Fatality Management

Fatality Management is the process and accompanying functions in conducting decedent identification and storage, morgue operations, personal effects management, assistance for family members, and disposition of human remains.

 

A Mass Fatality Incident (MFI) is any occurrence where the number of fatalities exceeds the hospital’s existing morgue capabilities or what is normally managed by community medical/legal systems. In the event of a major disaster within a specific locale, it may be several days before the Department of Coroner, County Morgue, or private mortuaries can respond, process, and recover decedents. 

 

The Fatality Management Support Annex is a planning document that augments the hospital’s existing Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and incorporates the fundamental principles of all-hazards emergency management. The annex provides for the proper coordination of mass fatality incident management and response activities, and establishes means and methods for the sensitive, respectful, orderly care and handling of human remains in multi-death disaster situations.