08-09-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ramsey County │ Annex F: Fatality Management 13 In an incident that results in fatalities greater than the capacity of the Ramsey County Morgue and the Special Incident Response Mass Fatality Trailer, refrigerated vehicles can be utilized to transport bodies from the scene to the RCME’s Office or another secured location (primary consideration would be the RCSO Impound Lot where they can be stored pending processing and autopsy). The trailers can be used to store the bodies as they are processed, autopsied, and released to funeral homes. The Ramsey County Department of Public Works has the capability to modify the trailers with shelving to hold bodies, for morgue overflow. Depending on the number of deceased victims, one or more refrigerated vehicle should be present (acquired through RCEMHS) at the scene to either store or transport the bodies to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner Office in Saint Paul. The Medical Examiner building in Saint Paul has the hookups necessary to plug in two refrigerated semi-trailers. 3.5.4 PROCESSING AND IDENTIFICATION . Interviews with family or next of kin may need to be conducted in order to collect additional antemortem information to assist with reunification or victim identification. The RCME’s Office will coordinate with the Missing Persons Call Center and/or the FAC to facilitate the identification and reunification process. Remains and personal effects will be released to families following the identification process as the incident warrants. Incident specific protocols may also be initiated depending on incident type. All information concerning the identity of the victims should be communicated to the families before releasing any information to the public or the media. Human remains processing and identification activities need to be culturally sensitive. When establishing processes and communications about the processes, considerations for diverse population protocols, preferences and legal differences should be included. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, Public Law 104-191 covers the requirement to maintain confidentiality of all missing person/victim records in mass fatality response. Medical and dental providers of suspected victims are relieved of confidentiality restraints by the Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Exemption for Medical Examiners (CFR 164.512). Situations such as those related to legal status (e.g., LGBTQI partners, undocumented immigrants) may present challenges and issues for diverse populations to make informational inquiries, accessing of records, viewing of victim bodies, and other related activities including the collection, inventory, and return of personal effects to the decedent’s family. 3.5.5 COMMUNICATIONS Incident communications will be coordinated through the Ramsey County Emergency Communications Center, or the Joint Information Center, if established. If the incident occurs in a county in which the RCME is the contracted Medical Examiner, incident communications will be coordinated through the affected county’s emergency communications center. Commercial landlines and cellular phones will be utilized in addition to the radio system.