OSAC 2022-N-0021 Family Engagement Following a Mass Fatality Incident:

Victim Information Center Best Practice Recommendations for

Medicolegal Death Investigation Authorities

1

OSAC 2022-N-0021 

Family Engagement Following 

a Mass Fatality Incident: 

Victim Information Center Best 

Practice Recommendations for 

Medicolegal Death 

Investigation Authorities

Disaster Victim Identification Task Group

Medicolegal Death Investigation Subcommittee

Medicine Scientific Area Committee

Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science
OSAC 2022-N-0021 Family Engagement Following a Mass Fatality Incident:

Victim Information Center Best Practice Recommendations for

Medicolegal Death Investigation Authorities

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Draft OSAC Proposed Standard

OSAC 2022-N-0021 Family Engagement 

Following a Mass Fatality Incident: 

Victim Information Center Best Practice 

Recommendations for Medicolegal Death 

Investigation Authorities 

Prepared by 

Medicolegal Death Investigation SC

Version: 1.0 

September 2022

Disclaimer:

This OSAC Proposed Standard was written by the Medicolegal Death Investigation Subcommittee 

Disaster Victim Identification Task Group of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) 

for Forensic Science following a process that includes an open comment period. This Proposed 

Standard will be submitted to a standards developing organization and is subject to change. 

There may be references in an OSAC Proposed Standard to other publications under development 

by OSAC. The information in the Proposed Standard, and underlying concepts and methodologies, 

may be used by the forensic-science community before the completion of such companion 

publications.

Any identification of commercial equipment, instruments, or materials in the Proposed Standard is 

not a recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Government and does not imply that the 

equipment, instruments, or materials are necessarily the best available for the purpose.
OSAC 2022-N-0021 Family Engagement Following a Mass Fatality Incident:

Victim Information Center Best Practice Recommendations for

Medicolegal Death Investigation Authorities

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1

2 Foreword

3

4 Timely and compassionate family engagement is a foundational principle of Disaster Victim 

5 Identification (DVI). Best practices include establishing the Victim Information Center (VIC) 

6 as quickly as possible following a disaster incident as a means to offer a location where the 

7 medicolegal death investigation authority and law enforcement can collect information from 

8 and provide information to the family and friends of victims. 

9

10 The VIC may be co-located with other responding agencies sometimes as part of a larger 

11 Family Assistance Center (FAC) which provides other services to victims and families. The 

12 mission of the VIC is to receive notice from families and concerned friends of possible 

13 disaster victims. The VIC collects antemortem information through interviews with the NOK 

14 and performs data entry so that identification of the deceased can be made. In addition, it 

15 transfers necessary information to the NOK and assists the MDI authority with notifications, 

16 if requested. 

17

18 Although identification of decedents may begin in the field, the rate limiting factor 

19 influencing the overall success of the victim identification process is the ability to obtain 

20 valid antemortem information. The best practice recommendations presented in this 

21 document are designed to outline the process for family engagement during a mass fatality 

22 incident (MFI) operation which maximizes the information yield while attempting to 

23 minimize the secondary trauma to the family and friends of the victims and well as those 

24 working the operation. In the absence of specific guidance, the principle, spirit, and intent of 

25 this document should be met.

26

27 This best practice recommendation is put forth by the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) 

28 Task Group within OSAC Medicolegal Death Investigation (MDI) Subcommittee. This 

29 document is intended to be the part of a series of standards and best practices developed 

30 by the DVI Task Group. This document originated from the Scientific Working Group on 

31 Disaster Victim Identification (SWGDVI).

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42 Keywords: Victim Information Center (VIC), Family Assistance Center (FAC), Disaster Victim 

43 Identification (DVI), Family Reception Center (FRC), Mass Fatality Incident (MFI), 

44 Antemortem Interview, Family Briefing, possible coroner, medical examiner, medicolegal 

45 death investigation, medicolegal death investigation authority.
OSAC 2022-N-0021 Family Engagement Following a Mass Fatality Incident:

