The Family Assistance Center

A review of literature where mass fatality has occurred reveals how unprepared communities are to address the family assistance needs in the aftermath of a disaster where there are multiple casualties and fatalities.

This article reflects the work of a local jurisdiction to train, plan and exercise scenarios that would prepare this coastal community in the event of a disaster. Included is an After Action Report of a tabletop exercise conducted April 2012 that brought multi-jurisdictions and multi-disciplines together around the threefold challenge of train, plan and exercise.

Mass-Fatality Surge & Family Assistance

The outbreak of tornadoes that rocked the Midwest and Southeast regions of the United States in 2011 illustrated not only how quickly disaster can strike but also how important it is for communities to be prepared to cope with such emergencies. The cooperative effort that followed demonstrated a willingness of neighbors to assist neighbors with response and recovery operations – but, more importantly, underscored the need for responses that are based on region-wide planning. This article describes the process undertaken by a healthcare coalition to not only write an MF/Family Assistance Center plan, but to exercise that plan with a number of stakeholders that represent local, state and federal partners who may be called upon to assist if the MF/FAC plan is activated.


Operation First Response

This After Action Report (AAR) resulted from six months of planning in an effort bring several jurisdictions and both traditional and health and medical responders together in a tabletop discussion exercise. Over thirty agencies represented thirty agencies from state to local and included both representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Disaster Mortuary Operations Response Team.