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HISTORY OF DMORT
In the early 1980's, a
committee was formed within the National Funeral Directors Association
(NFDA) to address disaster situations and specifically, mass fatality
incidents. This group found that no standardization then existed and
worked toward creating a national protocol for the formation of a
proper response. Initially, they were concentrating on just the role
of funeral directors, but it was soon discovered that funeral
directors and no
one profession could handle all of the aspects of such an
event. A multi-faceted nonprofit organization open to all forensic
practitioners was formed by the committee to support the idea of a
national level response protocol for all related professions. This
group formed and purchased the first portable morgue unit in the
country and their equipment has supported DMORT missions in Illinois,
Indiana, Guam, Michigan and Del Rio.
Soon after this non profit group of volunteers had formed,
government interest in this topic came to the forefront. Families who
had lost loved ones in airline incidents felt that the treatment that
they had received was inadequate and demanded a response from
congress. As a result, Congress passed The Family Assistance Act in
October of 1996 and required all American based airlines (and later
all those operating in the US) to have a plan to assist families in
the case of an accident. DMORT is one federal team which can be called
in to help if needed.
DMORT has grown from its humble beginnings in the early 1990's to the
current group of over 1200 trained and capable volunteers who respond
at a moments notice to assist those in need. Currently, DMORT is
housed within the United States Department of Health and Human Services,
Office of Public Health and Emergency Preparedness, Office of
Preparedness and Emergency Operations, National Disaster Medical System.
DMORT consists of 10 Regional Teams composed for individuals of varied
backgrounds in the forensic sciences, law enforcement, emergency
management, and the funeral industry. Upon activation by NDMS, all
team members become temporary employees of the Federal Government, and
as such are compensated for their time. During deployment and
disaster response, DMORT members work under the direction of local
authorities by providing technical assistance and experienced personnel
to recover and identify victim remains from mass fatality incidents.
HHS Article on:
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