Frequently Asked Questions

Is mass fatality incident response your core business function?

While Kenyon is certainly geared towards, and works extensively in, the mass fatality arena, we provide tailored crisis management planning and response for incidents of any size and scale. Our services include, but are not limited to, initial crisis response; individual repatriations; mental health and long term mental health care; crisis communications and media support; call centre services; pure humanitarian support; logistics; memorials or any combination of our services at any level necessary to support you. We also provide extensive crisis management consultancy and training.

How many full time staff members do you have?

We currently have 25 full-time staff. These “Kenyons” fill a variety of roles - from first responders dedicated to our full spectrum of services to support functions including operations support, sales and marketing, customer service and a small number of office staff to keep the company operating efficiently.

Do you outsource or subcontract any of your services?

With the exception of incident-unique services, all responders, including Call Centre agents, are under contract to Kenyon, trained by Kenyon and under Kenyon supervision during incident operations.

Do you have a dedicated “first response” team?

Yes, we have the capability to respond immediately with highly experienced Kenyon personnel. We have over 20 dedicated and trained first response team members who are employees, Associates and Team Members. Based on the location, type of incident and geographic proximity, Kenyon deploys the very best team to assist and provide direction.

How many people are involved in your immediate response?

Because every incident is unique, we recommend that two to four first responders deploy immediately to the incident site and/or HQ, an administration specialist and logistics specialist deploy to a Kenyon Crisis Management Centre (CMC), while Team Members are alerted and brought to immediate stand-by. The first responders work with your representatives at the incident site to evaluate incident demands and the resources necessary to meet those demands.

With client approval, we develop team composition and configuration that will meet incident requirements. In addition to the first responders who are deployed to HQ to support the CMC Management team, you may request the Kenyon International Call Centre and Media Call Centre are stood up as well as a crisis communications or legal expert be deployed to their headquarters to provide immediate assistance and advice. Kenyon will explain all options to you at the time of the incident, taking into consideration the nature and circumstances of the event.

If Kenyon is supporting the set-up and operation of a Family Assistance Centre (FAC), then we would initially send the appropriate number of senior specialists based on the size and type of incident to liaise and coordinate with the client. This includes FAC teams, Special Assistant Teams and Welfare teams to maintain FAC operations and support the families and Team Members.

Where does your team come from?

With facilities located in the United Kingdom, the United States and Lebanon, and over 2,000 Team Members located all over the world, the team closest to the incident will typically respond to ensure efficiency through their local knowledge and linguistic skills. A less geographically proximal team may be required if the local team is already operationally engaged.

Specialist staff, should an incident require them, may be located all over the world; therefore, response support from other locations may be necessary to augment the responding team. Nothing trumps previous experience at time of incident. However, while people may have to travel to be with you, the benefit of this outweighs the perceived limitations.

What do you do if a team is not available?

We continue to grow and maintain our organisation to ensure the capability to respond to numerous incidents simultaneously. With 25 full-time staff members and over 2,000 Team Members, you can be confident that Kenyon will always be available to respond to your incident needs.

What is the extent of your response capability?

Kenyon has the internal capability to meet the demands of simultaneous international incidents and your resulting requirements; this has happened on a number occasions in 2019 in in 2019 already. This is achieved by: our 3 global warehouses in the UK, US and Australia; over 2,000 Team Members located worldwide; a dedicated International Call Centre; and global crisis communications abilities. All of these are supported by over a century of history and experience.

To what extent do you use local resources?

We always work with local agencies, emergency services and governmental departments, alongside existing local infrastructure (e.g., hospitals), to gain the goodwill of the local populace and industry. During an incident, the locals we work with are often inspired by our work and frequently sign up as Team Members.

How quickly can you commence on-site operations if no supplies are locally available?

As soon as first responders arrive, Kenyon can commence on-site operations. As the operation progresses, Kenyon will send all equipment necessary and ramp up operations at the same speed as the incident dictates.

Do you have the personnel and equipment to support multiple incidents simultaneously?

Yes. Kenyon is large enough and organised to be able to respond to multiple incidents simultaneously. Although it is common for Kenyon to be actively engaged with multiple clients at one time, the following are examples of when Kenyon was deployed to two or more events simultaneously:

• In February 2019, Kenyon responded to two airplane incidents and a terror attack that occurred in the same week - one in North America, one in Africa and one in Europe.
• In November 2013, Kenyon responded to two airplane crashes that occurred on the same day - one in North America and one in Africa.
• In 2010, Kenyon responded to the major earthquake in Haiti, three major airplane crashes and a flood. At one point we had responders supporting operations in Haiti, Libya and India.
• In 2005, Kenyon supported recovery and identification in Thailand for 8 months working for the Australian Government, deployed to Greece after the crash of a Helios aircraft and supported the US Government and the State of Louisiana after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
• In April 2001, Kenyon was engaged in in six operations (Swissair, Egypt Air, Alaska Airlines, Oklahoma State University, Great North Eastern Railroad and Logan Air), three of which were at our Houston facility.
• Between September 1999 and September 2000, Kenyon responded to ten incidents worldwide with as many as six simultaneous on-going operations.

What type of forensic scientists are under contract to your organisation?

We contract and employ board-certified odontologists (dentistry), pathologists, anthropologists, DNA technicians and many other specialists who are members of various academies and societies.

Can you perform full mortuary operations?

Yes. Kenyon maintains fully equipped mobile morgues in Houston, Texas; Bracknell, United Kingdom; and Sydney, Australia. Kenyon can also support local hospitals and mortuaries with personnel and equipment. Our mobile morgues can be used in conjunction with the local infrastructure or as standalone facilities.

If requested to respond in the United States or its territories, possessions or territorial waters, how would you satisfy the requirements of the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996 and/or the Foreign Air Carrier Family Support Act of 1997 regarding the processing and disposition of personal effects (PE)?

Kenyon has significantly more experience working incidents under the tenets of the aforementioned Acts than any other service provider in the world. While following your directions, we encourage movement of the personal effects to Kenyon's dedicated personal effects processing facilities in Bracknell, UK or Houston, TX which can accommodate, process, clean, repair, photograph, catalogue and store all items in an efficient, secure and cost-effective environment. Kenyon can then launch secure websites, provide hard copy or digital copy photos for family viewing and ultimately requisitions and support the distribution back to the families of claimed items. We also have long-term storage and secure destruction and the ability to do all of the above in the field if needed or as requested by judicial or state departments.

What experience have you had working with next of kin, family members and survivors?

Kenyon has built a reputation of caring for people through our establishment and running of Family Assistance Centres, supporting families, providing mental health and grief support and creating family websites. Our success can be documented by the letters of appreciation and references received from individuals, organisations and authorities. Our care for families is beneficial to you. Family Associations formed after incidents have always spoken highly of Kenyon and our work on your behalf when addressing family member concerns.

How do you protect your client and team with regard to medical coverage and life insurance?

All Team Members deployed on behalf of Kenyon are covered under multiple insurance policies which provide complete coverage, including medical and life insurance coverage.

How are your personnel labour rates charged?

Personnel labour rates are charged at a daily rate, seven days a week, at the incident site, with no additional charge for holidays or overtime, though a normal workday may be 14-16 hours long. Call centre charges are a combination of daily rates for management and supervisors and hourly rates for phone operators (inbound, outbound, travel reservations, etc.), who are limited to 8-hour shifts due to the nature of their work.