A mass fatalities response goes far beyond returning the remains of a loved one to surviving family members. Those charged with this grim but critical responsibility will find themselves immersed in multiple tasks involving diverse individuals, organizations, and priorities. Mass Fatalities: Managing the Community Response examines multiple complex issues while providing practical guidance to communities and responders as they plan for, respond to, and recover from a mass fatalities incident. This book explores the immense array of tasks such as:
- Managing resources and personnel
- Protecting a potential crime scene
- Conducting a comprehensive search and recovery of the remains
- Identifying and returning the remains and personal effects
- Ensuring family members of the deceased are treated with compassion, dignity, and respect
- Making sure responders have the proper tools to complete their responsibilities
- Providing family members, responders, and the impacted community the necessary support to cope with the physical, spiritual, and emotional stressors of a mass fatalities incident
The book explains in detail the functions performed at the mass fatalities operational sites, including the Disaster Site, Victim Identification Center, Family Assistance Center, and Staff Processing Center. It provides organizational charts with job descriptions detailing the roles and responsibilities for an effective leadership team and describes the management of the disaster site, presenting step-by-step procedures for search and recovery. The book also discusses the registration, initial interview, and Notification of Death for family members at the Family Assistance Center and covers best practices for the Victim Identification Center operations. Throughout, chapters emphasize the need for mental health services—exploring the essential elements of providing effective and compassionate support to surviving family members (including children), to responders and their families, and to the community.
An increase in catastrophic disasters in recent years has highlighted the need for sound guidance outlining the protocol for handling these events. Mass Fatalities: Managing the Community Response is an indispensable resource for this formidable task.
Peter Teahen discusses the book in a video on the CRC Press YouTube channel.Chapter 1: Introduction to Mass Fatalities
What Is a Mass Fatalities Incident?
What Is the "Threshold Number" for Activating a Mass
Fatalities Response Plan?
Four Categories of Disasters
Tenets of a Mass Fatalities Response
Additional Tenets of a Mass Fatalities Response
Core Planning Issues
Psychological and Social Impact of a Mass Fatalities
Incident
Public Information during a Mass Fatalities Response, Robert Howard
Incident Command (ICS)
Chapter Reflections
Chapter 2: Disaster Site
Introduction
Key Definitions
Disaster Site Chain of Command
Support Functions at the Disaster Site
Disaster Site Staff
Initial Assessment
General Guidelines for Disaster Site Operations
Search and Recovery Team General Guidelines
Disaster Site Search Operations
Search Operations at the Disaster Site
Monitoring the Disaster Site
Closure of Disaster Site
Disaster Site Closure Checklist
Disaster Site Supply List
Chapter Reflections
Chapter 3: Family Assistance Center
Introduction
Site Selection Considerations
Defining the Term Family Member
Family Assistance Center Leadership Team
Family Assistance Center Support Services
Family Assistance Center Staffing
Family Assistance Center Operational Guidelines
Crisis Hotline Services
FAC Service Areas
FAC Registration Common Family Reactions
Family Assistance Center Family Intake Process
FAC Family Orientation
Health Services
Security
Lodging
Family Assistance Center Child Care Center, Judy Bezon
Notification of Death
NTSB Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance Division
Joint Family Support Operations Center (JFSOC)
Victim Support Tasks (VST)
FAC Family Member Registration Form
FAC Family Member Statement of Health
FAC Family Member Authorization Form
Funeral Information and Release Form
Media Request Form
Chapter Reflections
Chapter 4: Staff Processing Center
Introduction
Planning for Staffing a Mass Fatalities Incident
Staffing Resources
Local Documentation of Disaster Responders
The Staff Processing Center
Staff Processing Center Leadership Staff
Staff Processing Center Support Functions
SPC Staff Qualifications
SPC Staff Orientation
SPC Daily Staff Registration
Staff Policies
Registration of Response Staff
Reassignment of Staff
Staff Orientations
Security Badges
Staff Lodging
Out-Processing of Staff
Staff Processing Center Facility Specifications
Staff Processing Center Work Areas
Forms and Supplies
Staff Processing Center Supply List
Staff Registration Form
Staff Registration Form
Statement of Health
Staff Daily Registration
Confidentiality Standards Agreement Form
Description of Staff Responsibilities and Duties
Chapter Reflections
Chapter 5: Victim Identification Center
Introduction
Victim Identification Center Site Selection Considerations
Victim Identification Center Site Selection
Victim Identification Center Site Command Structure
The Role of Medical Examiner
Support Functions at the Victim Identification Center
Mortuary Care at the Victim Identification Center
Radiological Exam
Victim Identification Center Office Workspace Area
Victim Identification Center Mortuary Transportation Area
Victim Identification Center Personal Effects Area
Staff Respite Center Area
Government Resources
Health Hazards of a Mass Fatalities Incident
Storage of Remains
Long-Term Storage of Remains
Cremation of Mass Fatalities Remains
Establishment of Communal Burial Sites
Special Considerations for Remains Processing
Victim Identification Center Release Procedures
Closure of the Victim Identification Center
Victim Identification Center Documentation
Victim Identification Center Supply List
Chapter Reflections
Chapter 6: Coping with Stress
Introduction
Stress and the Disaster Responder
Disaster Worker Phases
Stress Reactions of Workers during Disasters
Crisis Intervention
Confidentiality
Key Concepts of Crisis Intervention
Spectrum of Care
Typical Reactions versus Need for Referral
Disaster Losses
Emotional Phases of a Disaster
Trauma and the Handlers of Remains
Emotional Responses to Terrorism
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Children’s Reaction to Trauma
Reactions of Children by Age
Cultural Considerations
Tools of Crisis Intervention
SAFER Model
Self-Care by Responder
Role of Spiritual Care, Julie Taylor
Community Partnerships
Mental Health and Spiritual Care Leadership
Chapter Reflections
Epilogue
Index
Biography
Peter R. Teahen is a Funeral Director and founder of the International Mass Fatalities Center and AmericaReady. He has responded to disasters since 1989 and has written and lectured extensively on managing mass fatalities incidents. He has served as a national media spokesperson and a Government Liaison Officer for the American Red Cross and has been interviewed on such programs as Larry King Live, Good Morning America, Oprah, Weather Channel, Fox News, the British Broadcasting Company and Aljazeera. Mr. Teahen has been involved in leadership roles in more than forty-five major disasters throughout the U.S. and globally including the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, the Alaska Air Flt 261 and Egypt Air Flt 990 aviation disasters, Hurricane Katrina 2005, the Indonesian Tsunami 2004, and the Haiti earthquake of 2010. He is recognized for his work on aviation disasters and is internationally known for his work and lectures in critical incident stress management and the psychological and social impact of disasters. He is the recipient of numerous national awards including the National Public Spirit Award. Previous recipients include Ronald Reagan, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ann Landers, and Dr. Robert Schuller.
I really like the Reflection Questions at the end of each chapter - nice touch! I haven't seen this in other disaster books. ... Excellent job!
—Diane Myers, RN,MSN... has good applicability for people to use in community planning for mass fatalities incidents.
—Karyn Yaussy, Catawba County Emergency ManagementThe content flow is understandable, there is continuity of thought, and the presented information is factually correct.
—Garold D. Huey, BS, FDIEMB