Subject: Mississippi DMORT Operation
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 16:19:07 -0500

All Commanders:

The DMORT operation in Mississippi (DMORT East) is in the final stages of demobilization. The active morgue operations ceased last week with IR continuing to make the last of the storm victim identifications over the next couple of weeks. The DPMU is being decontaminated, inventoried and packaged for shipping back to the warehouse.

I want to personally think each of you for the support to this operation. This was a total DMORT mission from the start even thought it occurred in Region IV. The support from all the members of each region has been exceptional. Because of the dedication and professionalism of the DMORT members we have received nothing but praise from the State of Mississippi, Harrison County, Hancock County and Jackson County. The service provided to the citizens of Mississippi during this period of not only the loss of loved ones but
also during the loss of homes and jobs has been tremendous.

I want to thank Region I Commander Mike O'Neil and my Deputy Commander Doug Yauch for their leadership of the mission when I took time to go home. I also ask all of you to share with your team members who worked at DMORT East my gratitude for their efforts.

Cotton Howell
Commander
DMORT IV

New friendships have been made that will continue by phone and email. I have heard from some of the returnees and all have told me how proud they were to have been able to deploy. I have said it before and will say it again that I have heard nothing but praise for not only the members as professionals but for the work that was done and will continue to be done by all DMORTS.

Sent: Friday, September 30, 2005 11:44 AM
Subject: Message from the Chief Medical Officer

As teams return from hurricane deployment, I would ask everyone to remain aware of the potential for stress related issues to surface. Some may find the attached CDC web page link to have helpful information. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/#responders

Information on how team members may obtain counseling services should the need arise. Members are eligible to obtain EAP services for up to 60 days after release from deployment. Counselors are available telephonically 24/7 via 1-800-222-0364. In addition, utilizing the same 800 number, NDMS employees can be referred to local counselors (for in-person counseling) for up to 6 sessions.

David Canton, D.O., M.P.H., J.D.
CAPT, USPHS
Chief Medical Officer
National Disaster Medical System/FEMA
500 C St. S.W. Rm. 713
Washington, D.C. 20472
202-646-4243

From Chuck Smith - DMORT VI - Deputy Commander

9/27/2005 10:35pm

Good evening DMORT,

Just a quick note to bring ya'll up to speed on Ops at St. Gabriel. On Friday night we caught a glancing blow from Rita. Lost power at around 8, and then the h20 on the loading dock began to rise due to loss of the sump pump. In typical DMORT fashion everyone pitched in during the storm and saved the operation from literally flooding.

We now have power back, and are beginning to dry out.

The Army Corp of Engineers is beginning our project at the 20 acre site. Hopefully by 10/15 we will have housing for 450-500 people. Ops at the morgue will continue. We hope to subdivide the warehouse to allow for huge longterm operations.

Tomorrow morning we have a team heading out to St. Mary Parish to attempt to recover 12 graves that were compromised by Rita. We then have another 20 in another parish. Looks like this is going to develope into another longterm DMORT cemetary operations.

Now the great news. President Bush was in Baton Rouge today and just by chance ran into 4 DMORT members at the JFO. He stopped and recognized the work of DMORT. He specifically stated that he does know that DMORT is treating these victims with dignity and respect, and further stated that our mission was the most important part of this disaster. How bout' that for a compliment from the boss. Congratulations everyone!

More later,
Chuck

Saturday, September 17, 2005 9:28 PM

Greetings,

We are sorry for the failure on our part to keep you all informed of the deployment here in south Louisiana. Things have been really hectic, and finally may be getting into a groove where we can take a breath.

Currently we have just over 200 members here on deployment. Our teams are working in several locations in and around the area.

First we have established a family information center at a local hotel. We have 100 phone lines that are manned by DMORT personnel as well as volunteers. In a short time we have received over 15,000 calls. There were 1,000,000 persons displaced by this storm and we are attempting to get to the point where we can distinguish between displaced evacuees and actual storm victims.

Although the recovery pace has been slow with around 500 victims having been recovered we are settling in for the long haul. The disaster area is hundreds of square miles, and has yet to be searched. The water is rapidly receeding, and we expect the numbers to begin to rise. Our morgue plan was based on a minimum of 5,000 victims, and it is my feeling that we will exceed that number. We have vast areas where the water was above the roof line, and eventually each and every home will have to be searched. There were numerous people who escaped rising water into their attic, and may have become trapped.

We are running a day shift in the morgue in St. Gabriel, and even that has been a problem due to the heat. We have acquired a huge warehouse as a morgue, and are housing members in an old school next to this property. The U.S. forrest service has made an incredible base camp at this school, and everyone seems to be getting along great at this location.

Although we were not initially tasked with aiding in the recovery we did supply 70 members who worked in the New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish area for about 5 days. As of yesterday our operations ended due to a contract with Kenyon by the state for recovery. We are standing by to assist in this effort should it be again requested. Prior to our departure from New Orleans yesterday our members were addressed by Admiral Thad Allen (3 star) and assured that DMORT's contribution to this event was noticed all the way to the West Wing of the White House.

There were some criticisms by the governor of Louisiana about the treatment of victims. I can assure you that it was not by DMORT members. Below you will find a letter written by the Sprirtual care folks with the American Red Cross. Please feel free to e-mail this letter to anyone that you wish in order to make certain that everyone realizes that DMORT has upheld the tradition that has been established over the past 10-12 years.

