1 LEC Flashcards
(53 cards)
DISASTER VICTIM IDENTIFICATION PHASE
1 - SCENE
2 - POST MORTEM
3 - ANTE- MORTEM
4 - RECONCILIATION
General Principles
● The scene should be treated as a crime scene and all human remains, exhibits and property should be left in situ until the arrival of CS Examiners and DVI Specialist Teams
● The search for the remains of victims in a disaster shall not start until rescue operation is done.
NOTE:
Procedures depends on the priorities set by the lead authority and on the type of incident. (e.g. bombing incident vs. earthquake)
ACTIVITIES TO BE DONE IN PHASE 1
● A search and discovery plan should be prepared with the collaboration of the Evidence Collection T eam, Disaster Investigation Team, and the Access Control and Security Teams.
● This plan includes the search for, and collection of, human remains, property and evidence
- for recovery and evidence collection.
Operational Section
Operational Section Responsibilities:
● Recovery of all bodies and body parts at the site.
● Collection and preservation of properties found at the scene
● Meticulous recognition procedures of human from nonhuman remains.
Lead Agencies for Integrated and Coordinated Search, Rescue and Retrieval (Philippines)
● Department of National Defense (DND)
● Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
● Department of Health (DOH)
● Armed Forces of the Philippines of the Department of National Defense (AFP-DND)
- leads the dead body search and recovery operation
● Armed Forces of the Philippines of the Department of National Defense
(AFP-DND)
Other Participating Agencies:
● Philippine National Police (PNP)
● Special Rescue Unit of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP-SRU)
● Philippine Coast Guard
•Philippine Red Cross
● Private Rescue Personnel
● Local Rescue Unit
● Civilian Group Volunteers
SEARCH AND RESCUE GUIDELINES:
c) Operational personnel should be equipped with the ff:
● Appropriate PPE
● Appropriate recovery equipment
● Documentation, sufficient for each human remain and item of evidence.
is essential to help personnel processing a disaster site
Gridding system
Gridding system is essential to help personnel processing a disaster site:
● To thoroughly and accurately search and record their findings.
● Overlaying a disaster site with grid will ensure thorough search and photographic documentation.
Aerial Photographs/Maps/Numbered Floor Plans/ Accurate Ground Sketch
● Can be useful in preparing maps or plans for search and recovery operations in
sites where a grid is not useful (e.g. rough terrain, multiple buildings)
- helps in systematic searching of a sector and follows the same principle as the main Grid
Sub-gridding
Establish entry and exit route.
LOCAL HEALTH OFFICER
● Looks after the health conditions and needs of the responders and volunteers.
PHASE 2: POST MORTEM
● Wherever possible, the morgue station should be established in consultation with the head of the Victim Identification Unit.
● Involves the examination of the human remains recovered.
FUNCTIONS OF THE MORGUE
● Reception of human remains
● Storage and proper cooling of human remains
● Organization and transport of human remains for forensic examination
● Registration of human remains for tracking purposes •Organization of the return transport for human remain
● Workflow documentation.
PURPOSE OF POST-MORTEM PROCESS (Autopsy)
- Satisfy legal requirements of the respective country.
- Establish cause, manner and mechanism of death.
- Determine survival time leading to death.
- Collect data for Identification purposes.
- Document key information including injuries and evidence for investigation purposes.
● In the absence of mortuary facility, temporary mortuaries can be set up following the minimum requirements:
○ Availability of running water
○ Drainage or collection and removal of water waste electricity
○ Compliance with all health and safety regulations
Separate stations should be set up for the following:
● Reception of human remains.
● Forensic examination of human remains - (autopsy)
● Dental examination
● Radiography (including whole body scan if possible)
● Fingerprinting, friction ridge examination
● DNA collection
● Evidence processing
● Quality control
● Release of examined human remains
Separate areas should also be set up for the following functions in the vicinity of the body examination station:
● Dressing rooms
● Refrigeration storage rooms for human remains
● Storage rooms for logistical and other equipment and supplies
● Decontamination rooms
● T oilets, washing facilities
● Break rooms and dining areas.
Factors that Accelerate Decomposition:
● Influence of post-mortem intervals
● Exposure to the elements time
● Climatic factors (high humidity, high temperature)
● As human remains decompose, identification features may be affected, destroyed or lost.
● Primary Identifiers
Fingerprints
○ Dental records
○ DNA
