DNA Identification in Mass Fatality Incidents
What is the funding source?
It would be rare for a State or local forensic laboratory to have sufficient funding to cover the expenses associated with DNA testing in a mass fatality incident response. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the primary source of Federal funding for mass fatality incidents; see chapter 3, Before the Incident, for a discussion of FEMA assistance.
Usually, FEMA is prepared to support new equipment purchases. Laboratory directors may already have equipment lists as part of their normal budgetary responsibilities—and it saves time to have those lists scaled-up and updated for presentation to FEMA as quickly as possible.
If the response is to be funded out of State or local budgets (or both), without additional Federal support, there may be more stringent limitations on equipment purchases or resources to enhance DNA analysis capabilities. In this situation, decisions about minimum fragment size and retesting policies also will be influenced by fiscal restraints. Laboratory managers will need to make sure that the ME is aware of the fiscal impact on the ability to make identifications.
The agency responsible for an identification effort (for example, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in an airline crash, the ME, or the laboratory director) may—after evaluating the issues of capacity, capability, mission, and funding— decide that the project is not feasible for the State or local laboratory. In that case, other resources may be sought; for example, the NTSB may request assistance from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (see chapter 3, Before the Incident).