Victim Information Center Best Practice Recommendations for

Medicolegal Death Investigation Authorities

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46 Table of Contents

47

48 1. Scope 6

49 2. Normative References 6

50 3. Terms and Definitions 6

51 4. Recommendations for Family Engagement 9

52 4.1. Progression of Family Assistance following an MFI 9

53 4.2. Family Assistance Center 9

54 4.2.1. Ownership Recommendations 9

55 4.2.2. FAC Service Recommendations 9

56 4.2.3. Family Briefings 10

57 4.2.3.1. General Guidelines for Family Briefings 10

58 4.2.3.2. Recommended Family Briefing Agenda 10

59 4.2.4. Public Release of Information 11

60 4.3. Victim Information Center 11

61 4.3.1. Purpose and Description 11

62 4.3.2. Activation of the VIC 11

63 4.3.2.1. Establishing Realistic Expectations 11

64 4.3.2.2. Staffing Recommendations 12

65 4.3.2.3. VIC Facility Considerations 12

66 4.3.2.4. Self-Care 12

67 4.3.3. VIC Operations 13

68 4.3.3.1. Reception 13

69 4.3.3.2. Antemortem Interviews 13

70 4.3.3.3. Antemortem Records Collection 13

71 4.3.3.4. Antemortem Data Management 13

72 4.3.3.5. Personal Effects as Reference Samples 14

73 4.3.3.6. Death Notifications 14

74 4.3.3.7. Identification Notification Preferences 14

75 4.3.4. VIC Demobilization 14

76 Bibliography 16

77
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78 1. Scope 

79 This document provides guidance on, and highlights challenges associated with establishing a Victim 

80 Information Center (VIC), formerly known as the Victim Identification Center, to conduct the 

81 medicolegal functions in coordination with a Family Assistance Center (FAC) operation. These 

82 functions include collecting and sharing information to the disaster victim identification (DVI) 

83 process by conducting antemortem interviews. These guidelines were developed to provide 

84 medicolegal death investigation authorities a framework for family engagement during a mass 

85 fatality incident response. This document defines the purpose and objectives of a VIC, when it should 

86 be established, how it is managed, and the role of the medicolegal authority. 

87 2. Normative References

88 The following normative references are indispensable for the application of this document. For 

89 dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the 

90 referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

91

92 1) Assistance to families of passengers involved in aircraft accidents, 49 U.S. Code § 1136 (1996, 

93 1997)

94 2) Assistance to families of passengers involved in rail passenger accidents, 49 U.S. Code § 1139 

95 (2008)

96

97 3) National Transportation Safety Board, Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance. (2008). 

98 Federal Family Assistance Plan for Aviation Disasters. 

99 4) Plans to address needs of families of passengers involved in aircraft accidents, 49 U.S. Code § 

100 41113 (2021)

101

102 5) Plans to address needs of families of passengers involved in foreign air carrier accidents. 49 U.S. 

103 Code § 41113 (1996) and 41313 (1997),

104

105 6) Plans to address needs of families of passengers involved in rail passenger accidents, 49 U.S. Code 

106 § 24316 (2008)

107 3. Terms and Definitions

108 For the purpose of this document, the following definitions and acronyms apply.

109 3.1.

110 Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)

111 Processes and procedures for identifying and re-associating human remains via the application of 

112 scientific methods, as a component of mass fatality management

113

114 3.2.

115 Family Assistance

116 The provision of services and information to the family members of those killed and to those 

117 injured or otherwise impacted by the incident

118
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119 3.3.

120 Family Assistance Center (FAC)

121 The Family Assistance Center (FAC) is the focus of services for family members following an 

122 incident. FACs are designed to meet the immediate and short-term needs of family members: safety, 

123 security, physiological needs (food, sleep), information (about the victim recovery and 

124 identification process and the investigation), and crisis/grief counseling. The FAC is designed to 

125 provide information to families and friends of victims, decision-makers, the media, and the public, 

126 regarding the on-going operations. The role of the medicolegal authority at the FAC includes 

127 gathering antemortem data via the Victim Information Center and notifying the legal representative 

128 authorized to direct disposition regarding the deceased. FACs can be physically and / or virtually 

129 established sites

130

131 3.4.

