Completing the Jigsaw - Inside the work of UK Forensic Radiography Response Team

Summary

The script recounts the rapid response to the 7/7 London bombings, highlighting the establishment of an emergency mortuary and the crucial role of the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team. It details the teamwork between radiographers and forensic pathologists in victim identification, emphasizing the importance of accuracy over speed. The script also discusses the team's broader role in disaster victim identification and prevention of future incidents, showcasing their readiness and the remarkable achievement of the temporary London mortuary.

Takeaways

• 🚨 Major Incident: The script describes the activation of a major incident protocol in response to the 7/7 London bombings, highlighting the quick and coordinated response required in such situations.
• 🏗️ Rapid Construction: The emergency mortuary was built quickly, with construction beginning on a Friday and readiness for operations by Saturday, showcasing remarkable logistical achievements.
• 🔍 Forensic Radiography: The importance of radiography in victim identification is emphasized, with radiographers playing a key role in mass disaster response teams.
• 👥 Teamwork: The script underscores the importance of teamwork between pathologists, radiographers, and other specialists in managing mass fatalities.
• 🦷 Dental Evidence: The reliance on dental evidence for identification in mass disasters is highlighted, with radiography being critical in these cases.
• 🛡️ Safety and Respect: The facilities were designed to manage the deceased with respect and safety for the staff, ensuring a professional and caring service.
• 🌍 Global Recognition: The expertise of the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team is recognized worldwide, with members assisting in various international humanitarian crises.
• 🔬 Research and Prevention: Radiographers also play a role in investigating the causes of incidents to inform design changes that could prevent future tragedies.
• 📈 Continuous Improvement: The script mentions the ongoing recruitment and training of forensic radiographers to be prepared for potential future disasters.
• 🏛️ National Emergency Mortuary (NEMA): The development of a national emergency mortuary is discussed, designed with input from various professionals to set a new standard for victim care and forensic science.
• 👨‍⚕️ Volunteer Radiographers: The script celebrates the dedication of volunteer radiographers who train in their own time to be ready for such critical work.

Q & A

What was the initial response to the 7/7 bombings in London in 2005?

The initial response to the 7/7 bombings in London was the activation of the London Mass Fatality Plan within three hours of the first explosion, which involved bringing together specialists including coroners, pathologists, and other forensic support.

What was the role of the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings?

The UK Forensic Radiography Response Team played a crucial role in identifying victims through radiography, working alongside forensic pathologists and providing key information for victim identification.

How quickly was the emergency mortuary constructed after the bombings?

The emergency mortuary was constructed remarkably quickly, with construction beginning on Friday and being ready to start operations by 2 o'clock on Saturday.

What was the significance of the mortuary being built around the volunteers?

The rapid construction of the mortuary around the volunteers demonstrated an unprecedented logistical achievement and allowed for the immediate commencement of operations to manage and identify the victims of the disaster.

Why was radiography considered essential in the identification process?

Radiography was essential because it provided key information about dental evidence and other identifying features, which are crucial for victim identification, especially in mass disaster situations.

What is the National Emergency Mortuary (NEMA)?

The National Emergency Mortuary (NEMA) is a facility designed for the management of mass fatalities, incorporating lessons learned from the temporary London mortuary set up after the 7/7 bombings.

How does the relationship between pathologists and radiographers contribute to the identification process?

The relationship between pathologists and radiographers is critical as radiographers provide special information through radiography, which assists pathologists in their external examinations and helps target their investigations effectively.

What is the secondary role of the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team apart from victim identification?

Apart from victim identification, the team also plays a role in preventing future loss of life by investigating the causes of incidents and suggesting design changes to equipment or structures to avoid similar injuries.

How did the radiographers assist in the Asian tsunami in 2004?

The radiographers helped identify victims of the Asian tsunami in 2004, where dental identification played a significant role due to the degeneration of remains and difficulties with DNA samples.

What is the importance of getting the identification process right in mass disaster situations?

Getting the identification process right is crucial as it provides a professional and caring service to the victims' families, ensuring accurate identification and avoiding further emotional distress.

How does the script highlight the importance of teamwork in managing mass fatalities?

The script emphasizes the importance of teamwork by illustrating how different specialists, including radiographers and pathologists, work together to manage the situation effectively and provide the best possible care for the victims and their families.

