08-09-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ramsey County │ Annex F: Fatality Management 12 •Transportation of human remains, property, and evidence to the incident morgue. 3.5.3.1 Scene Evaluation and Investigation The on-duty Medical Examiner Investigator will, upon notification of a mass fatality incident, inform the Chief Medical Examiner and Chief Investigator about the situation. The Chief Investigator will contact the ranking law enforcement personnel at the scene to receive preliminary situational awareness, including environmental hazards and estimated number of fatalities, and determine timeframe to begin on-scene evaluation and investigation. The Medical Examiner, supported by the Assistant Medical Examiners and the Chief Investigator, will determine the possible need for locating and setting up a temporary morgue facility. The necessity of a temporary morgue facility may be the result of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear event, in which case transporting bodies may cause further contamination. If an incident results in a number of fatalities that threatens to overwhelm the capacity of the RCME to appropriately hold the remains, the activation of a temporary morgue facility will likely be required. 3.5.3.2 Decontamination In the event of a CBRNE incident, remains may need to be decontaminated before they are transported. When remains are contaminated, HazMat teams and/or other resources will be required to assist in the search and recovery at the incident scene and conduct decontamination prior to transport. The municipal fire department in the affected community would be the first HazMat responders if resources are available. If resource needs or capabilities exceed local capacity, assistance from mutual aid from surrounding jurisdictions, the North Suburban HazMat Response Team, and/or the State HazMat Team would be coordinated through RCEMHS. 3.5.3.3 Mass Fatality Body Recovery and Identification Once the scene is cleared for recovery, the RCME’s Office will follow standard procedures for locating, documenting, packaging, and recovering all remains and associated property from the incident scene. The RCME will follow existing policy and law in documenting the scene, including appropriately detailed photography of remains, tagging and otherwise tracking of remains, location mapping, collection, and retention of personal belongings. All remains will be tagged and recovered using appropriate containers/body bags. Required records and tracking documents utilized in accordance with RCME policy and procedures. Responders will be aware of the impact of these activities on the cultural concerns of diverse populations who have lost loves ones or members of their community, including populations that have strong beliefs against the use of photography. 3.5.3.4 Transportation Currently, the RCME’s Office has a contract with a local livery service to provide several hearses for body transportation from an incident scene to the Medical Examiner’s office,