey began on one of Oklahoma’s darkest days: the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. On April 19, 1995, a massive explosion devastated the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 and injuring hundreds. This attack, one of the worst in U.S. history, reduced entire floors to rubble and exposed a critical gap in the state’s trauma care system.

In the chaotic aftermath, first responders and medical teams rushed to save lives. Despite their heroic efforts, the lack of a coordinated trauma system led to inefficiencies, highlighting the need for a structured approach to large-scale disaster and trauma care in Oklahoma.

It was a wake-up call. Among those determined to rise to the call were experts from the University of Oklahoma and OU Health, who would later lead the charge alongside state leaders in transforming Oklahoma’s trauma system into what it is today.

A Turning Point: Building Oklahoma’s Trauma System

In 2000, Dr. Roxie M. Albrecht, M.D., FACS, FCCM, emeritus professor and Division Chief of General Surgery Trauma/Critical Care at the OU College of Medicine, was recruited as the inaugural trauma medical director to lead this effort.

Under her leadership, Oklahoma’s first trauma system took shape and by 2001, OU Health had achieved its first American College of Surgeons (ACS) verification as a Level I trauma center –the highest designation possible.

At the same time, OU Health leaders joined forces with state officials to create legislation establishing Oklahoma's trauma system, ensuring patients received timely, specialized care.

Born from tragedy, the center has evolved into a regional powerhouse in trauma care, continuously earning and reaffirming its Level I status since 2001 through rigorous external reviews. It remains at the forefront of trauma prevention and education while delivering life-saving care to more than 9,000 critically injured patients every year.

The team regularly practices disaster scenarios, from chemical exposures to mass shootings, ensuring they're ready for whatever comes through the door. It's this constant preparation that allows the system to function seamlessly when minutes matter most.

Why Level I Trauma Care Matters

The Oklahoma City bombing demonstrated that in trauma medicine, minutes matter. For the most severely injured patients, survival often depends on access to specialized resources that only a Level I Trauma Center can provide.

As Oklahoma’s only ACS-verified Level I Trauma Center, OU Health ensures that trauma patients receive:

• Immediate care from board-certified trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, and orthopedic specialists, all available 24/7.
• Advanced trauma resuscitation, including rapid blood transfusions and interventional radiology to control internal bleeding without open surgery.
• A full continuum of care, from prevention to burn care, trauma extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), to ICU care and to rehabilitation, ensuring patients receive the most comprehensive treatment available.
• Dedicated trauma operating rooms, ready at a moment’s notice for critical cases. Trauma cases have door-to-OR requirements of 15 minutes, per the ACS.

“Not all trauma centers are created equal, and the distinctions are lifesaving,” said Dr. Alisa Cross, M.D., FACS, OU Health Level I Trauma Center Director and Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.

The Lasting Legacy: Trauma Readiness in Oklahoma Today

Thanks to the lessons learned from the Oklahoma City bombing, OU Health now leads the state in trauma education, disaster preparedness, and patient care.

This expertise has been put to the test time and time again.

• In May 1999, when an F5 tornado with wind speeds over 300 mph tore through Moore and southern Oklahoma City, OU Health’s trauma center treated dozens of victims with severe injuries, including impalements, crushing wounds, and traumatic brain injuries. In a single day, the center transfused over 300 units of blood products.
• During the May 2013 tornadoes that again devastated Moore, the trauma center activated its mass casualty protocol, clearing operating rooms and calling in additional staff to handle the influx of 91 injured patients in under three hours. Twenty-four patients required immediate surgery, with teams working simultaneously in multiple operating rooms.
• The center also responded to the 2015 homecoming parade tragedy in Stillwater when a driver crashed into crowds, killing four and injuring 47 others. OU Health received 15 of the most critically injured patients, three of whom required more than 10 units of blood each in the first hour of treatment.

These events test the true capacity of a trauma system, requiring not just individual expertise but the coordination of hundreds of professionals. During these mass casualty events, the trauma center routinely mobilizes more than 50 surgeons, 100 nurses, and dozens of technicians within an hour, a response capacity unmatched in the region.

Beyond state borders, OU Health has contributed to national disaster relief efforts, assisting in large-scale crises like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Nationally, Level I Trauma Centers play important roles in coordinated response efforts from events like 9/11, the Boston Marathon bombing, and more, reinforcing the critical role of Level I centers.

Why This Matters for Oklahomans

Born from one of Oklahoma’s darkest days, OU Health’s Level I Trauma Center stands today as a beacon of hope and healing. The lessons learned from the Oklahoma City bombing shaped a trauma system that is stronger, faster, and more coordinated – one that has since saved thousands of lives.

But beyond its national recognition and state-of-the-art capabilities, OU Health’s trauma team remains deeply rooted in the community it serves. Many of its specialists were raised in Oklahoma, trained elsewhere, and then returned home with a mission: to give back to the people who made them who they are.

From mass casualty disasters to everyday emergencies, OU Health remains unwavering in its commitment to Oklahoma. Because for those who dedicate their lives to trauma care, this work is more than a profession: it’s a promise to be there when Oklahomans need it most.

Learn more about trauma and injury care at OU Health’s Level I Trauma Center.