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2 DVI Response to Victoria Bushfires State DVI Commander Detective Superintendent Doug O’Loughlin APM Victoria Police Forensic Services Department Crime Scene Division Black Saturday 7 th February 2009 Black Saturday 7 th February 2009

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6 Based on data from the Department of Sustainability and Environment 9am Feb 8 th 2009Department of Sustainability and Environment

7 Bendigo Mudg egonga Redesdale Kinglake Marysville Churchill Melbourne

8 Saturday 7 th February 3 x 43ºC + days in week prior (109.5ºF +) 360 people had died as result of heat wave prior to Black Saturday Conditions on the day wind 130kph humidity 6% Average temperature 46.4ºC + ( º F) 20º above average Prediction: Worst Fire Danger Day Ever in Victoria Prediction: Worst Fire Danger Day Ever in Victoria

9 Initial beliefs: deaths predicted properties lost 7000 people displaced several towns completely destroyed Black Saturday was the deadliest and worst ever natural disaster in Australian history:

10 Max. intensity controllable bushfire = 4000 kW p/metre Black Saturday fire = 100,000 kW per metre Unprecedented severity, extremity & intensity Fire consumed the oxygen Radiant heat overwhelmed victims before flames arrived Fire Danger Index: 50 = Extreme Black Saturday FDI = 180 Fatal Fire Flaws (Herald Sun 21 April 09)

11 Fatal Fire Flaws [continued] Average Bushfire Black Saturday Fire Speed Long distance spotting: 1-2 kmLong distance: 15 km Heat Released 10,000 kW/m of fire 100,000 kW/m of fire [ 500 Hiroshima atomic bombs ] [Victoria electricity supply for 2 yrs] Flame Height metres50 metres (Herald Sun 21 April 09)

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14 Disaster Victim Identification Australia follows a worldwide INTERPOL recognised process The Process is broken up into 5 Phases:- Phase 1 – Scene Phase 2 – Mortuary Phase 3 – Ante Mortem Phase 4 – Reconciliation Phase 5 – Debrief

15 Saturday 7 th Forensic Service Crime Scene Officer alerted Made call out of Crime Scene /DVI personnel Sunday 8 th (a.m.) aware death toll rising DVI Response

16 35 main fire areas still burning 400,000 2 ha fire (over 1 million 2 acres) or km / miles Some areas too dangerous for DVI Teams to enter Sunday 8th February

17 NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, GSFC.

A view from the northern suburbs of Melbourne

19 Initial Problems Search area sites to be searched - remotely located, hours away from Melbourne multiple sites, spread over large area still burning and dangerous toll mounting each day in all areas community and media pressure Limited number of experienced DVI personnel

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24 Initial Problems [continued] Communication networks severely effected or destroyed DVI assistance requests from numerous Local Police Operation Centres. Confusion responsibility for areas duplication of requests for DVI assistance

25 Agreed to concentrate on human remains in obvious places - revisit to complete search Many premises were unsafe to search collapsing walls, roofs, presence of asbestos Outcome: Normal DVI procedures were streamlined re the recovery of human remains Conference with State Coroner

26 1st Priority Tasks Attend scenes where human remains had been located in open spaces and vehicles Reason – Allow for rapid restoration of infrastructure communications, clear roads of fallen trees, electricity, food,water,clothing, etc,

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29 Local Assistance Seconded Regional Crime Scene Officers (RSCOs) to DVI duties RSCOs trained in Phase 1 DVI duties over past 3 years

30 Australasian DVI Committee (ADVIC) Chair Interstate NSW & AFP DVI teams had arrived Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and the Northern Territory preparing to deploy DVI Teams International New Zealand DVI Teams Indonesian DVI Odontologists and Pathologists Offers from other nations received Interstate & International Assistance Within 24 Hours

31 DVI Team Team Leader (VICPOL DVI member) Photographer Searcher (s) Detective Investigator (Coroner’s Brief) Urban Search & Rescue member (Fire Services - for site safety issues) 18 x DVI Teams operational at peak

32 DVI Team Deployment Daily allocation of tasks at morning briefing Welfare / Availability of Counselling Site Safety Plan critical Dangers collapsing walls, asbestos roofing - PPE a must

33 Morning Briefing

Personal Protection Equipment

Asbestos Decontamination

36 Peak of Operations 18 DVI teams: Marysville area x 5 Kinglake & surrounds x 13 Day 4: 89% of known victims were recovered Day 6: 100% of known victims were recovered 293 personnel utilised during Phase 1

37 The Next Tasks Continued search of new sites Revisit sites Thorough 2 nd search where human remains had been found Some sites were searched 3-4 times Now the availability of Pathologists, Odontologists and Anthropologists in the field with DVI teams Use of cadaver dogs

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39 Difficulty of Search

40 Nine human remains found commingled

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42 Coroner Briefings Progress Meetings every two days Consideration of Deaths non-residents (tourists etc) could not be discounted Coroner issued “Restricted Access Order” on the 6 fire burn areas. The Order required all destroyed and partly destroyed structures in fire burn areas to be searched for possible human remains No sites to be cleared or interfered with

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44 Summary - DVI Phase scenes attended 86 re-visits to destroyed structures 302 sets of remains recovered 302 DVI numbers issued 14 scenes were located in open 8 vehicles examined contained human remains

45 3 sets of remains asbestos contaminated 31 sets of remains identified as commingled 8 sets of remains identified as non-human DVI Phase 1 completed by 25th February 2009 Standby for Operation Royals Summary - DVI Phase 1 (continued)

46 Coroner’s Order – Operation Royals Police & Military personnel searched some 5743 structures and 700 burned vehicles 3394 burnt or destroyed properties searched over 5 week period (DVI Teams on standby) DVI teams called to attend a further 106 scenes no human remains located

47 Temporary custom-built mortuary facility

48 Mortuary

49 Phase 2 -Mortuary Admission of deceased Labelled with Barcode Photographed DNA sampled Head to toe CT scan Pathology examination Odontology examination Quality Review (Fingerprints)

50 Phase 3 - Ante Mortem (AM) 130 Detectives utilised 52 teams of 2 x Detectives accompanied by a Coroner’s Court Grievance Counsellor data entries analysed Outcome: 164 AM kits completed 9 persons died in hospitals from fire injuries

51 Phase 4 - Reconciliation Ongoing processing of human remains, collected exhibits, evidence with Ante Mortem data and material 2 x 35 person shifts preparing ID briefs daily Identification Boards Evidence to Coroner on behalf of DVI Commander Coroner accepted evidence of one or combination of: odontology, pathology, anthropology, DNA & circumstantial some human remains will never be identified

52 Statistical Summary As of 7/5/ Missing Persons had been identified through ID briefs and presented to the Coroner DVI Teams recovered 302 sets of human remains / partial remains 302 DVI numbers issued 145 scenes were attended and searched. 86 structures were re-searched $400,000 + over budget expended in Phase 1

53 Conclusions Teams working in each of the 4 Phases of the DVI Process did an exceptional job The Interpol DVI Process worked well Coronial Inquest to be held at a later date after the current Royal Commission

54 Life goes on

55 Bald Spur Road - March 2009

56 Bald Spur Road - April 2009

57 Thank you. Question time.