This Grant for Rapid Response Research (RAPID) is for recent disasters around the world that have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths (e.g., 9/11, Indian Ocean Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina). However, very little is known about what happens to unidentified and unclaimed bodies after disasters. This research will examine mass fatality management in Haiti and include a comparison of similar activities in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh. The study will be based on media and internet research, field observations, interviews, and document collection. Government officials, international humanitarian agency representatives, medical doctors, forensic experts and local citizens will be interviewed. The research team (which is comprised of experts in disasters in developing nations, comparative analysis and mass fatality management) will increase understanding of post-disaster operations and provide recommendations to improve responses to mass mortality incidents.
This research will produce valuable information for both scholars and practitioners. Professors will gain new insights into what happens to unidentified bodies after disasters. This knowledge will be shared to undergraduate and graduate students who study emergency management. Findings will also be published in academic journals and presented at educational conferences. This study will identify lessons learned for emergency management officials in the United States and in other nations. Findings will be useful for disaster researchers, emergency management personnel, and others involved in humanitarian activities.
NSF Rapid: Haiti Mass Fatality Award The authors traveled to Haiti (as well as India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh) to study mass fatality management. Over 176 interviews were conducted, including 28 in Haiti. Findings The interviews reveal that Haiti was overwhelmed with the number of fatalities, and it was generally unable to identify the vast majority of bodies. The deceased were generally trapped in collapsed buildings. Extracted corpses were recovered by relatives, neighbors and co-workers. A portion of these bodies were identified and buried or cremated according to local customs. Foreigners and UN employees were identified with DNA techniques. Their bodies were returned to their families abroad. Most victims were piled on sidewalks in front of damaged buildings. These victims were not identified due to a lack of government issued identification, theft of wallets, nature of injuries, decomposition of corpses, the number of victims. Because of warm temperatures and lack of mortuaries, the corpses bloated and decayed. In some cases, bodies were doused with gasoline and set ablaze. However, most bodies were collected by the government’s public works department. They were buried in mass trenches outside of Titanyen (about an hour North East of Port-au-Prince). Intellectual Merit The study increased our knowledge of mass fatality management since Haiti’s experience with mass-fatalities was both similar to and different than other major emergencies and disasters in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. First, a number of individuals and organizations retrieved bodies in Haiti and elsewhere. Second, divergent patterns emerged regarding body storage. Bodies were not kept in Haiti for long periods of time which differed from other disasters. Third, the process of identification was not consistent across disasters. Some victims were identified while others were not. Fourth, the release and disposition of the deceased was divergent also. Mass burial for unidentified remains was common in Haiti but less so in other countries. Fifth, if bodies were identified, last rites were at the discretion of friends and family members. However, when mass burials were utilized, the deceased had no form of rituals whatsoever. Broader Impacts One graduate student was involved in this project. This PhD student conducted field research, transcribed interviews, and helped to write up findings. This student also made presentations and is currently working on his prospectus for his dissertation. This study has resulted in 2 publications as well as a forthcoming publication. Another paper is currently under review. Six presentations have been made at academic and professional conferences (both domestic and international). Other Implications The findings of this study reveal that it is imperative that we more fully understand how to deal with mass fatality incidents. For instance, are there effective and simple ways to track corpses from recovery and storage to disposition? Also, research methods for obtaining data on how governments respond to mass-fatality incidents should be explored, especially since there is great reluctance on the part of informants to share their perspective on this sensitive subject. A final recommendation for scholarship is to advance research into MFM in developing nations and with a comparative perspective. In terms of practice, this research on the experience of MFM in Haiti highlights several questions and recommendations. First, are there ways to help developing nations quickly and safely extract human remains from collapsed buildings after the needs of survivors have been met? Would a request for international donations for this purpose help provide resources to accomplish this task in a shortened time frame? Second, how can hundreds or thousands of bodies be stored when corpses quickly outstrip resources of hospitals, morgues, and funeral homes? Can international advisory or support teams be sent to developing nations when major mass-fatality disasters occur? Third, what methods could be employed to identify bodies when disposition is urgently needed? Could the use of digital cameras serve as a simple way to provide photographic evidence for those seeking information about the deceased in mass-fatality incidents? Fourth, how can record keeping be improved for unidentified bodies? Are there tracking methods or computer programs that could be utilized for this function of emergency management? Finally, what barriers have to be overcome so foreign governments can quickly extract and return remains to their countries of origin? What international agreements and domestic policies need to be put in place so organizations like DMORT can operate more efficiently after disasters abroad? In short, emergency management officials around the world should learn from the experience in Haiti and do more to prepare for mass fatality incidents. This may require further planning for body recovery, body storage and body identification based on the demands required in catastrophic disasters.
