HomeMy WebLinkAbout208.001 - Care for Deceased Persons
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL
RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES
208.001 CARE FOR DECEASED PERSON(S)
EFFECTIVE: OCTOBER 2007
Current Revision Date: 5/22/19 Next Revision Date: 5/22/24
Author’s Name/Rank: Kevin Reynolds, Fire Captain Review Level: 1
Administrative Support:
Christina L. Johnson,
Senior Administrative Clerk
Section 208.001
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PURPOSE
This policy establishes guidelines and the standard of care to be rendered by the
Fresno Fire Department (FFD or Department) at the scene of an incident involving a
deceased person(s).
APPLICATION
This policy should be followed when personnel care for the deceased or when in
contact with the decedent’s family and/or friends.
OPERATIONAL POLICY
It is the policy of the Department to handle incidents involving deceased persons in a
highly professional manner. To meet this standard, the Department demands
professionalism, good communication, and cooperation when working with outside
agencies.
OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE
Members must be respectful to both the deceased and their family members.
Responders should consider how their actions will be viewed by members of the
public.
Due to the potential for prolonged scene times company officers may choose to
relinquish the continued care of the deceased to another responding agency in order
to remain available for fire suppression emergencies.
Section 208.001
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NON-SUSPICIOUS MEDICAL DEATHS
If Department members arrive on scene before the contract ambulance agency, the
patient should be assessed per CCEMSA Policies 549 and 550 and treated
accordingly. If it is determined the patient does not meet the criteria for
resuscitation, Department members should pronounce the patient deceased and
begin required documentation. The company officer should reduce the ambulance
to a Code 2 response.
While awaiting the arrival of law enforcement or ambulance, Department members
may request notification of the coroner through dispatch. Upon notification of the
coroner or designee, members should be prepared to give available information
regarding the decedent, including his/her name, date of birth, brief medical history,
and current condition of the body.
Should the coroner release the body to family members or appropriate on-scene
representatives, crew members should place themselves back in service and depart
the scene after the following has been done:
1. Assess the needs of family for emotional support and assist as
needed.
2. Assess the need for an outside emotional support entity such as a
police chaplain.
3. Complete the multi-page First Responder Patient Care Report
(EMS 13) per CCEMSA Policy 812. The top white copy should be
left with the decedent’s family or representative.
If the coroner does not call back in a timely manner or does not release the body to
the family, Department members should remain on scene and out of service until
such time as the care of the deceased can be relinquished to appropriate personnel.
These include:
Law enforcement
Responding ambulance personnel
Ambulance supervisor
Available Fire Department staff (battalion chief, training officer, etc.)
Upon arrival of appropriate personnel, a verbal report should be given and the first
two pages of the completed multi-page First Responder Patient Care Report (EMS
13) is to be issued.
Section 208.001
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SUSPICIOUS DEATHS
If a deceased person is found in a suspicious setting or found with circumstances
causing personnel to believe the patient’s cause of death is suspicious, members
are to immediately reassess scene safety, notify law enforcement, and refrain from
disturbing the body or potential crime scene.
PROCESS
Cover the deceased in a neat and professional manner as soon as
possible.
Use Department-issued disposable blankets as they are readily
available and provide protection from body fluid contamination.
If there is an inadequate quantity of disposable blankets available at
the emergency scene, a Department clean salvage cover (tarp) may
be used.
The utilization of a carry-all or other dirty and/or unsightly method of
covering the deceased is not considered an approved or acceptable
practice by the Department.
INFORMATION
The Department’s Standard Operating Procedures Manual, Section 201.002, Fire
Scene Investigative Practices, specifies “except under extreme circumstances, the
deceased will not be disturbed from the position or location in which found until the
fire investigation is complete. However, it is recognized, under adverse conditions,
there will be times when the deceased must be moved. If the deceased is moved to
a location considered to be in public view, the deceased will promptly be covered in
an approved manner.”
DEFINITIONS
This section intentionally left blank.
Section 208.001
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CROSS-REFERENCES
Administrative Manual
Section 106.003, First Responder Pre-Hospital Report (EMS-13)
Standard Operating Procedures Manual
Section 201.002, Fire Scene Investigative Practices
Central California Emergency Medical Service Agency (CCEMSA)
Policy 549, Initiation/Termination of CPR in Medical Patient
Policy 550, Initiation/Termination of CPR in Trauma Patient
Policy 812, First Responder Prehospital Care Report - BLS