The dead

"A volcano eruption has just happened. A lot of people are dead. We need your help!"

When death is involved in a disaster, we need to identify the dead victims. Why? it is a respect of death person, and it is for the purpose of legal claims and obligation in relation to property, estate and debts.

So, who are in the disaster victim identification (DVI) team?

1) the police or interpol (international police)
2) forensic pathologist, anthropologist and dentist
3) army
4) trained volunteers

There are few procedures in DVI:

1) Phase I: Scene. The team will search for bodies, body parts, properties, mapping the area of disaster, labelling, documentation, putting the dead bodies in body bags.

2) Phase II: Mortuary: Post-morten examination. They will do:

a) Documentation: bodies, body parts, properties.
b) External-internal examination, autopsy: forensic pathologist's job.
c) Identification of race, sex, age, stature: Forensic antropologist's job.
d) Dental examination: Forensic dentist and anthropologist's job.
e) Record body fragmentations: What body parts are missing.
f) Taking samples for DNA examination: blood, tissue, bone, teeth.
g) Taking roentgen of the upper and lower jaw with teeth.

All post-mortem examination data is recorded in pink form.

3) Phase III: Antemortem data compilation. The data is gathered from family members, friends, doctor, dentist (medical record for matching with the primary identification traits). The data can be vital signs, specific characters, jewelery, watch, clothes (for matching with secondary identification traits). All the antemortem data is recorded in yellow form.

4) Phase IV: Reconciliation. It is to compare antemortem data with postmortem data. Identification is confirmed when there is one primary identification method is matched (DNA, fingerprints, dental profile) or at least 2 secondary identification method are matched ( visual, photography, properties, medic-anthropology).When all parties provide evidence and proofs that matched/identified-->signed and dated.

5) Phase V: Release and debrief.

• Release. The dead body is released to the family member, along with the letter.
• Debrief: Compile documents. DVI team is dismissed.

How if the dead body is unidentified?
According to Dr. Yudha Nurhantari, a victim is defined as "unidentified" when it is more than 48 hrs in the morgue. Usually during the period, the information or the photographs of the dead body is released to the media. According to Prof. Drg. Etty Indriati, in a disaster settings, if the dead body is unidentified after 3 days, mass burial will be done. They will be buried 2m in depth.

In DVI,

they say: The success indicator is not the the speed, but the accuracy

Reference:
1) Dr, Yudha Nurhantari. Lecture: Management of Dead Victims In Mass Disaster.
2) Prof. Drg. Etty Indriati. Lecture: The Roles of Anthropology in Disaster Victim Identification.