Morgue Services: Operational Areas

Morgue Services [First Name, Last Name] [Institutional Affiliation] [Date] Morgue Services Morgue Services, also known as the Victim Identification Center (VIC), is a protected site with various structures designed for receiving, managing, processing, storing, and release of remains, possessions, and loose items to a close relative (Dudley, 2019). In most cases, the Morgue Site coincides with the office of the Medical Examiner, who according to local and state laws, serves as the section chief of operations of a mass fatalities incident. Rarely do the VIC’s location coincide with the local hospital. Experts recommend that it should be entirely separate from both of these places (Teahen, 2011, p.228). For Morgue Services to accomplish its purpose, it has various operational areas, and personnel to ensure the directives of the Medical Examiner are carried out proficiently. This paper discusses the primary areas of operation for Morgue Services and a role I see myself assigned. Operational Areas Teahen (2011) identifies five primary areas for the VIC, which are close to each other yet separate in their functions. They include the remains examination section, office workspace, personal effects, mortuary transportation, and the respite center. The first two have complementary roles but are distinctly different. Both of them are highly-restricted areas but close to each other. In the first area, experts physically examine the remains and process them. The second mainly entails collection, evaluation, documentation, and dissemination of information relevant to remains and personal effects identification and release (Teahen, 2011, p.257). Personal effects area is concerned with receiving, processing, cleaning, documentation of loose items, and personal effects recovered from the site. This area is also responsible for storing them until they can identify the next of ...