132 Family Reception Center 

133 FRC

134 The Family Reception Center (FRC), also known as the Friends and Relatives Center, is a temporary 

135 location established minutes or hours after incident notification as a location for friends and family 

136 members to gather and receive information until a FAC is established and operational. FRCs alleviate 

137 an unmanageable congregation of family members at the medicolegal authority’s office, or the 

138 incident site, and are intended to be open facilities for any individual that suspects their loved one 

139 may have been involved in the incident. Reunification of victims and families ideally occurs at the 

140 FRC rather than the FAC 

141

142 3.5.

143 Joint Information Center (JIC)

144 A location where personnel with public information responsibilities coordinate critical emergency 

145 information functions, crisis communications, and public affairs functions

146

147 3.6.

148 Manifest of unaccounted for persons

149 Working list of persons potentially involved in an incident which may include deceased, injured,

150 and otherwise unaccounted for persons

151

152 3.7.

153 Mass fatality incident (MFI)

154 Any incident which produces fatalities of a sufficient number or complexity that special operations 

155 and organizations are required 

156

157 3.8.

158 Mass fatality management

159 The overarching operation involving processing a disaster incident. This includes communicating 

160 with victim families, search and recovery, processing and identification of the dead, and returning 

161 them to their families. Fatality management operations are split into distinct roles including scene 

162 operations, morgue operations and family assistance (aka victim information). The protocols for 

163 each are held within the individual medicolegal authority’s mass fatality plans

164

165

166

167 3.9.
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168 Medicolegal Death Investigation (MDI) Authority

169 The medical examiner, coroner or other office responsible for medicolegal death investigation in a 

170 given jurisdiction. The term medicolegal authority is an abbreviation for medicolegal death 

171 investigation authority, and when used in this document, shall be construed as though it were 

172 written out in full 

173

174 3.10.

175 Victim Information Center (VIC)

176 The Victim Information Center (VIC), formerly known as the Victim Identification Center, is a 

177 component of the Family Assistance Center (FAC) operation. The VIC is a controlled area within the 

178 FAC where the acquisition of antemortem data occurs to enable the identification of victims of a 

179 mass fatality incident (MFI). Establishment of the VIC is the responsibility of the local medicolegal 

180 authority 

181 4. Recommendations for Family Engagement

182 4.1. Progression of Family Assistance following an MFI 

183

184 In the immediate hours following a mass fatality incident the family and friends of disaster victims 

185 will gather spontaneously. It is recommended that the Incident Commander designate a community 

186 space to be established as a temporary centralized location for families and friends to gather, protect 

187 families from the media and curiosity seekers, and facilitate preliminary information sharing to 

188 support family reunification. This location is intended to be short-term and should be replaced by a 

189 Family Assistance Center (FAC). This space may be referred to as a Family Reception Center (FRC). 

190 The local medicolegal authority should be aware that these services are being offered while the FAC 

191 is being established.

192 4.2. Family Assistance Center 

193

194 4.2.1. Ownership Recommendations

195

196 Disaster victim identification requires complex operational decision making and will exhaust the 

197 resources of most medicolegal authority jurisdictions. Additionally, many of the services offered to 

198 FAC clients are outside of the purview of the medicolegal authority (e.g. mental health, insurance and 

199 victim compensation). It is therefore the recommendation of this body that the local medicolegal 

200 authority should focus all efforts on DVI operations and rely on local partner agencies to assume 

201 responsibility for FAC operations. The role of the medicolegal authority at the FAC is the 

202 establishment and management of the VIC, and the medicolegal authority should be involved in the 

203 initial decision-making and coordinated actions required to activate the FAC. It is recommended that 

204 the FAC is activated and coordinated by one of the following agencies: 

205 − Office of Emergency Management

206 − Public Health Department

207 − Jurisdiction’s Chief Official

208 − Human Services Department 

209 − Other local government agencies 

210
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211 While a single agency may choose to activate and provide operational authority for the FAC, the FAC 

212 may also become the responsibility of a Unified Command with a combination of the agencies listed 

213 above. 

