Any disaster, whether artificial or otherwise, can wipe out countless people and wreck entire environments. Society’s resilience is often put to the test in these situations. Crisis management aims to ensure that potential disasters are adequately planned for and dealt with. The process involves making preparations to reduce financial damage from disasters. Management is essential for catastrophe avoidance, preparedness, response, and recovery. Tragically, “98 people perished when the apartment structure Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, collapsed” (Herald, 2022). In the aftermath of such a devastating event, numerous issues necessitated a comprehensive response from crisis management. In this piece, we will examine the response orchestrated by a coalition of national and international groups working closely with community-based groups on the ground. This piece focuses on how the disaster impacted the community, the challenges they faced, the DVI process’s part in crisis organizing, the rapidity and scope of the aftermath, and the value of evaluating multiple variables.
Initial response
Rapid and thorough action was taken immediately following the fall of the apartment building at Champlain Towers South. Minutes after the initial report came in at 1:24 am1:24 am, emergency personnel arrived at the site. The podcast reports that the media was streamed on local and international TV stations by 3:00 am. According to the podcast, the police, fire department, search and rescue teams, and medical staff arrived at the scene by 1:32 am1:32 am (Herald, 2022). Finding and rescuing lives, as well as caring for the wounded, was the priority at first. That reporting of the emergency was seen to be traumatizing by the size of the tragedy, one was even referring to it as an “MCI level 5 or 6, which level six is rare to happen, and he said that too as a description of how enormous the disaster was” (Herald, 2022). Due to the magnitude of the catastrophe, a concerted effort by multiple agencies was necessary, and these agencies successfully organized their efforts in the aftermath. The instant start of rescue operations was made possible by the quick action of first responders, and this set the tone for the crisis management reaction that followed. Those who had loved ones in the collapsed building tried to access the scene even when they could not. This is evident from the lady who was heard trying to cross the scene to try and rescue her friends “who had come to celebrate a birthday” (Herald, 2022). Fear and doubt were felt by many as they awaited word on the safety of their loved ones in the wake of the tragic incident. Community members had reason to believe that people who had been missing might still be alive thanks to the swift action taken by emergency personnel, including search and rescue operations. However, as additional individuals succumbed and more time passed, the tragedy’s effects grew more severe. The community was grieving because many feared death in such an unexpected and sad incident.
Scope of the response
More than just a search and recovery operation was part of the emergency response to the fall of Champlain Towers South. A thorough strategy was necessary in light of the tragic incident that resulted in many deaths. Securing the crime scene was crucial to preventing the evidence from being messed with or destroyed. The podcast listener would be able to visualize the scenario safely. The fact that the woman attempting to approach the scene was blocked shows that the people already there want to participate and “make the searching exercise faster,” as they put it (Herald, 2022). However, they were unable to enter the area due to security precautions. Response efforts also included a comprehensive site examination to recover the remains, which called for numerous search and rescue workers, forensic investigators, and funeral directors (Dark History, 2023). According to the audio, the incident was broadcast live late at night or early in the morning. Live broadcasts of the search operation on television kept the public abreast of developments. According to many eyewitnesses, the fall of the 12-story building was unlike anything they had ever seen before. “Harsh conditions, as it was during springtime and humidity and hot climate,” were a significant distraction from a thorough hunt for the human remains (Herald, 2022). This made those waiting in search of their loved ones feel more traumatized.
Factors to consider in the plan
Due to the scope of the situation, dangers, and other considerations. A comprehensive investigation was necessary, with meticulous documentation and identification of all found to remain, given the state of the scene and the unknown number of human remains. This was made possible by a media group “who used helicopters to capture the live scene” and streamed live footage (Herald, 2022). Knowing how much property had to be divided among successors was also essential. It was necessary to estimate the time required for recuperation to finish as soon as possible (Alfonsi, 2022). The removal of the human remains needed the most excellent care and regard, so it was vital to think about the make-up of the teams and the number of people on each team. Since “it was difficult explaining to someone that you cannot find their loved one,” bringing everyone back to living was necessary (Herald, 2022). The region around the event was significantly affected. Rescuers had to take extra safety measures because of the building’s precarious condition and poisonous materials. The bodies and the rescuers needed to be located.
The condition and the potential number of bodies or human remains were crucial components of the catastrophe management plan. The number of fatalities and survivors from the debris was initially unknown. There could have been a large number of fatalities due to the scale and population of the structure (Herald, 2022). There needed to be provisions in the disaster management plan for locating and identifying corpses, as multiple fatalities were likely. Blood traces were washed away during the search process, and enormous humidity and even fires broke out in the search regions, making it impossible to get to the crime scenes. The degree to which human skeletons had been preserved was also considered. The building’s fall caused much damage, so it was likely that the bodies would be in bad condition. The crisis management team had to consider how their actions would make the family members feel and respond accordingly. The recovery of human remains was an essential part of the crisis management plan, as did the documentation and retrieval of personal property. It was anticipated that there would be a large amount of property to handle because of the size of the building and the number of people affected. Items of personal property were carefully cataloged and kept in a secure location until their proprietors could be located. The emergency response squad and the residents made an inventory of stolen goods and tracked down their rightful owners. This affected the locals, making tracking down potential possessions in unforgiving weather more challenging.