Please be prepared to deploy, because this will be a long deployment. Our Forensic people who have not been deployed as of yet should know that the actual identification process is only going to fully ramp up when we have the ante mortem information as comparison.

From a proud member of DMORT as well as a proud resident of the state of Louisiana I tell you from the bottom of my heart thanks for your prayers, and willingness to help my state.

Letter Attached to The Above Letter

September 14, 2005

ATTN: Chuck Smith Deputy Commander D-MORT Region 6
New Orleans, Louisiana

Dear Chuck,

I am writing this letter to you on behalf of my team of chaplains working with you in the midst of this disaster from Hurricane Katrina. I am the Assistant Officer of the Spiritual Care Critical Response Team of the American Red Cross, Disaster Relief Operation, 865. A request came to me from the command through Captain Vern Maas,on Friday, September 9th, 2005, requesting clergy to be present at the transfer sites in New Orleans.

We mobilized our team to join your four D-MORT teams. What wasn't known, was that as the Spiritual Care officer at Red Cross Headquarters, I had chosen to be among the first on the lines with my team. We were introduced to the D-Mort Team and welcomed on the crews at 4am Sunday morning.

My team and I came to witness the depths of your team and the incredible compassion and professionalism that each one brings. In the midst of the waits, the team focused on supporting each other. In the field, as the remains of each person was brought from the waters or the hospital, a simple yet sensitive prayer was prayed, in honor of each person. A prayer that was prayed for each victim brought out of the rubble after 9/11.

This prayer was written to be a simple reflection of the many traditions we share within this country. As each body was brought to the transport vehicle, the D-MORT team would intentionally pause and the chaplain would pray the prayer aloud. In the process of the transfer from smaller vehicles to the larger vehicles, a corps of D-MORT members, reverently brought each person from one place to the other. Three chaplains were present as each person was moved. Upon the completion of the transfer, the person closing the door of the truck, waited until the final prayer was said.

We have established the presence of a chaplain 24 hours a day at the Disaster Mortuary, we have committed the presence of 2 chaplains to be embedded with the D-MORT teams 24/7. In addition, as each vehicle arrives with the remains of those who died, the truck stops just inside the gates and a chaplain prays once more. In addition we are contacting the local clergy of the town of St. Gabriel in order to assist the emotional needs of this community in this disaster.

Below, I have added an excerpt of an email I sent last night 9/13, to our National Headquarters in Washington, D.C.:

"...And, the humbling work continues...

Today we led at least 56 people home, to a home much greater than here. Their lives, though cut short, are still filled with the memories, the love and blessings that they have shared.

And in a few weeks from now, they will be identified and the sleepless nights that their families share tonight will be a bit less uncertain because they will know that their lost ones have been found, and I pray their grief will be assuaged, knowing that we prayed this simple prayer when each and every one of them was found:

“We give thanks for this person's life.

We give thanks that this person was found.

We give thanks for the persons that found them.

We ask that they may be made whole in God's arms.

And that they know peace.”

Thanks to you and your team for the humbling work that you are doing.

Gratefully, Tim

Timothy G. Serban
Spiritual Care Response Team Officer
American Red Cross Headquarters
Baton Rouge, LA.

A Typical Day With DMORT

Tuesday, September 20, 2005 12:24 AM

Hello again. I wanted to pass along a note from my husband, Rob Crews, to let you all know what they are doing in St. Gabriel. He outlined a typical day. Sounds to me like they will need Weight Watchers when they return home ...Also, for those of you who may be concerned about Tropical storm Rita, the team leaders are working on an evacuation plan so I'm sure they are in good hands. But a few prayers wouldn't hurt.  

Things here at St. Gabriel base camp are rocking along real well. Here is a typical day here.

Everyone is up by 6 AM. We have a briefing at 630 on things that are going on that day. We have to be at our workstations by 7:00. We are working 12 hour shifts at the present. Only a very small night shift. It is very hot and humid here, so we are drinking tons of water and gatorade. There are ice chests full at every work station and there are locals that make sure they are filled all the time.

We are usually off work by 6 or 7 PM at the latest. Our evenings are free. We have a TV in camp donated by Willie Nelson so the guys are watching football when it is on. Some are going to town to eat or shop. But we really dont have to worry about food here. The forestry service is set up here. And th ey feed us very well. Big breakfast, eggs, ham, bacon, sometimes steak, all good. Lunch is a sandwich, but they use about a whole package of meat on each sandwich, plus fresh fruit, cookies. Dinners have been the best though. Tonite, Prime Rib. Others have been catfish, pork chops, and fried chicken plus the veggies, and dessert. They are used to cooking for hungry firemen so the portions are usually more than we can eat.

The forestry service also brought a semi that has been converted to a shower trailer. Small stalls but a nice cold shower down here is a luxury. They even have huge paper towels to dry off with. Takes me about 3. But better than the one I brought never drying out. They also have a laundry trailer and are doing next day laundry service. They are the greatest. We are staying in an old school and tents, all air conditioned. We are all given cots. Also a lightweight blanket and airline pillow. So I recommend a sleeping bag or sheets. The cots are small but by the time we go to bed, who cares. We usaully crash pretty easily. Anyway thats an update on what its like day to day here.