Saving Johnny Butler:The Role of the SMORT and Family Assistance Center

In Mass Casualty Events(And How You Can Help!)

John R. Wible, General Counsel (Ret.)Alabama Department of Public Health

Director, Family Assistance CenterVolunteer Symposium 2014

SMORT

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This is the State – The Great State of

Alabama

And this is the County -

Cotton County

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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This is the Coroner

• Coroner of Cotton County, Quincy Seben, III

• Day Job: Owner-Operator, Loving Care Brown Service Funeral Home.

• Budget - $7,000• Staff–2 himself & Wife, Sammie.

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I work here . . . I’m the FAC Director

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This is Johnny Butler

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University of Rural AlabamaThis is the

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And this is the DISASTER!

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And the Fire!

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Rescue

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Casualties

Sixty-Seven Dead . . . One hundred Eighty-Five Injured

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Response

Agency: A,B,C,D, E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z

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SMORT

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SMORT Administration

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On the Way

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Victim Information Center

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Family Assistance Center (FAC)• Activated quickly following a

mass fatality incident • Provides critical and secondary

services to family of victims• Coordinates with partner

groups • Maintains a high degree of

sensitivity and respect• And provides security and

protection from media

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FAC Services

• Assist SMORT in identifying victims– Antemortem interviews

• Provide comfort and assistance to families• Refer family members for:

– Spiritual or psychological counseling– Medical assistance– Material needs

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FAC Staff• County Coroner/Medical Examiner• SMORT Commander• FAC Executive Director and Deputy

– Chief of Professional Personnel (ChoPPs)• Family Assistance Representatives (FARs)

– Chief of Operations (Ops)• Antemortem Interviewers (AMIs)• Antemortem Data Entry Personnel (ADEP)• Administrative Staff (Admin)

– Chief of Logistics (CoLog)

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Faces of FAC

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Optimal FAC (Only) SetupExclusive of ADFS Facilities

Entrance Hall Large Meeting Room

Quiet Lounge Food Service

TV Area Children’s Area

Chapel/Counseling

FamilyInterview

FamilyInterview

FamilyInterview

FamilyInterview

MessageMonitor/Roll Stand

SMORT/FAC, 2014 Prepared by John R. Wible, FACED

2/20/2014

Doors

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Just Who is a “Family?”

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Caring for Families, the FAR

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FAC Partners in Service

FAC

Baptists and Clergy

Salvation Army

Mental Health

Emergency Management

Agency

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Mental, Health or Spiritual Interventions

• Psychological First Aid- comfort care• Crisis intervention• Psychological education on stress

symptoms and coping• Casualty support- connect with support systems

decision making on disposition of remains• Spiritual Care Interventions by Disaster Chaplains

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Identifications of Remains

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Identification of Remains

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Identification of Remains

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Every “Decedent” is a Person

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The Antemortem Interview

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Data Entry and Reporting

Data Entry (FAC)

Press Conference

Private Family Briefing

Data Compilation (ADFS)

FACCoroner Quincy

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Beginning to Wrap Up

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Saying “Good-Bye”

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Saving Johnny Butler

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What Did We Learn At The FAC?• Families identified quickly • Given access to information and services.• A strong need for continuous flow of information.

– Regularly scheduled family briefings – Pro-active approach to family issues and

requests.• Good support is a challenge, but is important.• “One stop” support center approach was efficient

and safe, and helped facilitate ID process

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FAC Wants You!

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Volunteer Registration

• https://alresponds.adph.alabama.gov/agreement.php?mode=unit

• “Unit type” dropdown, click “SMORT”• “Choose Unit” dropdown, click

– FAC Care Assistant, or– FAC Data entry-Admin, or– FAC Interviewer

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For A Copy of Presentation and the Text

• See “FAC Presentation2,” a download on Slideshare 7 <slideshare.net>

• See also my Facebook Page• Text only: See Blog:

johnthebaptist.blogspot.com

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