Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK November 6, 2007

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK Topics World Trade Center Recovery Improved Identification Process DNA Work New Analysis Methods The Next Mass Fatality

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities JFK International Airport June 14, 1975 Boeing 727 crashed due to wind shear 109 killed

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities Cove Neck, NY January 25, 1990 Boeing 707 ran out of fuel and crashed on landing approach to JFK Airport 73 killed

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities LaGuardia Airport March 22, 1992 USAir Flight 405 crashed during takeoff into Flushing Bay due to ice buildup on the wings 27 killed

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities JFK International Airport July 17, 1996 TWA Flight 800 Boeing 747 crashed into the ocean 230 killed

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities Rockaway, Queens November 12, 2001 American Airlines Flight 587 crashed due to overuse of the rudder to counter wake turbulence 265 killed

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities Bronx, NY March 25, 1990 Happy Land Social Club set on fire by a patron 87 killed

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities Queens, NY June 6, 1993 The freighter Golden Venture carrying 138 Chinese immigrants ran aground 10 killed

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities Staten Island, NY October 15, 2003 The Staten Island Ferry Andrew J. Barberi with a capacity of 6,000 passengers crashed into a dock after the pilot lost consciousness 11 killed

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities LaGuardia Airport December 29, 1975 A terrorist bomb exploded in the main TWA terminal building 11 killed

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities World Trade Center February 26, 1993 A 1,500-lb urea nitrate-fuel oil bomb exploded in the garage of the North Tower 6 killed and 1,042 injured

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK New York City Mass Fatalities World Trade Center September 11, 2001 United Airlines Flight 175 and American Airlines Flight 11 hijacked and crashed 2750 killed

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK Recovery Location vs DNA Profile Samples Tested –Deutsche Bank –Con Ed –Sifting Center –Previously Recovered

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK DNA Results New identifications Remains from previously identified victims Remains from unidentified victims Previously unseen profiles

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK Importance of DNA DNA 88% Dental/Medical X-Ray 6% Fingerprints 4% Photo/Viewed1% Personal Effects/Tattoos 1%

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK Working to Identify Additional testing with mini-STRs (MiniFiler ® ) Use of TrueAllele ® software Continual collection of reference samples

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK Recovery of Remains

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK Identification Work

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK Storage of Remains Adequate space? Access to containers? Airline disaster Pandemic Potter’s Field

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK Lessons Learned Communication Unified Victim Identification System Dedicated Teams

Mass Fatality Identification OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK Mark Desire Assistant Director Department of Forensic Biology New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner