2. Disaster is an event of serious
magnitude, causing severe damage to
life and property. Casualties numbering
more than 10 (or 12) individuals at a
certain time and place is considered as
mass disaster.
• TheWHO has defined disaster as an occurrence
that causes damage, ecological disruption, loss of
human life and deterioration of health and health
services on a scale sufficient to warrant an
extraordinary response from outside the affected
community.
11. Mass disaster management is a team work which
consists of police, army, civil authorities and medical
experts, like forensic pathologist/odonthologist, finger
print/ballistic experts.They are responsible for
investigations including the following:
• Identification of the site & preparation of sketch diagram
showing the geographical location
• Reaching the site, well equipped
• Immediate isolation, demarcation and protection of the
site
• Identification of bodies if possible.
MANAGEMENT
14. 1) Reaching the disaster site as soon as
possible
2) Isolation, demarcation and protection of
the site by a security cordon
3) Photography of the site from all angles
4) Identification of the precise site of
occurrence and preparation of a detailed
sketch
FIRST STAGE – AT THE
DISASTER SITE
15. Rescue workers from the Civil Aviation
Authority and troops helped recover bodies
and sift wreckage for clues to the cause of
the crash.
16.
17. 1) APPEARANCE: Complexion, length and color
of hair
Description of deformities, birthmarks, scars and
tattoo marks
2) AGE DETERMINATION: using data provided by
teeth, bones, height, weight, build, changing
occurring at puberty and in old age, and personal
documents if available
Advanced techniques available: superimposition
photography, and facial reconstruction using
models
3) SEX AND RACE DETERMINATION: by careful
examination of physical characteristics and
dimensions.
18. 4) STATURE- could be determined if a single long bone
is available
Clothing may provide a vital clue wherein the label, size
and laundry mark is noted
Accessories such as wallet, and documents like drivers
license maybe of use.
However, accessories and circumstantial evidence are
not accepted as absolute proof of identity
In case of survivors, establishing a system of Triage to
determine priority of evacuation. Color coded tokens
maybe hung around neck of the injured.
19.
20.
21. Information on composition of gathering maybe
used to establish identity by exclusion
Establishment of temporary mortuaries at a
suitable site
Proper scientific documentation including
numbering and tagging of bodies or aiding
identification by next of kin
Arranging transportation of bodies to a mortuary
22.
23.
24.
25. 1) Identification of body (repeat in case of
identified bodies also)
2) Take photographs, finger prints, foot prints of
the body
3) Arrange radiological examination of the entire
body- to identify foreign bodies. This is
particularly useful in mutilated bodies
SECOND STAGE – IN THE
MORTUARY
28. 1) STATE OF THE BODY
Entire
Mutilated
Fragmentary remains
Height and weight
2) PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF
POSTMORTEM CHANGES especially in
unidentified bodies
3) DENTAL DATA
4) GROSS EXAMINTAION OF INJURIES: size,
EXTERNAL EXAMINATION
29. FOLLOWING POINTS NEED SPECIAL
ATTENTION:
1.Stage of putrefaction of internal organs
Surgical removal of an organ carried out in life
2.Evidence of pre-existing disease
3.Nature, extent and degree of organ injury
4.Evidence of organic disease causing sudden
death: coronary occlusion, cerebro-vascular
accident etc.
5.Evidence of poisoning
6.Presence of foreign bodies
INTERNAL
EXAMNINATION
30. Specimens to be collected and preserved-exact
specimen would depend on nature of disaster.
They could be:
1.Clothes, if charred or blood stained
2.Foreign bodies
3.Viscera, blood and urine for chemical
analysis
4.Internal organs for histopathological
examination
SPECIMENS
COLLECTION
31. It should be given to cover 2
aspects:
1. The exact cause of death after analyzing all
information collected during post-mortem
examination and detailed study of viscera
and organs
2. The nature of force, fire, foreign body or
chemical agent which has produced injuries
that have resulted in death. This is
particularly true in care of air disasters.
OPINION
32. 1) Compare all evidence collected with
the information made available by
relatives and establish identification of
deceased
2) A minimum of 7 to 8 points of
comparison must tally to confirm identity
3) It is essential that record of all medical
and dental examination including X-ray
films be filed for future reference.
THIRD STAGE-COMPARISION
OF RECORDS
33. Parikh CK. Identification in Mass
Disaster, Parikh's Textbook of Medical
Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and
Toxicology, 6th Edition 1999.
The WHO has defined disaster as an occurrence that causes damage, ecological disruption, loss of human life and deterioration of health and health services on a scale sufficient to warrant an extraordinary response from outside the affected community
