Butte County Sheriff-Coroner's Office Mass Fatality Plan

Butte County Sheriff - Coroner’s OfficePrior to entering the site to perform the evaluation, the site must be assessed and clearedfor safety by the appropriate agency. Site security will be required in order to• Maintain the integrity of the scene• Maintain chain of custody of evidentiary items• Prevent incident response workers from being disturbed• Control unauthorized volunteers who may rush to the scene in anattempt to render aid• Prevent the media and the general public from witnessing/publicizing thecondition of human remains• Maintain the dignity and privacy of familiesAccess to the scene and other fatality management operations will be controlled by lawenforcement/security. A badging system to monitor access will be employed. Rules ofaccess will be clearly established and strictly enforced including:• Utilizing a badging and identification procedure for everyone entering or leavingthe incident scene• Limiting vehicle access; establish traffic patterns for all incoming and outgoingvehicles• Security guards will be stationed at site perimeter to prevent looting ortamperingSite EvaluationOnce the site is secured and considered safe, the Evaluation Team will assess the sceneto determine the:• Approximate number of dead• Location of the remains• Condition of the bodies• Environmental conditions• Accessibility of the incident site/type of terrain• An estimate of the number of personnel necessary to implement an effectiverecovery planBCS-CO Mass Fatality Plan 44July 2009July 2009