214

215 4.2.2. FAC Service Recommendations

216

217 In addition to the services offered in the Victim Information Center, jurisdictions should consider 

218 providing the following services at the FAC:

219 1) Reception services

220 a) Credentialing of FAC clients and employees

221 b) Assigning an escort/liaison to assist FAC clients

222 2) Security

223 3) Mental health/behavioral health services

224 4) First aid/minor medical care

225 5) Child and adult care

226 6) Insurance and victim compensation

227 7) Legal services

228 8) Travel/lodging

229 9) Food/beverages

230 10) Financial planning to victims, family members and first responders

231 11) Family briefings 

232 12) Translation and interpretation services

233 13) ADA accommodations

234

235 4.2.3. Family Briefings

236

237 The purpose of the family briefing is to ensure that families have current and accurate information 

238 regarding the recovery and identification of victims, as well as the investigation. Family members 

239 should be the first to receive information from responder agencies in a compassionate manner. When 

240 selecting personnel to conduct briefings, the individual should be consistently available. While much 

241 information is exchanged during the family briefings, it may be appropriate for the medicolegal 

242 authority (or designee) to meet privately with the families of victims to share information concerning 

243 the status of the recovery and identification process as it relates specifically to their loved one(s). 

244 Family briefings at the FAC may be suspended if the identification process is protracted and 

245 antemortem data collection processes are complete. An additional consideration to suspend the 

246 family briefings is the diminishing number of family members still in regular attendance. Prior to the 

247 suspension of family briefings this information should be conveyed to the victims’ families along with 

248 direction on how they will continue to receive information from the MDI authority.

249

250 4.2.3.1. General Guidelines for Family Briefings

251

252 1) Always provide information to the families before releasing information to the media. 

253 2) Provide family briefings as soon as possible and maintain a regular schedule for briefings. The 

254 frequency of briefings may change over time depending on need. 

255 3) The MDI authority should consider providing alternate means of communicating with families 

256 for those unable to travel to the FAC for family briefings (e.g. video or phone conference).
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257 4) The MDI authority, or their designee, should be present at all briefings to report on victim 

258 recovery and identification processes and progress. 

259 5) Other responder agency leadership should attend all briefings to answer questions relating to 

260 their respective areas. 

261 6) Security should be present to ensure only appropriate people are allowed into the briefing room.

262 7) Behavioral health and spiritual care providers should be present at all family briefings. 

263 8) Translation and interpretation services should be coordinated as needed.

264 9) The MDI authority should develop a Family Briefing Agenda and talking points in advance of the 

265 briefing and present information using plain language (simple and understandable terms).

266

267 4.2.3.2. Recommended Family Briefing Agenda

268

269 The MDI authority should participate in a family briefing prior to media conferences. The information 

270 to be shared with the media should be provided to the victims’ families, and any issues reconciled 

271 before it is shared with the media. The medicolegal topics covered during a family briefing may 

272 include: 

273 1) Status of search and recovery operations

274 2) Explanation of medicolegal authority processes and procedures

275 3) Number of missing, positive identifications, and fatalities

276 4) Process of DNA, medical, dental, and antemortem fingerprint records collection

277 5) Process for returning personal effects

278 6) Information to be shared with the media and data privacy

279 7) Process for issuing death certificates

280 8) Resources available to families

281 9) Disposition and return of remains

282 10) Questions from families

283 4.2.4. Public Release of Information

284

285 As a rule, public release of any information related to the medicolegal investigation and identification 

286 process will be made public only after the families and the responders have been briefed on this 

287 information. It is important to manage public release of information regarding the medicolegal 

288 investigation and identification process; the appropriateness, timeliness and accuracy of this 

289 information must be ensured prior to release to the media or the general public. 