It was anticipated that it to take a long time to locate and positively identify the casualties of the Champlain Towers South apartment building collapse. The emergency reaction plan must consider the range of possible future actions. One of the citizens outside the crime scene was heard telling the disaster response team to “move faster, move the debris quickly,” this showed that the response team was delivering fear to them (Herald, 2022). As the nature of the rehabilitation effort and the operation’s needs evolve, so must the plan. In order to ensure the safety of responders and the efficient retrieval of remains during the reaction, the fire department, the medical personnel, and the search and rescue teams had to coordinate their efforts (Herald, 2022). The strategy also required providing families with access to counseling and resources to aid in the identification and recovery of lost loved ones. To ensure the safety of the rescues and maintain the status quo, the removal of the human remains was carefully planned and executed. The composition and number of teams required to remove the bodies had to be considered when formulating the disaster management plan. The number of emergency personnel seemed low as citizens shouted to them to do the process faster. In addition, the plan had to consider potentially dangerous materials and the need for specialist equipment and procedures to remove the remnants safely. Evidence needed to be documented and kept methodically as the search for and recovery of the human remains proceeded. The strategy also needed to consider the grieving relatives when making arrangements to dispose of human remains. This was like taking time for those waiting for their loved ones to recover.
The method used to transport identified corpses is crucial to any disaster management plan. The authorities handling the condo building collapse investigation at Champlain Towers South ensured the remains were moved with the utmost respect. After identification, the bodies were transferred to the improvised morgue. The corpses were transported in specialized trucks from the accident site to the temporary morgue. Every care was taken during the transportation process because this was such a complex and anxious time for the families concerned. The families were prioritized, and “the authorities ensured they understood what was going on with their loved ones” (Herald, 2022). The safekeeping of victims and their belongings was essential to the emergency response. The temporary morgue was where the deceased were cared for with respect and honor. The bones were preserved because the makeshift mortuary had working refrigeration. The identification process relied on forensic research and, when necessary, “DNA testing to ensure accurate body identification” (Herald, 2022). Items retrieved from the site were stored separately, and strict protocols were in place to ensure the integrity of the chain of possession. Each bit of evidence was listed and analyzed thoroughly. Storing the victims and their belongings was a crucial part of the response, and it ensured that everyone was treated with respect and decency.
Disaster Victim Identification
FLAG members acted as liaisons between impacted families and response authorities. Giving the impacted families all the support and compassion they could was a top priority. The Assessment Team is essential in helping find and recognize disaster casualties. The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) experts looked into the partial collapse. More extreme measures are needed to prevent another catastrophe on June 24, 2021. The Assessment Team coordinated the swift return of “victims’ remains to their loved ones by ensuring that all available resources in Surfside were used effectively” (Herald, 2022). The Body Recovery Teams in Surfside were responsible for collecting the bodies and personal effects of the victims and documenting their identities and other details at the site of the disaster. The teams worked tirelessly to safely extract the bones without compromising any possible evidence. They looked through the corpses’ possessions and identity proof for hints. The Ante-mortem Teams were assigned to investigate reports of missing people and compile a report. The information in these folders was extremely confidential and could not be compromised. The names of the deceased were determined after “the teams consulted with their loved ones” (Herald, 2022). Good identification and delivery of remains required close collaboration between Ante-mortem Teams and family members of the fatalities. Medical, dental, and police files were among the documents collected by post-mortem crews in Surfside, Florida. The teams maintained careful records of their findings and safeguarded any hard evidence they accumulated. DNA was extracted from the bones to help in the identification process. Together, the Ante-mortem and Post-mortem Teams compared post-mortem data with information collected from the victims’ relatives to identify victims and return their remains to them.
Conclusion
The catastrophe in Surfside was a terrible loss of life, affecting the lives of ninety-eight individuals. Local, state, and federal authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community partners worked together to respond to the catastrophe. (Rao et al., 2022) The initial reaction to the tragedy was prompt and efficient, and its breadth extended far beyond simply reuniting families with their loved ones’ remains. Numerous groups had to work together to complete the DVI process successfully, including the Family Liaison Assistance Group, the Assessment Team, the Body Recovery Teams, the Ante-mortem Teams, and the Post-mortem Teams. The Surfside catastrophe reaction exemplifies the significance of teamwork, coordination, and compassion in the face of calamity and can be used as a template for future disasters.
References
Herald, T. M. & M. (2022, May 17). Collapse: Disaster in Surfside on Apple Podcasts. Apple Podcasts. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/collapse-disaster-in-surfside/id1596363315
Licon, A. G. (2022, June 24). A year on, Surfside Remembers 98 victims of condo collapse. AP NEWS. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://apnews.com/article/miami-florida-jill-biden-surfside-building-collapse-551ad6062610d66ba204b556b93d69b9
Rao, A., Murphy, R., Merrick, D., & Choset, H. (2022, November). Analysis of Interior Rubble Void Spaces at Champlain Towers South Collapse. In 2022 IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics (SSRR) (pp. 379–384). IEEE.
Alfonsi, S. (2022, November 13). Surfside condominium collapse: Still searching for answers in the rubble. CBS News. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/surfside-condominium-collapse-60-minutes-2022-11-13/
Dark History. (2023, January 16). 12 floors gone in two seconds – the Surfside condominium disaster. YouTube. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://youtu.be/uod9IJ4-47s
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