Disaster Victim Identification Workshop at ASCLD – May 19, 2019

DVI Workshop Flyer

Information

The Disaster Victim Identification Workshop meets on May 19th, 2019 from 8am-5pm Central Time, at the 2019 ASCLD Symposium in St. Louis, Missouri. This workshop is valuable to laboratory directors and managers in learning how Rapid DNA can be used in a mass fatality incident.

Please review the description and consider registering at https://www.ascldsymposium.com/ to reserve your place in the workshop (space is limited).

Historically, DNA was only used as a last resort for the identification of human remains following a mass fatality. However, the use of DNA is becoming increasingly common, especially in cases where fragmentation or decomposition is present. Governments and the public are expecting DNA testing to be conducted quickly and accurately. Since crime laboratories are often the DNA experts for a state or local government, it is important that forensic laboratories are prepared for a mass fatality DNA response. Rapid DNA is becoming an important tool in DVI operations and the workshop is designed to give laboratory directors and supervisors the opportunity to experience how Rapid DNA instruments are used in identification efforts during a mass fatality response.

The workshop will include short lectures, a tabletop exercise and the opportunity for participants to proceed through seven interactive workstations focused on Rapid DNA’s role in the Family Assistance Center (FAC), Incident Morgue and Identification operations. After completing the workshop participants will understand:

• How Rapid DNA can be used in DVI operations
• Who the mass fatality response stakeholders are (i.e., DMORT, NTSB, FEMORS, OMORT, MOMORT)
• FAC, Incident Morgue, and Identification operations, specifically focused on the use of DNA, with hands-on experience
• ASCLD’s Rapid DNA Mass Fatality Task Force deliverables including: the Rapid DNA Needs Assessment Checklist, Emergency Management Assistance Compacts (mutual aid agreements among states to share resources during times of need), the Rapid DNA Deployment Checklist, and DNA Operations Process Maps
• How a Rapid DNA mass fatality response can be a cooperative endeavor to support the local jurisdiction impacted by the mass fatality

Please contact nikki@kinsleymeetings.com for any questions about this event or the ASCLD Symposium.

Conducted by ASCLD’s DVI Rapid DNA Subcommittee, The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, The National Institute of Justice Forensic Technology Center of Excellence, and SNA International

Goals

Provide participants with an understanding of:

►How Rapid DNA can be used in DVI operations
►Who the mass fatality response stakeholders are (i.e., DMORT, NTSB, FEMORS, OMORT, MOMORT)
►FAC, Incident Morgue, and Identification operations, specifically focused on the use of DNA, with hands-on experience
►ASCLD’s Rapid DNA Mass Fatality Task Force deliverables including: the Rapid DNA needs assessment checklist, Emergency Management Assistance Compacts (mutual aid agreements among states to share resources during times of need), the Rapid DNA deployment checklist, and DNA operations process maps
►How a Rapid DNA mass fatality response can be a cooperative endeavor to support the local jurisdiction impacted by the mass fatality

Objectives

►Provide introductory lectures to the different aspects of DVI operations and how Rapid DNA fits in
►Roleplay in tabletop exercises to understand how stakeholders interact with one another and outside agencies in order to respond appropriately and efficiently
►Engage in hands on realistic activities that take place during a DVI response which pertain to Rapid DNA to gain a genuine representation of what a response entails
►Identify next steps in formalizing ASCLD’s Rapid DNA Task Force deliverables and the Rapid DNA Cooperative concept.

Agenda

Morning

• Welcoming remarks
• Lectures on Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) and Rapid DNA
• Tabletop exercise that evaluates mobilization of Rapid DNA instruments, supplies and personnel to respond to a mass fatality event using the following ASCLD Rapid DNA Task force deliverables: Rapid DNA needs assessment checklist, Rapid DNA EMACs, Rapid DNA deployment checklist, DNA operations process maps
• Working lunch – each group gives a 10-minute out brief on their approach to the tabletop scenario
• Explanation of the mass fatality exercise scenario and the Rapid DNA response interactive stations

Afternoon

• Interactive mass fatality DNA response operations stations:

Station 1: Family interviews and completing the condensed version of the 8-page antemortem VIP interview form
Station 2: DNA pedigree and DNA sample collection from family members
Station 3: Running family reference samples through Rapid DNA instruments to generate reference DNA profiles
Station 4: Public information – exposure to the questions asked by family and the answers given by the PIO and other officials
Station 5: Collecting postmortem samples
Station 6: Running postmortem samples through Rapid DNA instruments to generate DNA profiles
Station 7: Kinship analysis and making the DNA match – comparing postmortem and antemortem DNA profiles, running kinship analysis and reporting a DNA match

• Hotwash and next steps