2nd Quarter- MORTUARY ADMINISTRATION Exam 4 Flashcards
within a state – private carrier needs report of death
Intrastate
between states - private carrier needs burial transit permit
Interstate
“Forwarding” funeral home prepares remains for transfer to “receiving” funeral home.
Within a state between two or more states
State laws dictate proper procedures
Forwarding remains
Preparation of remains
Unembalmed vs. embalmed
Casketed vs. uncasketed - Varies with circumstance of death
Family wishes / Method of transfer
Payment for service and merchandise
Arranged between forwarding and receiving funeral home.
Full payment by family
Cash advance item paid by receiving funeral home
Receiving remains
Service and merchandise of “receiving” funeral home.
Varies with those provided by “forwarding” funeral home.
Family wishes
any carrier required by law to convey passengers or freight without refusal if approved fare or charge is paid. Airline, train, etc.
Common carrier
considerations for common carrier
Most require embalming / remains in sealed container
Use of appropriate transfer container
Check prior to transferring
Determine specific requirements / Where to take remains for departure
Retrieval at final destination / Cost and method of payment
those who transfer only in particular instances and only for those with whom they choose to contact.
Funeral home vehicles and livery.
Private carrier
Preparation of remains
Determined by various factors Cause of death / Condition of body Length of shipping time – Common or private carrier Step to minimize shifting of remains Appropriate transfer container Ties and packing material Rolled sheets No newspaper!!
Steps to protect clothing and casket interior
Plastic around head and hands
Lower mattress
Steps to minimize and prevent purge – ASPIRATE!!! ASPIRATE!!! ASPIRATE!!! Plastic around head.
Outer enclosure utilized for protection of body and/or casketed remains during transportation.
Transfer container
Transfer container consisting of a particle board box with a cardboard tray and covered to satisfy air shipping regulations. Transport the embalmed body.
Combination case
Transfer container consisting of a wooden tray with cardboard covering for the casket.
Transport embalmed or un-embalmed body.
Air tray
Gasket-sealed container which can be used as an insert into a casket or a separate shipping container.
Ziegler case
can be used for un-embalmed bodies and floaters
Metal case
when transferring gasketed caskets via commercial airlines what should you remember
Remove cap over sealing mechanism and place in the interior or the casket
Air pressure changes during takeoff and landing.
Casket will implode! Or collapse on its self from external pressure.
Paperwork and documentation for transfer of human remains
Burial-transit (disposition) permit Certified copy of death certificate Embalming report – required for TEXAS Letter of guarantee – guaranteeing payment by forwarding funeral home when shipping ‘Collect’ by common carrier Other paperwork required by law.
where should paperwork and documentation
it should be placed on outer surface of transfer container.
Name of decedent should be clearly visible.
Additional items placed inside the casket like – Register book / prayer cards
return decedent to country of origin
Repatriation
Forwarding remains to another country
Notify consulate of receiving country.
They provide information regarding policies, procedures and paperwork.
Reference materials for foreign transfers: NFDA directory– Red book–Blue book
Follow all customs regulations.
Comply with receiving country’s laws and rules.
Remember differences in time zones– Time delays are common.
Translate documents and verbal communication into language of the receiving country.
Provide affidavit of “NO CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.” Varies from country to country, must be provided by doctor or country health official according to their requirements.
Embalming certificate
Receiving remains from another country.
U. S. citizen dies abroad.
Consular officer from nearest U. S. Embassy or Consulate notifies U. S. State Department to contact family or their representative.
Typically family is notified via cable (wired) message or telegram.
Serves as official notification of death.
Outlines options and costs of disposition.
Disposition of body must follow laws and customs of host country.
All costs paid by family of decedent.
U. S. Government funds not available.
U. S. State Department will assist with transmitting funds from family to Consular office
The Consular office will disperse funds, provide an accounting, and disperse unused monies.
U. S. style of embalming not practiced or required in most foreign countries.
Preparation must conform to local laws and customs.
