Process Flow Introduction

Mass fatality incidents happen without warning. When they do, families, friends, and communities are devastated by the loss of human life.  Beyond the obvious shock and grief are also the practical processes of obtaining and sharing information, the recovery of loved ones and their personal effects, and funerals.

The seamlessness of those actions can determine how smoothly the family transitions from old reality to a new one.  Because of the sheer number of agencies and people involved planning and coordination are critical.  A mutual understanding of the entire process is also vital.  Sadly, planning and coordination does not often take place.  Furthermore, few plans address the reality. Rarely do plans address the entire scope of response.  Other common problems the many groups involved use different systems and do not share information. As various actions are accomplished, a smooth handoff of responsibilities does not always occur.  For many responders, this will be their first response. Therefore they may have very limited experience. For the families of those involved, the most frustrating part is the lack of clear explanation of how the incident is managed, and what should and does happen.   

To help alleviate these frustrations, Kenyon International Emergency Services has created a series of response and recovery process documents.  These outline the components of a mass fatality incident and the recovery process.  While each incident is different, we have used the experience gained since 1906 to describe best practice.  These documents and charts are easy-to-read and use standard international symbols with descriptions to give explanations regarding each phase of the recovery process.

Finally, while these documents represent a best practice system, it is important to remember that this system is one that must work with and be flexible for the families.  The charts have been organized into the typical areas encountered by families following a mass fatality incident: