ANT 3520 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: National Disaster Medical System, United States Public Health Service, Forensic Pathology
Document Summary
Mass disasters: death events, natural or human-made, that overwhelm the capabilities of a local system. No number that defines what a mass disaster. Trauma analysis (cause and manner of death; relates to public safety) Provide evidence for prosecution of offenders (criminal tribunals, terrorist acts) or civil litigation for reparation to victim families: planning a response. Open population- deceased could be anyone, don"t have a roster. Role of dna: at the scene. Appropriate search and recovery efforts are dependent on the size and scope of the event. Locate, recognize and recover remains (especially when burned and fragmented) Assignments will vary with each incident: disaster mortuary operational response team (dmort) Part of the national disaster medical system under the us public health service and office of emergency preparedness (federal) Started by national association of funeral directors. Work under jurisdiction of the local authority (for forensic anthropologists, this is the local me or coroner"s office)