Fatality Management core capability

Provide fatality management services, including search, recovery, victim identification (following Interpol Standards), and repatriation. As well as the sharing of accurate and timely information with other agencies and the community, and the provision of support to the bereaved.

Critical Task Table 8: Agency roles mapped to the VPF, by critical tasks within the Fatality Management core capability

 

Critical Task 8.1: Oversee all coronial investigations of fatalities.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

CCOV

Exercise as necessary the coroner’s statutory powers to investigate the scene of a reportable death or fire

8.3

Commence the coronial investigation process

3.1

VicPol

Support other agencies in coronial investigations including disaster victim identification resulting from an emergency

 

3.2, 8.5

WorkSafe Investigate, report and analyse information for current and emerging risks and hazards before, during and after incidents involving:
  • Workplace-related fatalities, and life threatening or serious injury
  • transport of dangerous goods and chemicals and high consequence dangerous goods and explosives
  • use, storage and handling of dangerous goods and chemicals and high consequence dangerous goods
1.31.54.4, 21.121.221.321.4
 

Critical Task 8.2: Establish and maintain operations to recover a significant number of fatalities over a geographically dispersed area.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

VICSES

Provide continuous protection of life, property and the environment through providing support for:

  • conducting search operations to locate persons
  • conducting rescue of trapped or isolated persons
  • search and rescue on land and water evacuations and incidents involving mass casualties

As Lead Response Support Agency (RSA) for the functional areas:

  • responder agencies
  • rescue: aircraft, building/structure collapse, vehicle into building/structure, road, rail, industrial

5.2, 12.1

VIFM

Respond to requests from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Australian Federal Police (AFP) regarding fatality incidents overseas

3.1, 3.2

Coordinate the management of deceased persons (including multi-fatality incidents) for the Victorian State Coroner including liaison with funeral service providers

3.2, 8.7

 

Critical Task 8.3: Provide investigative and operational support services for victim identification.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

CCOV

Exercise as necessary the coroner’s statutory powers to investigate the scene of a reportable death or fire

8.1

VicPol

Support other agencies in provision of personnel

3.2, 12.4

VIFM

Undertake Disaster Victim Identification procedures including forensic pathology, anthropology, odontology, radiology and molecular biology (DNA)

4.4, 11.3

Provide support for Disaster Victim Identification

3.2

 

Critical Task 8.4: Establish and maintain temporary mortuaries ensuring they have adequate storage for the predicted number of fatalities.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

CCOV

Facilitate the transportation of deceased persons to a coronial mortuary

8.5, 14.5

VIFM

Manage the Victorian state mortuary facility and where required, establish temporary mortuary facilities 

3.1

 

Critical Task 8.5: Provide staffing and equipment to adequately examine and document all fatalities to enable accurate identification and support coronial / police investigations.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

CCOV

 

Facilitate the transportation of deceased persons to a coronial mortuary

8.4, 14.5

Lead agency to identify deceased persons and determine the cause and circumstances of death

 

ESV

Gas - Contribute investigatory, regulatory and technical expertise to support or lead the investigation of gas related incidents

11.1, 19.1

Contribute investigatory, regulatory and technical expertise to support or lead the investigation of electricity related incidents

11.1, 19.1

VicPol

Support other agencies in coronial investigations including disaster victim identification resulting from an emergency

3.2, 8.1

VIFM

Assist emergency response agencies with the investigation of a range of death scenes including mass fatality emergencies

3.2

Provide medical death investigation, and provide facilities and staff required to undertake medical death investigations including autopsies   
 

Critical Task 8.6: Manage family communication regarding coronial process and repatriation.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

VIFM

Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to communicate with the families of deceased persons

3.1

 

Critical Task 8.7: Communicate accurate and timely information to emergency services and communities about the safe handling of fatalities.

Agency Activity Additional alignment to critical tasks

VIFM

Coordinate the management of deceased persons (including multi-fatality incidents) for the Victorian State Coroner including liaison with funeral service providers

3.2, 8.2