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What is Mortuary Response About

The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), Office of Public Health Preparedness (OPHP) and the Michigan Funeral Director Association (MFDA) have joined forces to develop and implement protocols...

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Join the Team,over 100 members and growing.

Our team is made up of various professions including; forensic pathologists, forensic dentists, forensic anthropologists,..

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Check out the latest Events

The Events Section is where educational and trainings opportunities will be posted for MI-MORT members.  Some of these events will be speciality or section specific, others will be for the whole team including the spring classroom and fall training events.

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About Us Print E-mail

The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), Office of Public Health Preparedness (OPHP) and the Michigan Funeral Director Association (MFDA) have joined forces to develop and implement protocols to respond to a mass fatalities incident within the borders of the State of Michigan using trained personnel from multiple state, and local agencies, as well as other specialized resources in the event of a human-made or natural catastrophic incident. The investigative and identification process in a mass fatality situation is a multidisciplinary endeavor requiring multiple forensic and medical specialists to come together rapidly often under adverse conditions.

The rapid and accurate identification of mass fatality victims is of critical importance to any disaster mitigation operation. Issues of probate cannot be resolved until identification has been confirmed and a death certificate issued by the Medical Examiner. MI-MORT was created to serve the needs of Medical Examiners in their mission to bring dignity and professionalism to caring for the deceased. The MI-MORT task force duties may include: Initial Scene Response and Evaluation, Processing the Scene, Temporary Morgue Operations and Administration, and the roles of various forensic units within the morgue (e.g., pathologist, anthropologist, odontologist, radiologist, fingerprint specialist, DNA analyst, funeral director, and others), Victim Identification, Disposition of Human Remains (Embalming/casketing), Personal Effects, and Evidence Collection.

MI-MORT members are classified, based upon the level of expertise they have achieved through experience and education, in one of the following categories:

CODE

MI-MORT Title

Description (primary but not limited)

Minimum Requirement

MCMD

MI-MORT Commander

Disaster Management of personnel, equipment and mass fatality disaster assets; ME Liaison; MDCH/EMC liaison; Scheduling

Mass Fatality Disaster Response Experience; Management and Administrative Experience;

RGTL

Regional Team Leader

Performs Go Team Duties as Back-up to MI-MORT Commander

Mass Fatality Disaster Response Experience; Management and Administrative Experience;

VDCL

Victim Antemortem Data Team Leader

Supervises Victim Antemortem Data Center

Mass Fatality Disaster Response Experience; Management and Administrative Experience;

PATF

Pathologist, Forensic

Examines recovered remains, details anatomic observations; May serve as section leader for Pathology or Identification Center

Licensed Forensic Pathology M.D. or D.O.,

PATN

Pathologist, Non-Forensic, M.D., or D.O.

Examines recovered remains and details anatomic observations under the supervision of a forensic pathologist

Licensed M.D. or D.O. without forensic/postmortem experience

ANTF

Anthropologist, Forensic

Search or examination of bone or fragments; May serve as section leader for scene or morgue anthropology

Ph.D. with forensic/ postmortem experience

ANTN

Anthropologist, Non-Forensic

Search or examination of bone or fragments under the supervision of a forensic anthropologist

Ph.D. without forensic/ postmortem experience

ODNF

Odontologist, Forensic

Examines dental remains, processes antemortem dental records for ID; May serve as section leader for ante or postmortem Odontology

Licensed Dentist with forensic/ postmortem experience

ODNN

Odontologist, Non-Forensic

Examines dental remains, processes antemortem dental records for ID under the supervision of a forensic odontologist

Licensed Dentist without forensic/ postmortem experience

MHLO

Mental Health Officer

Monitors team member performance and well being

M.D., Ph.D., or Nurse

ADFI

Administrative Officer

Coordinates Administrative and Financial documentation duties

Administrative and Financial Experience,

CHAP

Chaplain

Pastoral Care of MI-MORT staff

Pastoral Experience,

IRCS

IR Computer Specialist

Sets up and troubleshoots network operation and VIP (Victim Identification Program database) modifications; assists command staff

Programming, IT or MIS Experience, MS Office applications including Excel

MEDI

Medical Investigator

Identification coordinator; Postmortem data entry and VIP (Victim Identification Program database) searching for possible ID linkages; May perform VAMDC interviews or contact families for information; May serve as section leader for Identification Center, Medical Investigations, Admitting, Photography, Personal Effects, Body X-Ray, Remains Holding or Storage, Records Management; May assist with pathology, anthropology, odontology, DNA, or scene search sections

Medical Examiner, Forensic Investigator or Law Enforcement Death Investigation Detective

MRTO

Mortuary Officer

May serve as section leader for Morgue Operations, Admitting, Personal Effects, Radiology (Body X-Ray), Embalming, Casketing, Remains Holding or Storage, or Remains Release; May serve as VAMDC interviewer

Licensed Funeral Director, Embalmer

SAFO

Safety Officer

Monitors proper PPE usage and safety factors in the scene and morgue environment

Chemistry/Blood-borne Background

DNAS

DNA Specialist

May serve as Section Leader for postmortem DNA collection and VAMDC DNA Section for specimen collection from families.

Laboratory level Forensic DNA Experience

FPTS

Fingerprint Specialist

Obtains print impressions from remains or antemortem specimens; Compares ante and postmortem prints for ID; May serve as section leader for ante or postmortem Fingerprint sections.

Postmortem Fingerprint Experience or Latent Print Analyst

FORS

Forensic Specialist

Assists DNA, pathology, anthropology, odontology, photography, or personal effects sections; May serve as section leader for Photography or Personal Effects

Laboratory level Forensic Experience: Toxicology, Chemistry, Firearms, etc.

DPMU

DPMU Team

Equipment managers and logistics coordinators

Administrative and Mechanical Aptitude Experience,

EVSP

Evidence Specialist

Scene search and recovery; Assists photography, personal effects, serves as scribe for pathology, anthropology, odontology, or DNA sections; May serve as section leader for Disaster Site Center or Transport, Remains Holding, Photography, Personal Effects, or Remains Storage.

Crime Scene Technician Experience

AUTT

Autopsy Technician

Assists pathology, anthropology, odontology, or DNA sections; May serve as section leader for Body X-Ray

Medical Examiner Morgue Autopsy or X-Ray Experience

IRDE

IR Data Entry

Performs data entry; Helps in any other clerical capacity

Data Entry, Windows, and MS Office Proficiency

FACS

FAC Specialist

Interviews families for gathering VIP information on missing persons; Performs data entry of ante mortem information

Training in FAC (non-Funeral Director Level)

PHOT

Photographer

Takes photographs at any of the several morgue stations or at disaster site

Forensic Photography Experience

ADSP

Administrative Specialist

Helps in any clerical capacity including data entry, records clerk, or morgue scribe

Clerical skills with basic computer skills

DENA

Dental Assistant

Assist odontologists at table or in clerical capacity, or serve as body escort or scribe

Dental Hygienist or Assistant

MRTA

Mortuary Assistant

Body escort, scribe, body storage handling

Volunteers not otherwise defined