Mass Fatality Incidents: A Guide for Forensic Identification

MASS FATALITY INCIDENTS: A GUIDE FOR HUMAN FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION3. Conduct postincident debriefings.4. Consult regularly with the otheragencies involved.5. Recognize the efforts of the agenciesand individuals who respondedto the incident and processed thescene.B. Reduce staff in a coordinated fashionbased on circumstances and the durationof the investigation.C. Prepare a formal after-action report citingoptimal practices and lessonslearned.Summary. Planning from the beginningfor the demobilization of the responseeffort can facilitate the smooth transitionof jurisdictional authority.VI. Stress ManagementPrinciple. Stress can negatively affect theresponders, their coworkers, and the overallefficiency of incident operation. The responseto a mass facility incident shouldinclude systems to deal with stress, whetherpsychological, physiological, acute, or longterm.Procedure. The appropriate administratoris expected to—A. Establish a plan for recognizing andmanaging stress using personneltrained in mass fatality stressmanagement.B. Consider briefing response personnelon stress issues before theirassignment.C. Provide peer and professional supportto observe and treat personnel whomay be experiencing stress.D. Organize the response to preventstress and accommodate individualbehavior.E. Plan postincident stress debriefings forresponders and volunteers.Summary. The psychological impact onmass fatality responders is real and needsto be addressed before, during, and afterthe incident.VII. VolunteersPrinciple. Volunteers may appear at thescene of a mass fatality incident regardlessof the need for their services. Carefullyconsider choosing and using volunteers.Volunteers are expected to be used accordingto their knowledge, skills, and abilitiesas well as within liability limitations.Procedure. The appropriate administratoris expected to—A. Determine the need for volunteers.B. Maintain a roster of volunteers’ nameswith updated contact information.C. Establish criteria for verifying the credentialsand qualifications of volunteers.Be wary of volunteers withulterior motives.D. Develop a procedure to match volunteerswith operational needs accordingto their knowledge, skills, and abilities.E. Ensure that volunteers are supervisedby an appropriate official.Summary. Although volunteers may behelpful in some situations, cautiouslyreview their credentials and qualificationsfor the duties and functions required.VIII. Language, Cultural, andReligious ConsiderationsPrinciple. Language and cultural differencesmay complicate all parts of themass fatality response and should beconsidered in the overall plan.51