Outlines

00:00

🚨 Rapid Response to a Major Incident: London Mortuary Activation

This paragraph describes the immediate response to the 7th of July 2005 London bombings, highlighting the activation of the London Mass Fatality Plan. Phil Allen, a radiographer at St James Hospital in Leeds, recounts the swift mobilization of the national network service and the construction of an emergency mortuary at the Honorable Artillery Company. The narrative emphasizes the unprecedented speed of the mortuary setup, which was operational by Saturday afternoon, ready to identify victims in the aftermath of the disaster. The paragraph underscores the importance of teamwork between various specialists, including coroners, pathologists, and the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team, and the vital role of radiographers in victim identification and forensic science.

05:01

🔍 The Crucial Role of Radiographers in Forensic Pathology

The second paragraph delves into the critical partnership between pathologists and radiographers in forensic investigations, especially in the context of terrorist attacks and mass disasters. It explains the process of victim identification through radiography, which is often key in cases where dental evidence is required. The paragraph also discusses the initial scan conducted by radiographers upon the arrival of bodies at the mortuary, which helps identify hazards and personal effects that could assist in the identification process. The narrative stresses the importance of accuracy over speed in identification and the collaborative efforts of various professionals to provide a caring and professional service to the victims' families. It also touches on the role of radiographers in understanding the cause of incidents to prevent future tragedies, highlighting the global recognition of the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team and their involvement in humanitarian crises.

10:02

📢 Call for New Members and the Expansion of Forensic Radiography Services

The final paragraph serves as a call to action for radiographers and emergency planning professionals to join the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team and the International Association of Forensic Radiographers. It invites interested parties to visit the team's website for more information on how to become part of this vital service. The paragraph also reflects on the success of the emergency mortuary setup after the London bombings and the recognition received from the London Assembly for the complex and sensitive task of victim identification. It concludes by praising the dedication of volunteer radiographers who train for such critical work and the ongoing efforts to prepare for disasters that hopefully will never occur.

Keywords

💡Major Incident

A 'Major Incident' refers to a significant event that requires a coordinated response from emergency services and other agencies. In the context of the video, it is triggered by the terrorist attacks on July 7, 2005, in London, which necessitates an immediate and large-scale emergency response. The script mentions 'bleep went off major incident declared', indicating the activation of emergency protocols.

💡Mass Disaster

A 'Mass Disaster' is a catastrophic event that results in a large number of casualties and requires extensive emergency management and humanitarian aid. The video discusses the London bombings, which is an example of a mass disaster, and the subsequent activation of the London Mass Fatality Plan to manage the aftermath.

💡Emergency Mortuary

An 'Emergency Mortuary' is a temporary facility established to handle the identification and storage of bodies following a mass casualty incident. The script describes the rapid construction of such a facility in the grounds of the Honorable Artillery Company, highlighting the logistical achievement of setting up a mortuary to meet the needs of the disaster.

💡Forensic Radiography

Forensic Radiography involves the use of radiographic techniques to assist in the identification of deceased individuals, particularly in cases of mass disasters or criminal investigations. The script emphasizes the role of the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team in identifying victims and the importance of radiography in victim identification.

💡Victim Identification

Victim Identification is the process of determining the identity of deceased individuals, often in the wake of a disaster. The video script discusses the critical role of radiographers and pathologists in this process, especially when dental evidence is required, as in the case of the Asian tsunami mentioned in the script.

💡Logistical Achievement

A 'Logistical Achievement' refers to the successful coordination and execution of complex operations, often under challenging conditions. The script describes the overnight assembly of one of the largest mortuaries in the world as a remarkable logistical achievement in response to the London bombings.

💡National Emergency Mortuary (NEMA)

The 'National Emergency Mortuary' (NEMA) is a facility designed to handle mass fatalities on a national scale. The script mentions the involvement of the Association of Forensic Radiographers in the design and planning of NEMA, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and coordination in managing mass disasters.

💡Pathologists

Pathologists are medical doctors who specialize in determining the cause of diseases and injuries. In the video, pathologists work alongside radiographers in the emergency mortuary to examine remains and contribute to the identification process, as highlighted by the script's mention of their collaboration.

💡Radiographers

Radiographers are healthcare professionals who use imaging technology to diagnose and treat injuries and diseases. The script details how volunteer radiographers, typically working with living patients, found themselves working with the deceased in the emergency mortuary, providing crucial information for victim identification.

💡Humanitarian Crises

Humanitarian Crises are situations where people's basic rights and needs are under threat, often due to conflict or disaster. The script mentions the involvement of the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team in humanitarian crises in various regions, such as Bosnia, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone, showcasing their role in global disaster response.

