THE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ROLE FOLLOWIN G DISASTERS CIMA 2011 CONFERENCE

Transcription

1 THE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ROLE FOLLOWIN G DISASTERS CIMA 2011 CONFERENCE

2 N ELSON BROS FUN ERAL SERVICES E ST 1858 Nelson Bros Funeral Services is an Australian family owned & operated company. Nelson Bros was established in 1858 in L inton, Victoria and currently operates from funeral homes in Footscray, Williamstown, Sunshine, Hoppers Crossing and Elsternwick

3 THE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ROLE FOLLOWIN G DISASTERS There are many occupations which are called into action following a disaster. Those tasks most directly related to emergency work & disaster aftermaths are performed by emergency workers, medical personnel, police, military, and funeral directors. One of the complex problems of disaster aftermaths with large numbers of death is the relationship between those people who are called upon to be disaster workers and the nature of the work they must do. It is important to understand the activities they carry out, so I am here to day to shed some light on the role of the funeral director following disasters.

4 THE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ROLE FOLLOWIN G DISASTER * Disaster from a funeral directors perspective E volution of Australian funerals The role of a funeral director Working with other agencies How disaster impacts a funeral director

5 DEFINE DISASTER? In pairs/ groups come up with your own definition of what defines a disaster.

6 DEFINITIONS OF DISASTER an overwhelming ecological disruption occurring on a scale sufficient to require outside assistance.paho 1980 Disasters are exceptional events which suddenly kill or injure large numbers of people.red Cross A sudden event, such as an accident or a natural catastrophe, that causes great damage or loss of life A crisis situation causing widespread damage which far exceeds our ability to recover.

7 DISASTERS & THE FUN ERAL DIRECTOR..IN GENERAL, MOST DISASTER EVENTS ARE DEFINED BY THE NEED FOR EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE when any death occurs, most families seek assistance from others, and in the majority of cases a funeral director What defines a disaster can be related to individual experiences and perceptions Eg. Unexpected death, accidental death, infant death, murder, suicide

8 WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A FUNERAL DIRECTOR? In pairs/ groups, list the various tasks a funeral director performs..

9 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE FAMILY DIES? FUNERAL DIRECTOR MEDICAL/CORONER NEWSPAPER FLORIST CEMETERY CLERGY FUNERAL COUNSELLOR BANK SOLICITOR WILL SUPPORT GROUPS

10 WHAT SHOULD A FUN ERAL PROVIDE? Social support: when the sorrow of a few become the sorrows of many T he need to face the reality of death: while many try to deny death, most want evidence of the death. Seeing is believing A Service: most times a religious ritual, a service is a part of the funeral process. It allows for the affirmation of a religious faith A Procession: the word funeral comes from the L atin word funeralis which means a torchlight procession The final disposition of the body: whether by burial or cremation findings from a study by the eminent sociologist, Dr Vanderlyn Pine

11 WHAT HAPPEN S WHEN DISASTER FAMILY OCCURS? DISASTER FUNERAL DIRECTOR MEDICAL/CORONER NEWSPAPER FLORIST CEMETERY CLERGY MEDIA FUNERAL COUNSELLOR BANK SOLICITOR WILL SUPPORT GROUPS

12 THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A FUNERAL DIRECTOR INCLUDE:- Transportation of the deceased from the place of death to the mortuary (coroners or funeral home) Preparation of the deceased Mortuary Care What does this entail?

13 WESTGATE BRIDGE DISASTER 15 OCTOBER 1970 Nelson Bros staff were involved in the transportation from the bridge site to Coroners.

14 MORTUARY CARE Most deceased persons who are placed in our care at Nelson Bros are embalmed E mbalming is a three-fold process: To reduce or eliminate the presence of disease and bacteria To stop decomposition and the associated odour and discharge To achieve a more natural appearance

15 EMBALMING Embalming can be defined as a process of chemically treating the dead human body to reduce the presence and growth of microorganisms, to retard organic decomposition, and to restore an acceptable physical appearance. Mayer, Embalming History, Theory and Practice

16 PORT ARTHUR MASSACRE 28 APRIL 1996 A Team of 6 Embalmers were flown in to Hobart from around Australia. They worked around the clock, under difficult circumstances, to prepare the bodies for shipment to several Australian states & overseas.

17 ELEMENTS OF A FUNERAL Coffin/ casket When mass fatalities occur coffins must be sourced expediently in large numbers

18 ELEMENTS OF A FUNERAL Viewing Floral tributes Memorial gifts Soloist or choir E ulogy Prayers Newspaper notices

19 ELEMENTS OF A FUNERAL Rituals of fraternal groups Flowers at grave Pall bearers Releasing helium balloons,... Open/ closed coffin at funeral L ighting of candles

20 ELEMENTS OF A FUNERAL CONT. Funeral at the church/ funeral chapel Procession to cemetery or crematorium

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31 1970S FUN E RALS Suicide can be deemed a disaster by those impacted by the death

32 1970S FUN E RALS One death is always difficult for the community, two or more,..

33 1980S FUN E RALS During 1981 Victoria was facing up to the need for a State Disaster Plan, & it was inevitable that any such scheme required the intimate involvement of representatives of the funeral industry. This lead to a detailed assessment of the funeral facilities which could be made available in Melbourne, & further afield in Victoria, storage for bodies, refrigeration plant, embalming facilities & personnel & stocks of necessary equipment to cope with large-scale disaster. Taken from: No Funerals On Picnic Day by Don Chambers My brother & father, both qualified embalmers, were nominated as funeral industry coordinators during this period.

34 ASH WEDN ESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 1983 Ash Wednesday provided an opportunity to test out some of the new State E mergency planning, Members of the Victorian funeral industry were thanked for their assistance during this time.

35 1980S FUN E RAL S Multi-cultural funerals more common

36 1980S FUN E RALS Introduction of refreshments

37 2000S FUN E RALS

38 ELEMENTS OF A FUNERAL CONT. Recording of service Dvd presentation during service Public/private funeral service

39 2000S FUN E RALS M utiple death always a tragedy I nfant death still prevalent

40 BLACK SATURDAY 7 FE BRUARY 2009 Melbourne funeral directors offered support to local/ country funeral companies as well as government agencies, used as required.

41 FUN ERALS In every instance, as much privacy & individuality as possible should be shown each family even when there may be mass funerals. Even though there may be a service for several of the victims, each individual family should have a time & place for a ceremony of their own.

42 FUN ERALS & DISASTERS * there is a concern from funeral directors that overseas specialists are called in after a major disaster * the importance of the local funeral directors role in any modern disaster plan cannot be overlooked

43 FUNERAL DIRECTORS CODE As funeral directors called upon to serve in disasters, we must not lose sight of the fact that regardless of the number of persons killed, each one had an individual relationship to those who survive. Those survivors should be served in a manner that meets their individual needs