Disaster Victim Identification Quiz Crafted by-
Dr.
Khushali Joshi
Forensic
Expert, Representative IEIFcursos Institution,
Brazil
Introduction to Disaster Victim Identification
Mass fatality incidents can
occur due to an environmental, medical, vehicle, industrial or terrorist event.
They can be major, mass or catastrophic in size and generally involve large
numbers of victims. Identification of these victims is of upmost importance in
these situations for legal and compassionate reasons. Identification of the
deceased after a mass fatality event is not a quick and easy process. The aim
of the process is to correctly identify the deceased victims of a disaster or
incident where there are multiple fatalities or where the identity of deceased
victims is in dispute before returning them to their respective families.
The process can be long and
involved due the nature of the event and the need to correctly identify the
victim. The risk of mis-identification of an individual can bring into question
all identifications and heighten the trauma of what is an already stressful
situation. The process of DVI involves a range of forensic science techniques
used to make a positive identification of the deceased victims.
Here’s
the short interview of Quiz maker
On behalf of Sherlock
Institute of Forensic Science we had a short interview with Dr. Khushali Joshi
and here is what she says to all the student community and life time learners.
1. First of all please
share your experiences with us while crafting this amazing quiz? What you
wanted to impart on people?
It was really a very good
experience to craft this quiz and interact with volunteer. This is a very
innovative idea to make students aware and interested in various topics of
forensics. In this pandemic era where institutions are not able to teach
students directly this is a good initiative to continue students their zeal
towards the field. So, I like to convey to all students that keep on learning
and add skills whatever way is possible. Consider this situation as opportunity
to learn more and grow more.
2. How do you define
disaster according to you.
Natural disaster is always
an unfortunate event, but other than this whatever disaster occurs like
accidental, industrial or manmade, those are always a result of negligence. So
it is always true that if there is failing in preparedness it is always leads to
failing to prevent the disaster.
3. When we have a high
explosion disaster it’s very obvious for body parts to be commingled. Is there
a specific protocol for separating and identifying the samples?
That is absolutely true
that when there is a high explosion always there is a chance of body parts to
commingle. In such situation all the body parts should be collected and should
be paced separately in cardboard boxes and labeled properly. After that all
body tissue subjected to DNA analysis to establish the identity with the
deceased person.
4. In a thickly populated
country like India. How important is it to have a DVI team?
Whenever a disaster
happens, thousands of people lose their lives. During this time of crisis,
identification and reconstruction of bodies become the toughest task for
forensic experts. So in such situation it is very important to have a DVI team
and so that Indian government is having a department named national disaster
management authority [NDMA] and they will collaborate soon with AIIMS to have
proper dedicated disaster victim identification (DVI) team.
This DVI team will
be headed by NDMA. It will have forensic experts, coordinator from police,
panel of doctors, experts from law and NGOs to look after dignified management of
dead.
5. Would you like to
elaborate on any DVI work, you had taken yourself?
I have been working as
medical intern during my graduation period and at that time I worked a medical
help responder during a flood situation at a small village of Gujarat where
more than 12 people died and more than 30 people were injured.