Special NDFA BizExchange News Release: Haitian Earthquake - Update
NFDA officials have been in daily communication with the federal government, including the State Department, which is overseeing the U.S. response, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, and others; though this communication, association officials have learned a number of important things about the mortuary response in Haiti:
The Haitian government has taken control of the mortuary response in Haiti and has not asked for or authorized assistance from any government or private organization. NFDA expressed outrage and concern to federal officials about media reports of how the Haitian government is handling the large number of casualties.
The federal government and mass-fatality response community share NFDA's concern and displeasure and are working to communicate this to Haitian officials.
In particular, the federal government is concerned with the identification and repatriation of the bodies of U.S. citizens who died in the earthquake.
DMORT assessment teams are on the ground in Haiti and are only able to appraise the situation and provide reports to the federal government; DMORT has not been authorized to assist in the Haitian government's mass-casualty response.
The federal government's mass-casualty resources have been activated and are on stand-by, ready to deploy as soon as the Haitian government asks for and authorizes assistance. Additionally, more than 130 funeral service professionals have placed their names on NFDA's volunteer list. Federal officials are well-aware of NFDA's efforts and know the volunteers stand ready for deployment.
NFDA received word late this afternoon that its member in Haiti lost all three of his funeral home locations in and around Port-au-Prince. In addition nine members of his staff, including his nephew and long-time secretary, have died. We have no news on other family members or his home. NFDA is assessing how the association can provide assistance to this member.
Communication with Haiti is limited at best, and almost non-existent in the areas hardest hit.
NFDA continues to reach out to member and non-member funeral homes in Haiti to determine what sort of support and assistance the association can provide.
NFDA will be reaching out to member-funeral homes in nearby countries, such as the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, in an attempt to learn more about how the association can be of assistance.
Funeral directors should not contact Haitian funeral directors about shipping bodies once communication is restored. Haitian funeral directors likely do not have the resources to ship bodies of citizens to the United States, nor do they have the ability to accept bodies at this time.
The only assistance the Haitian government has authorized the U.S. government to provide is humanitarian relief. The foreign governments and charitable organizations providing search and rescue teams, medical services or humanitarian aid have been given permission by the Haitian government to provide assistance. NFDA is stands ready to provide mortuary assistance the moment it is asked to do so by the federal government.
Please visit www.nfda.org/haiti for the latest news and information on Haiti; this Web page will be updated daily, or as new information becomes available.
Funeral service suppliers interested in supplying products and services to the Haitian relief efforts, please contact the Business Development department at 800-228-6332. NFDA staff is collecting contact information in order to keep interested parties abreast of ways they might be able to assist the federal government and funeral service professionals in Haiti, should their product or service prove necessary. Please provide an email address or cell phone number to assist in rapid communication.
NFDA officials have been in daily communication with the federal government, including the State Department, which is overseeing the U.S. response, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, and others; though this communication, association officials have learned a number of important things about the mortuary response in Haiti: The Haitian government has taken control of the mortuary response in Haiti and has not asked for or authorized assistance from any government or private organization. NFDA expressed outrage and concern to federal officials about media reports of how the Haitian government is handling the large number of casualties.
The federal government and mass-fatality response community share NFDA's concern and displeasure and are working to communicate this to Haitian officials.
In particular, the federal government is concerned with the identification and repatriation of the bodies of U.S. citizens who died in the earthquake.
DMORT assessment teams are on the ground in Haiti and are only able to appraise the situation and provide reports to the federal government; DMORT has not been authorized to assist in the Haitian government's mass-casualty response.
The federal government's mass-casualty resources have been activated and are on stand-by, ready to deploy as soon as the Haitian government asks for and authorizes assistance. Additionally, more than 130 funeral service professionals have placed their names on NFDA's volunteer list. Federal officials are well-aware of NFDA's efforts and know the volunteers stand ready for deployment.
NFDA received word late this afternoon that its member in Haiti lost all three of his funeral home locations in and around Port-au-Prince. In addition nine members of his staff, including his nephew and long-time secretary, have died. We have no news on other family members or his home. NFDA is assessing how the association can provide assistance to this member.
Communication with Haiti is limited at best, and almost non-existent in the areas hardest hit.
NFDA continues to reach out to member and non-member funeral homes in Haiti to determine what sort of support and assistance the association can provide.
NFDA will be reaching out to member-funeral homes in nearby countries, such as the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, in an attempt to learn more about how the association can be of assistance.
Funeral directors should not contact Haitian funeral directors about shipping bodies once communication is restored. Haitian funeral directors likely do not have the resources to ship bodies of citizens to the United States, nor do they have the ability to accept bodies at this time.
The only assistance the Haitian government has authorized the U.S. government to provide is humanitarian relief. The foreign governments and charitable organizations providing search and rescue teams, medical services or humanitarian aid have been given permission by the Haitian government to provide assistance. NFDA is stands ready to provide mortuary assistance the moment it is asked to do so by the federal government.
Please visit www.nfda.org/haiti for the latest news and information on Haiti; this Web page will be updated daily, or as new information becomes available.
Funeral service suppliers interested in supplying products and services to the Haitian relief efforts, please contact the Business Development department at 800-228-6332. NFDA staff is collecting contact information in order to keep interested parties abreast of ways they might be able to assist the federal government and funeral service professionals in Haiti, should their product or service prove necessary. Please provide an email address or cell phone number to assist in rapid communication.