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To properly respond to this historic event of unprecedented magnitude and severity, OEM harnessed the resources of over 150 Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA and NYS Emergency Management Office SEMO as well as such private institutions as the American Red Cross. From the Beginning, OEM’s objective at the World Trade Center site has been to search and for survivors, then recover Remains. OEM has prepared this document to assist Family Members and the general public with a detailed understanding of the recovery and identification process and to provide contact resources for those seeking additional information.
Recovery At Ground Zero
DNA Information : From the start, OEM consistently sought to bring the highest degree of sensitivity and dignity to the Victim recovery process. Whenever possible, WTC workers avoid using Heavy machinery. Cranes are fitted with grapplers instead of buckets and are used to lift sections of debris rather than scoop it into trucks. Once a section of debris has been lifted form the site, the grappler is swung over to a clear area where specially trained members of the NYC Fire Department and NYC Police Department closely and carefully examine the material for signs of remains or property. When it is believed that someone or something has been located, additional workers use smaller tools to examine that portion of the debris as well as the area nearest its source for further remains or property. When remains are discovered they are carefully and respectfully gathered for transport to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner OCME for testing and identification. If Remains and or property are not found in the material then the debris is first transported to a nearby barge. Eventually, debris is first removed to a site Staten Island for additional forensic examination. All property uncovered at the World Trade Center and Staten Island Sites is identified according to one of the three following categories: property belonging to a deceased Victim: found property belonging to a deceased Victim; found property that is held until the owner presents proper identification; and property classified as evidence. All non-organic debris removed from the World Trade Center disaster site is transported to the City's Landfill site on Staten Island. Representatives from the NYPD and OCME again sift the material for traces of organic matter. In the event that additional remains are recovered, those prosedures earlier discussed are immediately applied. Non-oraganic debris, such as steel, stainless steel, copper, brass and concrete is segregated according to material type, before being transported to storage or recycling centers for final disposition.
After completion of the initial processing but the OCME and NYPD Detective Bureau, the property is placed in the custody of the NYPD Property Clerk Division. Upon positive identification of a deceased Victim all property belonging to the Victim is returned to an individual designated by the Public Administrator’s Office to receive such items. The Manhattan Public Administrator is located at 31 Chambers Street, New York NY and can be reached by telephone at 1.212.788.8430
All property removed from the World Trade Center site that is classified as found or safekeeping property is placed under guardianship pf the NYPD Property Clerk Division and is returned to its proper owner upon presentation of acceptable identification. Property deemed as Found or Safekeeping is invoiced at the Office of Manhattan Property Clerk, located in a street level office at one police plaza, New York NY. The Manhattan Property Clerk can be reached by telephone at 1.212.374.4926 Property initially invoiced as Found\Safekeeping which after investigation must be re categorized as Decedent’s Property, will remain in the custody of the Manhattan Property Clerk and will be processed via the Manhattan Public Administrator’s Office located at 31 Chambers Street, New York NY. The Manhattan Administrator’s Office can be contacted by telephone at 1.212.788.8430. Any written correspondence concerning identified property will be promptly forwarded by the Manhattan Property Clerk Office to the attention of the appropriate organization.
Because the World Trade Center disaster site has been declared a crime scene, some property may be classified as evidence. This material will be retained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI until such time as it is no longer required for investigatory purposes Those individuals whose property has been identified by an invoice number should contact the Manhattan Property Clerk at 1.212.374.4926 to ascertain the exact storage location.
To assist in the swift and accurate identification of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, family members are requested to bring personal items belonging to the deceased to the Family Assistance Center (FAC), located at 51 Chambers Street in Manhattan. These items may include toothbrushes, hairbrushes, razors, and under-garments. Such items are used by the OCME for purposes of “Direct” identification. Family members can also provide the OCME with mouth swabs at Pier 94. These cotton swab samplesare used when the OCME performs a “Kinship” identification. For accuracy purposes, the OCME requests samples from one or more of the parents, children, grandparents, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews of the deceased. The most useful samples are obtained from the identical twin or the parents of the deceased. If a family cannot come to the FAC, samples may be collected at either their place of residence or at Labcorp Inc. Laboratories nationwide. Lab Corp Phone Number, 1.800.631.5250 ext. 2546 ask for Barbara G. This information is requested by the laboratory only for the purpose of proper identification.
The OCME, the NYPD and the New York State Police are closely working together to identify the remains of those lost in the World Trade Center disaster. Owing to the enormity of the disaster, three additional laboratories have been contracted to assist in the identification process – Bode Technology Group in Virginia, Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc. in Utah and Celera Genomics in Maryland.
