NEWS FLASH ... NEWS FLASH ... NEWS FLASH ...
John Carter	A BETTER APPROACH TO HOSPITAL MASS-FATALITY MANAGEMENT The commonly accepted definition of a mass-fatalities incident is "any incident resulting in more deaths than can be managed with locally available resources." Traditionally, the term has been used to describe high-energy events, such as airline crashes, explosions or acts of terrorism. However, the involvement of hospitals in high-energy events has usually been limited to caring for an increased number of patients resulting from the disaster. In recent years, this response has been defined as "surge capacity." With funding and guidance provided through the Health Resources and Services Administration and Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, as well as tools developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, hospitals have worked to develop plans to care for an unprecedented number of victims from terrorist events and natural disasters. With the passage of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act in 2006, the focus has increasingly turned to the care of pandemic influenza victims. For the complete article, click: http://www.homeland1.com/mass-casualty-incidents-MCI/articles/456353-A-better-approach-to-hospital-mass-fatality-management To pause scrolling, put cursor over text.
Dennis McGowan, Deputy Director of the National Mass Fatalities Institute, is also an author. His article, “The Evolution of Fatality Management,” is featured on the website HOMELAND 1: “Over the past few decades, there has been a refinement of the processes and requirements included under the contemporary definition of responsible fatality management. Changes in science and shifting social imperatives now allow, even demand, more sophisticated approaches to the recovery, identification and disposition of the remains of those killed in disasters. This transition is best illustrated by comparing two famous incidents that resulted in large life loss in the United States, almost 90 years apart....” For the complete article, click: http://www.homeland1.com/Emergency-Management-Operations/articles/429932-The-evolution-of-fatality-management

Courses
Funeral Service Professionals Course Available
St. Louis Community College (Forest Park campus) and Kirkwood Community College have recently developed this course for Funeral Directors to understand the physical and emotional well-being of responders and surviving familiy members, protection of public health, preservation of evidence, and fulfillment of public expectations demand a timely, efficient, and effective mass fatalities response.

For more information contact the National Mass Fatalities Institute.

Radiological Safety Issues
This course is intended for coroners, medical examiners, and funeral service personnel who would be responsible for the care and preparation for burial of fatalities resulting from a radiological accident, a terrorist event involving the detonation of a Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD), or other means of radiological contamination dispersal. Course contents cover radiological fundamentals, specific RDD responders' need-to-know items, and a practical exercise. The course covers personal protective clothing and equipment worn by the responders, decontamination and monitoring of the victims and the responders, and disposal of contaminated waste. What is required of the course attendees? A desire to understand basic radiological concepts and issues and how these will impact the coroners, medical examiners, or funeral service personnel who are responding to a radiological incident resulting in fatalities is required.

Course length: 8 hours
Cost: $250 - classes held in Oak Ridge, TN
Minimum class size: 12
Maximum class size: 24

Contact us for the participant cost of offsite offerings. Also, please ask us about discounts for groups!
Rex Short / 865-924-1619 / rashort@utk.edu