Remains may not be suitable for viewing.
If no one assumes financial responsibility, the U. S. Consul requests local foreign authorities to make appropriate disposition; according to local laws and customs of host country.
sudden misfortune resulting in loss of life and/or property.
Disaster
unforeseen combination of circumstances resulting in need for immediate action
Emergency
Types of disasters
Natural
man made/ Human – responsible
Combination
Hurricanes
Floods
Earthquakes “Acts of God”
Natural disasters
Fires Transportation Crashes
Structural collapses Nuclear accidents
Explosions Bombings
man made/ human responsible disasters
Effects of natural and human responsible events.
Airline crash during thunderstorm.
combination disasters
Disasters vary according to:
Time / Size and scope / Damage / Injury / Death
Disruption of family and community
potential victims
Those directly involved – Residents, those who lost homes, other personal possessions from flood or earthquake.
a phenomenon experienced by survivors
“Why me?” “Why didn’t I die?”
Survivor’s guilt
Other potential victims
Those indirectly involved / surviving family member and friends.
Disaster responders / firemen, police officers / doctors / nurses / fun. Dir. / clergy.
Community where disaster occurred – students in school shootings, bombing in Ok City.
Requires strategic planning – extremely important
Organized care and preparation of deceased disaster victims.
Multi-disciplinary approach.
Disaster response
involves funeral directors/embalmers
Other allied professionals
Certification of death – M.D.s / M.E.s, & JPs.
Registration of death – Funeral Director
Final disposition – Funeral Director / Cemeterian / Clergy
Physician, medical examiner (top dog in charge), coroner, and Justice of the Peace – Certify Death
Local registrar – death is registered by funeral director with the registrar and the burial transit permit is issued.
Clergy / FD / Cemeterian – carry out the final disposition
Multi-disciplinary approach
Organized 1990
Any federally declared emergency situation
13 emergency support functions
Created the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS).
Federal Disaster Response Plan
One of the 13 emergency support functions
Established disaster mortuary operational response teams
NDMS purpose is to recover, identify, prepare, process and dispose of fatalities in disaster situations.
Under NDMS – Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams – DMORTs. Were established
National Disaster Medical Support (NDMS)
10 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) districts in U.S.
10 teams
Provide technical assistance
Personnel needed to recover, identify, process, prepare, and dispose of fatal victims.
Disaster mortuary operational response teams (D Mort)
25 primary responders with 100 team members.
Supervised by DMORT commander with unit coordinator.
Pre-registered federal employees covered under Federal Tort Act.
TORT ACT – maintain a mobile mortuary container depot oat Rockville, MD. These are self-sufficient morgues w/ 50 work stations, no charge to any disaster site in continental US.
DMORT teams
Role of funeral service personnel
Provide support and assistance to DMORT team.
Follow direction of DMORT commander and unit coordinator.
Become trained member of a DMORT team.
General concerns
Care for survivors - Protect disaster site for investigation.
Mark and record location of remains.
Debrief and counsel disaster workers.
Specialized activities
Related to general concerns:
Communications Notification Identification
Distribution Consolation
Federal, state, and local concerns
Legal consideration
Jurisdiction over disaster area
Responsibility for disaster area
Financial considerations
Who will pay? Federal State Local Private
administration of a funeral home enterprise
Funeral service management
Areas of management:
Marketing/ Office/Personnel/Facilities/Financial
Primary objective of funeral home management is to
Fulfill needs of client families and community resulting from death.
Secondary objective of funeral home management is to
Ensure that funds are available to
Pay expenses, Provide reasonable return on investment (ROI) and Make capital improvements
Expenses
“Overhead” (Cost of doing business)/Salaries/Building (maintenance of building and grounds)/Utilities / Supplies
Make profit/True for any business/Not a “four-letter word”
Return of investment (ROI)
putting money back in your business
Spending large sums of money for Building, Equipment, Furnishings, and Livery
Capital improvements
Functions of management
Planning/Organizing/Directing/Evaluating