New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 7 - HEALTH
Chapter 3 - STATE MEDICAL INVESTIGATOR'S OFFICE
Part 2 - POLICIES OF THE OFFICE OF THE MEDICAL INVESTIGATOR
Section 7.3.2.18 - DISASTER
Universal Citation: 7 NM Admin Code 7.3.2.18
Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
A. Citations and Regulations:
(1)
24-11-5
NMSA 1978: When any person comes to a sudden, violent or untimely death or is
found dead and the cause of death is unknown, anyone who becomes aware of the
death shall report it immediately to law enforcement authorities or the office
of the state or district medical investigator. The public official so notified,
shall in turn notify either, or both, the appropriate law enforcement
authorities or the office of the state or district medical investigator. The
state or district medical investigator, or a deputy medical investigator under
his direction, shall, without delay, view and take legal custody of the
body.
(2) Document - department of
transportation, federal aviation administration, "Aircraft Accident and
Incident Notification, Investigation, and Reporting", JULY, 1976, document
#8020.11. In carrying out its duties under this title, the board is authorized
to examine and test to the extent necessary any civil aircraft, aircraft
engine, propeller, appliance, or property aboard an aircraft involved in an
accident in air commerce. In the case of any fatal accident, the board is
authorized to examine the remains of any deceased person aboard the aircraft at
the time of the accident, who dies as a result of the accident, end to conduct
autopsies or such other tests thereof as may be necessary to the investigation
of the accident: Provided, that to the extent consistent with the needs of the
accident investigation, provisions of local laws protecting religious beliefs
with respect to autopsies shall be observed.
(3) Obtaining autopsy. A strong attempt
should be made to obtain an autopsy on the crew and members in every fatal
general aviation accident. It is also desirable to obtain complete skeletal
x-rays in certain accidents. Even in extreme cases of incineration, blood and
tissue can often be obtained for studies. The heart in such cases is often
intact and will be found to contain blood suitable for carbon monoxide,
cyanide, ethyl alcohol, and other studies. In "survivable" accidents, a general
x-ray survey of the body is desired. Simple fractures are often missed on
autopsy. Many fatal accidents in general aviation fall in the survivable
category.
(a) Pre-crash planning. Embalming
invalidates most toxicological studies. Obtaining the early cooperation and
understanding of the local coroner/medical examiner results in smoother
operation in this area of the investigation.
(b) When the AME is the first federal
representative at the scene, he should request that local authorities guard the
wreckage.
(c) The coroner/medical
examiner should be contacted to arrange for autopsy/toxicology studies. The
state or local police may be of help in this communication. Good communication
is the key to a well-conducted investigation and the local law enforcement
agency, e.g., state police, is an effective place for the AME to keep in
contact concerning the whereabouts of the coroner/medical examiner.
(i) If the AME does not personally know the
coroner or mortician, he should introduce himself as the authorized AME of the
federal aviation administration. This will establish the proper rapport. The
coroner can be of great assistance to the investigation but sometimes is not
fully oriented to the aviation medical aspects.
(ii) After autopsy permission has been
secured, it is then determined whether it will be done by a local pathologist
or by an FAA consultant pathologist.
(4) Federal Aviation Act of 1958, Title 7,
Aircraft Accidents. Procedures.
(5)
National Transportation Safety Board, Public Notice PN-1. Scope of
authority.
B. Policy:
(1) When a situation occurs that causes death
to individuals and presents complications that prevent the timely retrieval of
bodies and/or the subsequent identification of those bodies, a disaster can be
stated to have occurred.
(2) The
office of the medical investigator is charged with taking custody of all bodies
in situations deemed disasters, with the responsibility for the identification
of those remains, the determination of a cause and manner of death, and the
timely release of those remains to the family.
(3) The office of the medical investigator
shall establish and maintain a current written disaster plan and shall supply a
copy to appropriate individuals or agencies. Further, a list of all agencies
that may be required to respond to the scene of a particular disaster shall be
maintained in the central office of the medical investigator, and all telephone
numbers and contact directions shall be kept in an up-to-date
fashion.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Mexico may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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