290

291 4.3. Victim Information Center 

292 i)

293 4.3.1. Purpose and Description 

294

295 The VIC is a secure and centralized location, typically within the FAC, established for the purpose of 

296 facilitating the exchange of antemortem information. It is the responsibility of the medicolegal 

297 authority to establish the VIC, to oversee the data management process and to make identifications. 

298 Law enforcement is responsible for conducting missing person investigations and providing 

299 information regarding the status of these investigations to the medicolegal authority. This is an 

300 especially critical function in an open population mass fatality incident, where the victim population 
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Victim Information Center Best Practice Recommendations for

Medicolegal Death Investigation Authorities

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301 is not clearly defined. The VIC operation contributes to the development of a reliable list of deceased 

302 victims involved in the incident. 

303

304 4.3.2. Activation of the VIC

305

306 The medicolegal authority should communicate with local partner agencies to identify whether or 

307 not a FAC is being activated. If activated, the medicolegal authority should communicate VIC 

308 requirements to the partner agency responsible for FAC operations. When a FAC has not been 

309 established the medicolegal authority must decide whether or not to establish a VIC as a stand alone 

310 operation. This decision should be based upon whether or not it will enhance the ability to collect 

311 and disseminate information in a centralized manner. 

312

313 4.3.2.1. Establishing Realistic Expectations

314

315 A central tenet of MFI management is that the manner in which the families are treated may be the 

316 determining factor in the perceived success of the incident response. Establishing realistic 

317 expectations about the medicolegal operation and timeline helps build and maintain trust between 

318 the medicolegal authority and the friends and family of victims. This can be accomplished through 

319 collaboration with other responding organizations, in scheduled daily family briefings that include 

320 the following: 

321 1) Discussion of the medicolegal processes of human remains recovery, identification, and release.

322 2) An opportunity to address questions from attendees regarding the medicolegal investigation and 

323 identification processes.

324 3) Addressing any rumors or misconceptions.

325

326 4.3.2.2. Staffing Recommendations

327

328 Staff under medicolegal authority supervision should include:

329 1) Personnel trained and comfortable briefing family members in a group setting on the medicolegal 

330 process and addressing their questions in an open format:

331 2) Personnel trained to conduct antemortem interviews in a compassionate manner (e.g. funeral 

332 directors, medicolegal death investigators, forensic nurses, etc.);

333 3) Personnel trained to identify suitable DNA reference sample donors, to collect DNA reference 

334 samples, to obtain consent, and to document chain of custody for the collected samples; 

335 4) Personnel responsible for requesting medical and dental records from relevant entities, tracking 

336 outstanding requests, and evaluating the quality of antemortem records for the identification 

337 process;

338 5) Personnel responsible for implementing a quality assurance program for the data collected 

339 during the VIC operation;

340 6) Information technology experts;

341 7) Administrative personnel; and

342 8) Personnel designated to manage the overall VIC operations and liaise with other agencies and 

343 organizations operating in the FAC to coordinate medicolegal efforts.

344

345 It may be necessary to reach out to partners (government, private) in your local jurisdiction to fulfill 

346 the staffing needs of this operation. The circumstances of specific incidents may allow for individuals 

347 to serve multiple roles. The medicolegal authority should manage these staff. 

348
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349 4.3.2.3. VIC Facility Considerations

350

351 When establishing a VIC operation the medicolegal authority should work collaboratively with the 

352 FAC lead agency to ensure that the facility is/has:

353 1) Convenient location for the family and friends of victims of the incident

354 2) Secure & private

355 3) Internet and cellular service and hardware to support large amounts of data transmission

356 4) A family waiting room that can accommodate up to 10 family members per victim

357 5) Private rooms to support antemortem interviews

358 6) Large assembly room for family briefings 

359 7) Administrative space to support back office operations

360 8) Room for staff respite

361

362 The location selected for a Family Assistance Center should be scalable so that as the incident unfolds 

363 and families arrive, the operation can accommodate larger groups than initially anticipated. 

