Secure the information you need in a crisis

                                      before the crisis                                                            

                                                                       £29.95 inc. VAT

Modern business activities can present significant challenges for personnel management which are readily apparent to most organisations with international operational experience. Previously rare events, but now it is increasingly commonplace, especially in complex operating environments, for personnel to meet extreme challenges such as armed attacks, kidnapping and hostage taking. In these scenarios the well prepared will have ready access to detailed information about their people in order to help the rescue effort, negotiation or, in the worst case scenario, victim identification.

Medical information, whether a minor ailment or something more significant, voluntarily disclosed by personnel before deployment can be used in negotiations to great effect, bargaining for favourable treatment or even release by placing pressure on captors.

The agonising wait for news of those missing is the most difficult part of the experience for those involved. Sparse information prolongs the agony and 'false dawns' are a common feature where unidentified remains turn out not to be those of the person concerned. At a time when people are desperate for news, victim identification can be a very long process and can be exacerbated by the dependency on forensic samples (or 'ante mortem data') being available for comparison. 

What is ante mortem data?

Ante mortem data is a term used to describe forensic or other descriptive information about a person which is either taken for the purpose of record keeping or which can be retrieved in reaction to an event, often from the personal effects of the person concerned. For example, the toothbrush or hairbrush of a missing person is likely to contain forensic material which may yield DNA. Fingerprints left by the person in their room or on items of property may hold what are termed 'latent fingerprints'. Gathering ante mortem data in reaction to an event will result in delays as the items thought likely to contain the material will need to be located and retrieved.

Events such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami created victim identification challenges on a mass scale. Environmental conditions can take their toll on flesh and skin, and so the identification window can be very narrow - deterioration of human remains ruled out physical description, photographs and fingerprints as a means of identification for many of the victims. More significantly, limitations in DNA techniques and the timescales and costs involved placed demands on forensic odontology to produce accurate and satisfactory identification. However, these techniques rely on dental records, which we tend to take for granted in developed countries. Dental practitioners have acknowledged that the data dental records produce will not contain the rich source of information in future as dental hygiene improves generation upon generation and less invasive surgical techniques become necessary.</p>

Active foresight

Ideally, ante mortem data will be taken in anticipation of exposure to increased risks, rather than in hindsight and by reaction to an event. Planning ahead will provide time critical information in a format that can be readily used. By doing so, those organisations on the 'front-foot' will provide their personnel with the reassurance that they have their duty of care in mind and have made provisions for responding to a crisis, disaster or individual tragedy.

What information should be collated?

Description

A thorough and useful description should include marks, scars and tattoos. It could also include a description of anything regularly worn or carried. Using forms based on Interpol's international identification standards ensures that appropriate detail is recorded, enabling effective and efficient sharing of information to those involved in search, rescue, recovery and investigations.

Photographs

These provide far more than facial recognition, although the benefits of a good photo without sunglasses and headwear are obvious. A head and shoulders side profile, along with a full length picture against a plain background will provide additional detail to the description along with close up photo's of marks, scars and tattoos.

Medical information

Access to medical records may be difficult due to confidentiality laws in many countries preventing their disclosure. However, voluntary self disclosure by personnel will inform the responding organisation and authorities about any time critical medical conditions, urgent need for medicines and may help in identification if past surgical procedures are evident.

Fingerprints

Good quality fingerprints taken in advance for the purpose of identification may provide answers very quickly. Quality prints can be sent instantly anywhere in the world via electronic media to and from the scene of events or the offices of fingerprint experts for verification. Prints taken for the purpose can be quickly located and will be of the necessary quality to ensure reliable identification.

Scent

<p>Still a useful search tool, a trained canine unit using a scent from the missing person can be despatched to track victims. Having a reliable sample to hand will provide this search tactic with the material needed.</p>

DNA

<p>Cellular material collected and preserved for the purpose of identification will reduce the time it takes to provide the scientific process with a sample for comparison. Analyzing and profiling DNA is expensive and unnecessary in most cases. What is necessary is a <u><em>sample</em></u> of DNA which can be collected and retained at much lower cost, then submitted for analysis if (and only if) required.</p>

Dental Records

Patients may visit a variety of practices throughout childhood and adult life, so reliable dental records may be elusive. This may present considerable challenges for identification as the records may take time to locate and present to experts examining remains. A Toothprints bite impression is easy to make and requires no specialist training. With a cup of hot water, this takes a couple of minutes to do and provides an instant and up to date record of the surfaces of the teeth and the relationship between upper and lower jaws. The impression will also capture DNA from saliva and will retain enough scent for a tracker dog to follow.

Lifestyle information

Financial activity, bank and credit card accounts, mobile/cellphone traffic may provide timely information on the recent whereabouts of missing persons. 

The solution

As a part of your organisation's pre-deployment preparations, we can provide a comprehensive kit to enable you to collate all of the necessary and useful data that could provide your personnel with a better, quicker response to search, rescue and recovery operations in the event of a difficulty arising.

What's in the box?

Personal Description Booklet based on the Interpol Disaster Victim Identification manual

Self adhesive measuring tape for photographs - Used by police for images of injuries, marks, scars and tattoos

Fingerprint ink strips and Fingerprint form

Toothprints dental impression wafer which will also provide a DNA sample and scent for tracking.

Full instructions

Storage envelope and tamper evident seal for completed kits

Standard policy document for agreed terms of use

Risk Angels are proud to be the European authorised distributor for Toothprints and the only provider of these comprehensive personal forensic data kits. International patents and trademarks apply. We can supply individual kits or multiple quantities. 

email: forensics@riskangels.com