1. Mass Fatality Planning
Notification
Initial
Transport
Morgue
Operations
Activation
Temporary
Holding
Final
Transport
Introduction
Gifford Saravia - Chief Investigator, Iberia Parish Coroners Office
Chris Mixon- Education Coordinator - Acadian Ambulance Service
Service Learning Project is designed to meet the needs of local Coroners Offices in Mass Fatality Incidents
Response
Operations
Remains
Recovery
Death Industry Release
Mass Fatality Planning
UPSA 4080 Saravia & Mixon

2. Purpose and goals Mass fatality events defined Community needs
Project goals
Scope
"Mass fatality is an event resulting in multiple deaths that exceeds capacity of local coroner or medical examiner"
Major Mass Fatality will require state/federal support but likelihood of activation is low.
More likely to have an incident that exceeds local capacity but does not require state/federal resources.
goal is to provide a framework for identifying and integrating regional resources
Scope is a plan acceptable to DHH Region 4 and adaptable by other DHH regions

3. Stakeholders Governmental Responders Support Agencies
Households & Communities
In order to create interagency agreements, primary stakeholders in community must be identified and included.
Governmental
Response Agencies
Support Agencies
Community Resources

4. Traditional coroners duties
Morgue space
Death investigation
Record keeping
Forensic capabilities
Coordination with death industry
Transport of remains
Must continue to support traditional roles of Coroner in non-natural death
Must identify matching resources at regional level and form agreements to share capacity and manpower

5. Mass fatality support and integration
Family assistance
EAP and CISM support
Scene security
Secure storage
Increased expendable supplies and resources
Integration with EOC and interoperability with other responders
Must also expand scope of response to meet needs specific to situation
Family Assistance
EAP and CISM
Scene security interface with LEO
Secure Storage for remains and belongings
Additional Expendable Supplies
Intergration with EOC and IC when indicated or activated

6. Response plan
OVERVIEW

7. Response Plan NOTIFICATION 911 or other normal channels
Regional Activation
State Activation
Federal Activation
Notification will occur through normal channels
Scope of response is determined and activation of regional plan is escalated as needed.
State and Federal activation as needed. (Outside the scope of this plan)

8. Response Plan Roles and responsibilities Coroner Lead Investigator
Staff
Coroner
Will maintain responsibility and provide command supervision for the overall Coroner’s operations.
Will conduct meetings daily or as needed with team leaders and key personnel to determine the need for additional consultations.
Responsible for approving all final identifications made of the fatalities.
Responsible for the relay of information to the family assistance center.
Responsible for the overall operation of remains recovery and morgue operations.
Will oversee the autopsies and other examinations or autopsy reports to ensure uniformity.
Lead Investigator
Implement mass fatality plan
Coordinate and direct Coroner’s office operations
Provide support and direction to all personnel to ensure a smooth operation by maintaining constant communication with the Incident commander and if possible, co-location at the designated commands center or parish EOC.
Will keep the Coroner informed about the status of the operation
Will assist in the identification of the remains
Will be responsible for the distribution of body recovery supplies
Will coordinate the requesting of additional regional resources
Will orient the staffing from outside parishes to their expected job duties
Proper procedures
Documentation expectations
DMORT forms
Settle any reciprocity issues as needed
Assign job duties
Coordinate reporting process
As needed under an escalating event the duties of the lead investigator will be delegated to maintain a reasonable span of control.

9. Response plan Procedure Field team Intake facility Recovery procedures
Team leader roles
Recovery teams will consist of:
Investigators
Crime Scene
Law Enforcement
Photography
An intake coordinator will:
Log incoming remains
Triage bodies either directly to morgue operations or to a temporary storage
Provide completed forms/file after examination
Send completed forms to record management
Coordinate with photography services during exam
Coordinate with regional forensic facility for autopsy
Coordinate identification as needed
Dental
DNA
Radiologic
Team Leaders
Responsible for overall operations of field recovery team
Establish and coordinate a search plan that provides for a deliberate overlapping search of the disaster site.
Ensure that the perimeter is secured by coordinating with law enforcement.
Will ensure adequate body recovery supplies
Will ensure the accession of remains by the assignment of appropriate identification numbers
Will ensure that the location of the body or body fragment is identified.
Will ensure body location information is recorded
Will ensure that personal effects found on the body remain on the body or part when removed from the disaster site.
Will ensure that personal effects found in a grid but not near a body or body part will be noted on the event field grid map and left at the site when the body is removed. (Grid map available in appendices)

10. Response plan Tracking and record keeping Grid Process
Identification methods
Transportation
Ideal vehicles
Alternative transport
A grid system will be utilized as needed
Encouraged for open events with body fragments
Photographs will be taken of body or body parts prior to moving them
Identification in-situ if possible
Methods
If possible identification can be assessed in place
A water proof wrist band should be applied
Name and location of decedent written with black sharpie
Information should be transcribed on tag of disaster bag
Grid location
ID method used
Picture
License
Tag or flag noted with ID/location of body left in ground or painted number if ground is impenetrable.
If bodies are not readily identifiable, a number shall be assigned and location recorded in the field log.
All bodies transported from scene to collection point must be recorded.
Bodies will be removed to a staging point at the scene for transportation to the morgue.
Resources for transportation will be utilized or requested as needed.
Additional vehicles will be provided under MOU with regional resources.
Vehicles carrying fatalities should be discreet and escorted by law enforcement as needed. Ideally, these should be plain, unmarked closed vehicles such as coroner’s vans, hearses, closed trailers, etc… only as a last resort in overwhelming situations should open vehicles that do not assist in maintaining privacy and dignity be utilized.

11. Response plan Documentation DMORT forms Team orientation to forms
Death industry interface
Coordination/ capacity
Effects storage and release
DMORT forms will be utilized for designated events to ensure consistency when multiple jurisdictions are responding.
Orientation to forms and processes for all additional staffing should be provided during initial meeting and as needed as more resources are called into service.
Each region should establish the maximum throughput of bodies inclusive of all facilities licensed in the region. This will help establish the rate of remains discharge that can be expected at the morgue facility. Remember that normal day-to-day operations will need to be continued in each facility. The availability of mortuary fluids and supplies and the time needed to replenish them should be considered when planning throughput.
Personal effects will be released concurrently with remains to family.

12. Response plan Demobilization EAP and CISM follow-up
After action processes
Recovery and reconstitution assistance
Actions necessary to demobilize
Assets and resources are reconstituted to pre-incident readiness
After action report generated in conjunction with EOP and Coroner’s office
After action debriefing to all stake holders following completion of report.
Lessons learned incorporated into updated MFP.

13. Support Documentation
DMORT forms
Family Assistance Center
Grid forms
See Appendix

14. Current Status Stakeholder meetings have begun
State Director of Emergency Preparedness/ Region 4 DHH letters of support
Family Assistance Center plan currently being drafted
MOU template under review by LA Coroner’s Association Attorney
Tabletop exercise scheduled for May 30th