💡Preventive Measures

Preventive Measures are actions taken to prevent the occurrence of incidents or to mitigate their effects. The script discusses how forensic radiography can help understand the causes of incidents, such as transport crashes, and contribute to the development of design changes or protective equipment to prevent future injuries.

Highlights

Major incident declared following the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London, activating the London Mass Fatality Plan.

Rapid construction of an emergency mortuary at the Honorable Artillery Company on City Road.

The UK Forensic Radiography Response Team's involvement in managing the disaster.

The importance of radiography in victim identification, particularly in mass disasters.

The logistical achievement of assembling a large mortuary within hours.

Teamwork between pathologists and radiographers in victim examination and identification.

The role of radiography in providing fundamental information for forensic pathologists.

The significance of dental evidence in identifications, supported by radiography.

The empowerment and reward of using NHS skills in a mortuary setting for victim identification.

The creation of NEMA (National Emergency Mortuary) following the success of the temporary London mortuary.

The critical relationship between pathologists and radiographers in mass disaster response.

The process of initial radiography scans for safety and identification purposes.

The importance of accurate identification in providing a caring service to victims' families.

The challenges and importance of getting the identification process right rather than fast.

The international recognition of the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team's expertise.

The secondary role of the team in preventing future loss of life through incident analysis.

The continued recruitment and training of forensic radiographers for potential future disasters.

The London Assembly's praise for the emergency mortuary and the role of volunteer radiographers.

Invitation for new members and information on the work of the UK Forensic Radiography Response Team.

Transcripts

bleep went off major incident declared

major incident declared and i looked at

the bleep and i thought this is it

[Applause]

and we got there on friday and literally

things were just being built all around

us and we were ready to start saturday

at two o'clock and that was just

phenomenal i've never seen anything move

so quickly

we've got the facilities now which meet

the needs of being able to identify

people in the event of a mass disaster

or tragedy on behalf of their loved ones

we know that we have a mass disaster we

can manage the numbers we can manage

them with respect and with safety for

the staff working

[Music]

on the 7th of july 2005 terrorists

detonated four bombs in the centre of

london

phil allen was just finishing his night

shift at st james hospital in leeds

where he works as a radiographer

got home about just before nine o'clock

in the morning turned the tv on and

obviously at that time it was full of

what was going on in london which was a

little bit confused at that time but it

was becoming

obvious that some mass disaster had

occurred

london under attack 33 confirmed dead

does terrorist target pretty well

decided that if we were going to be

needed the national network service is

available uh it's already packed a bag

in preparation

some people had rung up and said

something going on was a power cut and

we started to look on the internet and

couldn't get much information it's all a

bit it's a power cut there was a fire or

something like that then the major

incident bleep went off we are all

trained to run a major incident policy

but we'd never actually used it we only

practiced it

um bleep went off major incident

declared major incident declared and i

looked at the bleep and i thought

turn it to my other colleagues that this

is it

[Music]

