Forensic management of mass disasters

A mass disaster is considered to be any event in which the number of deaths is so large that it overwhelms the resources of the local death investigation infrastructure. It can be caused by physical events, biological agents, terrorist attacks, accidents, toxic environmental conditions and accidents in mass transport. The forensic management of a mass disaster concerns three basic categories of action: Action in the area of the disaster, mainly collection of the remains of the victims, forensic management of the victims and support of the families. The forensic management must be thorough and meticulous as it can offer valuable data concerning the circumstances and cause of the disaster and establish the identity and the cause of death of the victims.