DVI Morgue Operations

Abstract

This chapter describes the functions of disaster victim identification (DVI) morgue from the perspective of full operations and a disaster portable morgue unit deployment, remembering that the DVI morgue will be tailored to the specifics of the mass fatality incident (MFI) mission. Regardless of the morgue deployment or use, the medical examiner/coroner is legally responsible for DVI. A critical feature of incident command system is the Incident Commander, under whom the organizational hierarchy expands via a Chain of Command. An MFI will, in all likelihood, be one component of a multiagency, governmental (state and/or federal) incident response. The non-forensic stations handle and process the remains prior to, and at times during, forensic identification. The number of morgue stations and how extensively they are staffed will vary with each MFI and the needs of the individual response.