The District Twenty Medical Examiner's goal is to provide safe, high quality, cost efficient forensic services to the citizens and visitors of Collier County regardless of the nature of the case. Disasters and associated hardships not withstanding, this Office will always strive to meet this goal. The following procedures ensure compliance with Florida Statute 406 and define terms, relationships and responsibilities. This is a reference for agencies that may affect or be affected by the operations of the Medical Examiner.

Definition of Disaster: Strictly speaking, a disaster is defined as an event which overwhelms one's resources. For practical purposes, our operating manual describes a disaster as a single event that results in the deaths of ten or more people.

In the event of a disaster, the Medical Examiner will record all available information related to the type of incident, location, approximate number of victims, any known hazards to responders, which agencies are involved, names of key personnel and incident commander, and any other pertinent information. The forensic technicians are then advised of the incident and of any special requirements in order to prepare the morgue accordingly. Then, the Medical Examiner will respond to the scene in order to gather information, insure adequate documentation of the deceased and their personal property and to coordinate the orderly transport from the scene to the Medical Examiner's Office for further examination.

The Medical Examiner will also arrange for additional forensic pathologists, odontologists, radiologists, technicians and other temporary staff, as needed. We have agreements with other agencies, such as law enforcement, grief counselors and hospital personnel to assist us with security, the news media and surviving relatives.

Specific Disaster Considerations
Natural Disasters: Natural disasters that are most likely to affect our area include severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, flash floods, earthquakes, wildfires, drought and extreme heat. These situations do not generally result in the loss of many lives, but are cause for concern for the preservation of the Office and its contents.

Technological Disasters: These include hazardous materials incidents, structural fires and explosions, and radiological accidents. Of these, hazardous materials and radiological incidents present the greatest safety hazard to the Office because of potential contamination problems. Bodies contaminated with hazardous chemical and/or radiological materials will not be brought to the morgue until thorough decontamination has been completed at a designated site and the likelihood of an autopsy is marginal.

National Security Emergencies: These include domestic crises such as civil disorder or widespread terrorism, and international crises such as an attack on the U.S. or accidental missile launch against the U.S. Again, the Medical Examiner's major concern is for personnel safety and, therefore, contaminated bodies may not be brought into the morgue. Additionally, security may be required during periods of civil disorder or terrorist activity.

Major Vehicular Accidents: These accidents include aircraft, buses and ships/boats. As in all other disasters, accident causation and identification of the deceased are the main focus of the investigation.

Safety
Safety is everyone's responsibility. The severe injury or death of a rescue worker or associated personnel following a disaster is a senseless tragedy. All personnel reporting to a disaster, operating in and around a disaster scene, transporting bodies, and operating in the morgue, must remain aware of the inherent dangers associated with an incident and take appropriate actions to guard against them.

Always follow the instructions of the incident commander. Do not permit freelancing. Obey traffic laws and regulations when going to and from the scene. Be cognizant of surroundings and potentially dangerous situations.

Medical Examiner personnel are exposed to potentially dangerous biological hazards each day in the morgue. Chemically or radiologically contaminated bodies increase a potentially adverse exposure. Fatigue and poor judgment will naturally follow when an inordinately high number of bodies must be examined. An adequate rest plan for all must be implemented and enforced.

Cost Accounting
Depending upon the severity of the disaster, the Office may have to arrange for supplies and services beyond the current funding. The Office will expect those costs to be reimbursed or paid from local, state, and/or federal sources. As a result, all costs for supplies and services associated with the disaster must be captured in detail and properly documented.

Summary
The District Twenty Medical Examiner's Office may be called upon to participate in a major disaster. This standing operating procedure is a guide to prepare and respond to such disasters and does not attempt to describe contingency actions for every possible disaster that may occur. Each member of the Medical Examiner's Office is responsible for applying common sense and sound judgment during the execution of their tasks. Regardless of the nature of the disaster, the Office will continue to provide safe, high-quality, cost effective forensic services to the citizens and visitors of Collier County.