The identification of the remains of those killed in the World Trade Center tragedy is of necessity a long, complex process – one that has been designed to safeguard privacy, maintain dignity and ensure accuracy. Once located, remains are transported to the OCME and given their own case identification number. A doctor assigned to the OCME examines the remains and uses photographs, fingerprints, dental x-rays, chest x-rays, and personal items such as jewelry to make an identification. If further testing is required, a biopsy is performed. This sample is, in turn, sent to a DNA identification laboratory in a tube clearly marked with the victim’s case identification number. Once at the laboratory, the biopsy sample is examined by scientists to determine if it is bone, blood, or tissue. DNA samples are then extracted and sent to Bode Technology Group, which employs a process called PCR to identify the type of DNA present. The different types of DNA are sent to the New York State Police and the OCME’s DNA laboratories on CD’s. Using computers, this DNA is compared with other obtained DNA samples, and a positive identification of the remains can then be made. Tours at WTC Site\Freshkill\Medical Examiner's Office Family members who wish to visit the site do not have to wait on the same lines with the tourists. The contact to call is the OEM, Office of Emergency Management. Arrangements will be made so that a family member who lost a loved will be given access to the site. The following is the procedure that has been developed by the Office Of Emergency Management and the Mayor's Community Assistance Unit. It is their hope that this will help family members to address questions or concerns in the best possible way. They are dedicated to helping us in every way possible way. They stand with us--united in our grief and our search for answers. The Visitations are held every other Wednesday, Where ten family members are taken at a time. Family members will meet the Office of Emergency Management and the Mayor's Community Assistance Unit personnel at 51 Chambers Street at 9:00 am. Once the family members have gathered and been accounted for, the van will leave promptly at 9:30 am. Family members are taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner where a full 90 minutes has been scheduled for family members to meet with the Medical Examiner and to allow the ME to answer any questions or concerns. It is important to note that very personal issues can also be addressed during a private consultation with the Medical Examiner. Family members are not exposed to anything harsh. The staff is very kind and respectful of our needs. They are dedicated to helping us in anyway possible. Please note that questions regarding Personnel Effects are best addressed by the Property Clerk Division. The phone number is 212-646-5905. At 11:30, the van will depart the Medical Examiner's Office for the Staten Island site. There, family members will be provided with another 90 minute window to allow them to observe the debris sorting operation and have any questions or concerns addressed. At 1:30 pm, the family members will depart the Staten Island site for the City's Department of Design and Construction, they will be given 90 minutes to discuss any outstanding questions or issues with that office, at which point they will return to 51 Chambers Street. It is very important that all arrival and departure times be adhered to,as this will permit all family members with sufficient time to observe each of the respective sites , have their questions and issues addressed, then return safely to their original points of departure. Owing to the highly visible and sensitive nature of the visits, it is very important that we closely follow the schedule as it is outlined above. If you would like more information please contact Jennie Farrell of "Give Your Voice" at Jennie@OptOnline.NET. Kindly, write "Visitations" as the subject. May God Bless all of us and keep us united and strong as we face the challenges that lie ahead..and God Bless our loved ones always. We will never forget!
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER Notification Policy Dear Family Member: The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is charged with the identification of victims of the World Trade Center Disaster. Identifications are primarily made through fingerprints, dental records and DNA matching. Once an identification is made, an OCME investigator notifies the New York Police Department (NYPD), and provides the police with the name and address of the next of kin. If the next of kin lives outside New York City, NYPD contacts police in the appropriate jurisdiction, and the local department makes the notification. All initial notifications of identification are done in person. After receiving notification information from OCME, the local police department sends a representative to the home of the next of kin. Notifications are generally made between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. However, the hours of notification can vary by jurisdiction. The next of kin can specify or limit the hours of notification. To make changes to the notification process, please contact the DNA Hotline at (212) 447-7884. You will be asked to submit your request in writing and notarized. When the police arrive at the home of the family, they will have the case number assigned to the identified person and a telephone number through which family members can contact the OCME. The police can discuss the process of property reclamation with the family. Once remains are identified, the next of kin can contact a funeral home to have their loved one’s remains picked up for burial or cremation. The funeral home will need the case number given to the family by the police. At the funeral home, the next of kin will be asked to complete a Release Authorization Form. This form specifies the family’s wishes with regards to any remains that may be identified in the future. Notification of additional remains is done by phone to the family or to the funeral home. At the time of an identification, we encourage you to contact the Medical Examiner’s Office to discuss your options and address any questions you may have. If you have any questions regarding the identification or notification process, please contact the DNA Hotline at (212) 447-7884. Questions regarding the collection of property can be addressed to the Mayor’s office of Community Assistance at (212) 788-7418.
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