From 19th to 22nd August 2024, three members of the Royal Montserrat Defence Force (RMDF) participated in a Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) – Recovery and Identification Course. The course was coordinated by the International Police Association Service (IPAS) and the Royal Montserrat Police Service, with training facilitated by lecturers from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit and the National Police Co-ordination Centre in the United Kingdom.
Lieutenant Darion Darroux, Sergeant Melvin Lindsey, and Lance Corporal Darius Lewis joined members of the Royal Montserrat Police Service (RMPS), Montserrat Fire and Rescue Service (MRFS), and the Montserrat Red Cross in learning the process of safely, accurately, and respectfully recovering and identifying victims of mass casualty events. This process plays a critical role in aiding families through their healing journey.
The participants were trained in four key phases: Scene/Recovery, Post-mortem data collection, Ante-mortem data collection, and the Reconciliation of those data to identify victims. These phases are guided by the DVI philosophy, based on the principles laid out by Lord Justice Clarke, to be followed throughout the identification process after a major event:
- The provision of honest and, as far as possible, accurate information at all times and at every stage
- Respect for the deceased and the bereaved
- A sympathetic and caring approach throughout
- The avoidance of mistaken identity
This training enhances Montserrat’s capacity to manage such situations effectively if they arise. Moreover, as part of the Caribbean region, Montserrat now has trained personnel who may be called upon to assist neighbouring islands if they are adversely impacted.
Lance Corporal Lewis shared, “The course definitely provided the essential knowledge and understanding needed for assisting in the aftermath of disasters.”
Sergeant Lindsey noted, “It was a well thought out and compiled course. The trainers were experts in their relative fields, which provided a vast pool of knowledge to draw from. Overall, the course was welcomed by all participants involved.”
Reflecting on the course, Lieutenant Darroux stated, “I’m happy to have gone through this course. We are in the business of helping people, and with a skill set such as this, it ensures that we are doing our best to do right by everyone involved: the deceased, the grieving, the public. That’s what’s most important.”
Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Alvin Ryan added, “This training is an essential one that no one wants to think about, as it means that we would have lost a number of our citizens suddenly and tragically. However, having persons trained in this area would allow the families and the community as a whole to cope and get through the situation a bit better than if the training had not been done.”
