246 Forensic dentistry
States in shock. The triple hurricane assaults on Florida were taxing on
the systems in 2004. The world watched in astonishment as the tsunami of
December 26, 2004, wiped out entire cites and islands around the Indian
Ocean. How societies and nations respond to an MFI or mass disaster is
determined by the plans in place and the methods chosen to handle the
remains of victims. Cultural and religious differences must always be con-
sidered to create an MFI response appropriate for different geographical
areas around the world. After the care of the injured, housing issues, and
local infrastructures are addressed in a mass disaster, the remainder of the
operation tends to be the disposition of human remains, hence the MFI.
The identification process is very important to the family members of the
deceased for legal and psychological reasons. Every phase of the identifica-
tion process should lead toward an accurate and scientifically based iden-
tification. The forensic odontologist plays an integral role in this process.
Those who read this chapter should have the ability to define a multiple
fatality incident and know the types and causes of those incidents. He or
she should understand the principles of site management, relationships with
other agencies, and the role of the forensic odontologist in the response,
including the latest technological advances in imaging and forensic dental
identification software.^1
12.2 Multiple Fatality Incident/Mass Disaster
By most definitions a mass disaster is a situation that overwhelms the infra-
structure of a community or locale sufficiently to require assistance from
outside sources to respond to the needs created by the disaster. For instance,
a transportation accident in the New York City area with one to two hundred
fatalities could be well within the abilities of the local emergency manage-
ment system, fire and police departments, and medical examiner. Therefore,
it would not be by the strictest terms a mass disaster. Conversely, in a juris-
dictional area in the Midwest with sparse population and limited resources, a
multicar accident with twenty fatalities could create a situation that would be
beyond the capabilities of the existing system. This situation could be termed
a mass disaster, and some sort of outside aid would be needed to assist the
local responders.
Of course, the survivors of a mass disaster are the initial concern of the
responders. The injured and displaced must be treated and housed properly.
Once this priority is accomplished, the efforts intensify to locate, identify,
and return to their families those victims who did not survive. A multiple
fatality incident (MFI) is the forensic extension of the mass disaster. The
response efforts to multiple fatalities include recovery, autopsy as required,