364 Consideration should be given to accommodate for establishing virtual VIC operations when the 

365 incident warrants.

366

367 4.3.2.4. Self-Care

368

369 Effort should be taken by the medicolegal authority to ensure the safety and psychological well being 

370 of VIC personnel.

371

372 4.3.3. VIC Operations

373

374 4.3.3.1. Reception

375

376 The medicolegal authority should coordinate a reception process with FAC leadership to document 

377 persons entering the FAC. This would include a formal registration that allows for expedient 

378 identification and notification of the legal representatives authorized to direct disposition who are 

379 present at the FAC. A family liaison should also be assigned at this time to assist the families 

380 throughout the process. Caution should be taken to protect the family and friends from those 

381 attempting entry to the FAC to solicit business or information. 

382

383 4.3.3.2. Antemortem Interviews

384

385 Interviews with families and friends of those who are presumed deceased are a primary source of 

386 the antemortem data needed to identify human remains. These interviews may be conducted by a 

387 variety of personnel who are trained in conducting antemortem interviews involving in-depth and 

388 confidential conversations with family members in a respectful and compassionate manner. This 

389 interview may take multiple hours to complete, following which the interviewers should be provided 

390 a rest period of no less than 30 minutes. The interview should not resemble an interrogation, and 

391 instead should be facilitated as a conversation to gain pertinent victim information, including 

392 medical/dental history, employment history, and unique identifying features (such as scars, marks, 

393 tattoos, and previously recorded fingerprint records). If there is a concurrent missing persons 

394 investigation led by law enforcement, the medicolegal authority should coordinate with law 

395 enforcement to conduct a joint family interview as a means to reduce duplication of effort and further 

396 trauma on the interviewees. 

397
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398 4.3.3.3. Antemortem Records Collection

399

400 A limiting factor in the speed of a disaster victim identification operation success is access to 

401 antemortem data. Based upon information received in the antemortem interview, antemortem 

402 records may need to be collected from physicians, dentists, hospitals, and other healthcare 

403 institutions. Family members may also bring additional records such as:

404 1) Antemortem fingerprints

405 2) Dental records

406 3) DNA reference samples 

407 4) Radiographs 

408 5) Surgical histories (ie. implanted devices and hardware, notable scars) 

409

410 4.3.3.4. Antemortem Data Management

411

412 Information obtained from family members during antemortem interviews, including antemortem 

413 records, photographs, and other data must be managed in an effective and efficient manner in order 

414 to facilitate comparison with postmortem data for identification purposes, ideally using an electronic 

415 system to capture and manage these data. Consult the OSAC Mass Fatality Incident Data 

416 Management: Best Practice Recommendations for the Medicolegal Authority for a description of 

417 available systems for DVI data management. 

418

419 4.3.3.5. Personal Effects as Reference Samples

420

421 Receiving the personal effects of deceased victims is a critical and meaningful act for most families. 

422 These items can carry a high significance. The timely and appropriate return of personal effects is 

423 required by various federal statutes and should be considered by medicolegal authorities when 

424 planning for mass fatality responses. 

425

426 The medicolegal authority should develop a process to manage personal effects collected from family 

427 members during antemortem interviews. The following should be communicated to family members 

428 when taking custody of these items:

429

430 1) Explain the personal effects management process 

431 2) Explain how reference samples are going to be used to identify the decedent

432 3) Establish the expectations for the return of personal effects 

433 4) Explain that destructive sampling of the item may be necessary

434 5) Care should be taken to appropriately catalog submitted reference samples 

435 6) VIC staff should not keep items such as photos which can be scanned and returned to family 

436 during the interview

437

438 4.3.3.6. Death Notifications

439

440 The MDI authority may perform death notifications in coordination with law enforcement and 

441 spiritual/behavioral health care providers, either at the VIC, in person at a designated location (e.g.,

442 family member's residence) or over the phone when in person is not feasible. It is the 

443 recommendation of this subcommittee that death notifications be conducted in private with 
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444 individual family groups. This may also include facilitation of the death certification process and 

445 assistance with the timely release of remains for final disposition. 

