White T-Shirt Dedicated to Ray Downey, a NY Firefighter, Leading Member of Incident Support Team in 1995, Killed Responding to 9/11

2003

During the rescue and recovery following the Oklahoma City bombing, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) activated 11 Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams from around the country. New York Task Force 1 was activated on April 20, 1995, and worked until April 27, 1995. The 56-member task force was comprised of members of the New York City Fire Department, Police Department and Emergency Medical Service. They assisted with the search for victims and the removal of large amounts of debris.

Raymond M. Downey Sr. was part of that task force, acting as the USAR Chief of Operations. He was, as a member of the New York Fire Department, also working on September 11, 2001. He was killed in the collapse of the North Tower. He was one of nine members of the New York task force that responded to the Oklahoma City bombing to be killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks. We will never forget their sacrifice.

Learn more about the Shared Experience between New York and Oklahoma City.