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Mass Mortuary Services



The first response to a COVID-19 outbreak is a Mass Mortuary Service. These facilities are often not equipped to deal with the influx of bodies, but a highly trained staff is available. In addition, the staff can help identify victims and assist them in making arrangements. In some cases, these facilities will provide burial services. They are also equipped to process remains and provide long-term storage for the remains. The following are some of the tasks performed by a Mass Mortuary Service.


Identification Officer: The ID Officer is responsible for controlling the viewing of the bodies and compiling the identification records. A Medical Examiner may need help identifying a deceased individual and preparing dental charts and fingerprint records. Morgue Attendants: These professionals will handle the bodies and assist the Identification Officer. There should be at least one of these workers for every ten thousand residents. Clerical Assistants: The staff at a mass mortuary must perform certain administrative tasks. Learn more from Penn Care Inc.


Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT): This team will respond to large-scale disasters and assist in identifying deceased individuals and storing bodies while awaiting claim. The DMORT is organized into ten regions and each region is headed by a regional coordinator. They work under the direction of local authorities and are recognized by all states. A Mass Mortuary Service is responsible for reburying the bodies.


FEMORS: The FEMOR team will provide assistance to the medical examiner after a mass fatality event, including identification and body storage. These teams are organized into ten regions and each region has a regional coordinator. A DMORT member will be working under the local authorities and is recognized by every state. If a Mass Mortuary Service is necessary, it can be provided for by private mortuaries.


DMORT members are trained to respond to large-scale disasters. These teams can identify and store deceased bodies, as well as coordinate with local authorities and funeral homes to coordinate a mass funeral. In a mass fatality, the Medical Examiner has legal responsibilities in connection with the investigation of violent deaths and the disposition of the body. The Chief of Police, for example, is responsible for determining whether and how the mass mortuary service will handle the bodies.


A Mass Mortuary is equipped to respond to a mass fatality in a disaster situation. If there is a mass fatality, the DMORT and 54th Quartermaster Company will manage the DPMUs in the aftermath. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will establish a recovery taskforce to help determine the identity of the deceased. The DMORT will be a key part of the DPMU team. Check out the Penn Care for more information.


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