446

447 4.3.3.7. Identification Notification Preferences

448

449 Following an incident resulting in highly fragmented human remains, the MDI authority should 

450 discuss with the decedent’s designated legal representative their preference for notification of 

451 identification of remains. This may include one of the following options: 

452

453 1) Do not notify (families are content without positive confirmation or receiving specific details)

454 2) Notify only at first instance of human remains identification 

455 3) Notify each instance of human remains identification

456 4) Notify only once all human remains have been identified 

457

458 4.3.4. VIC Demobilization

459

460 It is critical to identify the demobilization criteria prior to commencing operations. Identifying the 

461 criteria early enables the medicolegal authority to effectively and efficiently establish VIC operational 

462 schedules and staffing levels. Demobilization of the VIC may be conducted in a phased approach. The 

463 demobilization of a VIC may not mean the cessation of VIC operations, but the transition of VIC 

464 operations to a normal workplace. For a large-scale open population incident the medicolegal 

465 authority should establish a strategy for managing additional missing persons reports coming in at a 

466 later date. The medicolegal authority should consider the following potential demobilization criteria:

467

468 1) The medicolegal authority confirms with law enforcement that no additional missing persons 

469 reports have been made.

470 2) Antemortem interviews for all family groups have been completed.

471 3) Antemortem data collection operations have diminished to a level that the local MDI authority 

472 can manage.

473 4) All victim recovery and identification activities have been exhausted.

474 5) Diminished attendance at family briefings

475
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476 Annex A

477 (informative)

478 Bibliography

479

480 The following bibliography is not intended to be an all-inclusive list, review, or endorsement of 

481 literature on this topic. The medicolegal death investigation authority shall develop a list tailored to 

482 its specific needs. The goal of the bibliography is to provide examples of publications addressed in 

483 the standard.

484

485 1. Annexure 1: Principles of Good DVI Governance, Part b. Interpol. 2018. 

486 2. Blakeney, R., Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime. 

487 (2002). Providing Relief to Families after a Mass Fatality: Roles of the Medical Examiner's Office 

488 and the Family Assistance Center. 

489

490 3. Byrd, J. 2022. The Victim Information Center and Data Collection. In Disaster Victim 

491 Identification in the 21st Century: A U.S. Perspective. J.A. Williams & V.W. Weedn, eds. Wiley.

492

493 4. Carroll, E., Johnson, A., Mazone, D., and DePaolo, F. 2018. Introduction to Mass Fatality 

494 Management. In Medical Legal Handbook. (Chapter 6). Hammers J. & Fitzsimmons, R. eds. Juris 

495 Publishing, Huntington, NY.

496

497 5. Conlon, E. 2014. Mass Fatality Management and the Effects of Commingling. In Commingled 

498 Human Remains: Methods in Recovery, Analysis and Identification. (pp. 469-490). Adams, B.J. and 

499 Byrd, J.E. eds. Elsevier Ltd, Oxford, UK. 

500 6. Disaster Victim Identification Guide, Part A. Interpol. 2018. 

501

502 7. Examination of Human Remains by Forensic Pathologists in the Disaster Victim Identification 

503 Context, ANSI/ASB 009, 2019.

504

505 8. Family Assistance Center Plan. 2009. New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner & New 

506 York City Office of Emergency Management, New York City, NY.

507

508 9. Federal Emergency Management Agency 2018. Fatality management victim information center 

509 team: Resource typing definition for fatality management services - medical and public health. 

510

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