Butte County Sheriff-Coroner's Office Mass Fatality Plan

Butte County Sheriff - Coroner’s Office• State and Federal laws and regulations provide guidance for mass fatalityresponse. They specify organizations responsible for mass fatalitymanagement, response requirements, organizational authority andresponsibilities.• Requests for assistance and response efforts will be managed utilizing theNational Incident Management System, Strategic EmergencyManagement System and Incident Command System.• Incident Site operations will be performed according to professionalprotocols to ensure accurate identification of human remains and, undercertain circumstances (e.g., commercial airline accident and criminal orterrorist act), to preserve the scene and collect evidence.• Mass fatality incidents create widespread traumatic stress for families,responders, and often, the community-at-large. Traumatic stress can leadto physical illness and disease, precipitate mental and psychologicaldisorders, and can destroy relationships and families. Attending tobehavioral health needs of victims’ and responders is critical.• Under certain circumstances (e.g., commercial airline accident or terroristact) select federal agencies will have critical on-scene responsibilities,thus requiring close and on-going coordination with the Sheriff-Coroner’sOffice, local and state agencies.• Evaluation of a mass fatality incident site may require specializedassistance from local, state and federal agencies. Chemical, biologicaland radiological detection equipment and personnel may be required.• Depending upon the natural or manmade disaster that engenders themass fatality incident, the County’s infrastructure may be severelyimpacted causing significant delays and progress in recovering andmanaging the dead.BCS-CO Mass Fatality Plan 8July 2009