within three hours of the first

explosion as the city reeled from the

impact of the four bombs the decision

was taken to activate the london mass

fatality plan

for the plan to succeed it would be

necessary to bring together a group of

specialists including coroners

pathologists and other forensic support

among them the volunteers of the uk

forensic radiography response team

it was becoming apparent that the

existing mortuaries in london might not

be able to cope with the numbers of

victims of the four bombs

a key element of the plan was the

construction of an emergency mortuary in

the grounds of the honorable artillery

company on city road um so we actually

walked into the mortary but there was

very little it was just a shell when we

first started when we first got there

and i think that's one of the most

phenomenal experiences i think i've ever

experienced is actually watching the

mortuary build being built all the way

around you and it was that fast um and

we got there on friday and literally

things were just being built all around

us and we were ready to start saturday

at two o'clock and that was just

phenomenal i've never seen anything move

so quickly

it was a remarkable logistical

achievement

overnight in just a few hours

contractors assembled one of the largest

mortuaries in the world

later the lord chancellor was to

describe these facilities as setting the

gold standard for victim care and the

pursuit of forensic science

teamwork was at the heart of this

remarkable operation

volunteer radiographers more used to

working with hospital patients now found

themselves working on the dead alongside

the forensic pathologists we had

pathologists at our shoulders saying

what's that and what's this say well

that was a clavicle that was

a foreign body or something like that

and they could take that information

away i learned that radiography was

absolutely key history shows that a huge

proportion of identifications

are done

on dental evidence which needs the

radiography

or are done by other means that the

radiographers are involved in they're a

safety aid to those who are actually

doing the examination that provide

providing fundamental information you

could not do this without the

radiographers at the end of the day

especially for seven seven there were

families waiting outside desperate to

find out who their loved ones were

so i feel that was enormously empowering

and rewarding thing to be able to take

my skills from the nhs setting into

working with the deceased to get victim

identification

following the success of the temporary

london mortuary the association of

forensic radiographers was invited with

others to put forward its ideas for the

design and planning of a national

emergency mortuary to be known as nema

in the autumn of 2008 members got their

first opportunity to see inside this new

facility

the groups working in nema have to work

together as a united team that's the

only way we can cope and manage the

situation that's presented to us but the

working links between the pathologists

and the radiographers is a particularly

important one because the radiographers

give us some very special information

particularly in terrorist situations

where we do far more radiography the

scanning the looking for the fragments

of bombs the wire and the other material

but they're also very very important in

in inverted commons ordinary mass

disasters where we're looking for

fragments of bones old bony injuries and

of course working with the odontologists

as well in terms of identification

the relationship between the pathologist

and the radiographer is critical

as the bodies arrive at the mortuary the

radiographer conducts the first scan

so the first stage for us is initial

scan or screening without opening the

body bag and at that stage you're

looking for really

anything that may be hazardous for the

pathologists or technicians who are

opening the bag and going to be

examining the remains you're looking for

any identifying features

for example in terms of previous

fractures or perhaps of pins and plates

that have been put in

during operations but you're also

looking for

personal effects and for example small

personal effects for example earrings or

necklaces and that sort of thing which

you may immediately think well you're

going to see those but quite often if

you have bodies specifically once

they've been in fires for example in

aircraft crashes you won't see that

information whereas you will on an x-ray

so you're charting all of that when the

pathologist comes to do the external

examination they've got an indication of

what is in there they can see if there's

anything hazardous and they know where

to target their investigation to start

with we're all in this

because we want to provide

a very professional and caring service

to victims families in the event of the

worst case scenario and we cannot afford

to get that identification wrong we've

got to make sure that we provide that

service which makes sure that the

identification is absolutely right

and that's where there's some

frustrations about how long the process

takes

i don't apologize for that because it's

more important to get it right than do

it quickly

and what we've got here with the nema

set up is that they've listened to

everything that's needed by all the

pathologists

all the ordontologists all the police

officers that are involved in this

service

and actually come up with this which is

phenomenal

the expertise of the uk forensic

radiography response team is recognized

around the world

its volunteer members helped identify

victims of the asian tsunami in 2004. um

dna proved problematic because the time

taken to get samples and also the

degeneration of the

remains made it very difficult as well

and dental came into its own in the

asian tsunami in particular

others have assisted humanitarian crises

in bosnia

kosovo sierra leone

cyprus iraq and sri lanka

but as well as victim identification

they have a secondary role which may

help prevent future loss of life

specifically in in aircraft crashes for

example or transport crashes of any any

nature is why the incident happened and

what was the nature of the injuries that

were caused and can there be any design

changes made for example to an aircraft

or indeed to protective equipment

that could actually prevent those

injuries being caused and sometimes it's

necessary to do a very detailed

examination

of the trauma patterns that are

sustained you know by an individual to

find out exactly the nature of those and

how they were caused and why they were

caused so radiology can be useful in a

lot of a lot of ways some of which are

very important and if like up front and

around the identification and others

come and perhaps a little bit later and

more research orientated around the

changes that can be made to preventing

such incidents happening in the future

since the london bombings the

association of forensic radiographers

have continued to recruit suitably

qualified members and train them to cope

with a disaster that we hope will never

take place

after 7-7 the london assembly described

the emergency mortuary as a remarkable

achievement

the correct identification of the

deceased was a highly complex and

sensitive task which was completed

within just seven days

many would say that the success of the

operation was due in no small measure to

the work of the volunteer radiographers

isn't it great that we've got a team of

radiographers who are prepared in their

own time to train for this sort of work

and have over a number of years years

nurtured

a scheme that we can now have people who

are willing and capable and qualified to

walk into a mortuary and do this work

the uk forensic radiography response

team and the international association

of forensic radiographers are always

looking for new members

if you're a radiographer and would like

to be considered or if you're involved

in emergency planning or part of uk

resilience and would like to know more

about the work of the team visit their

website for more information afr.org.uk