Klicker-Chatpter 12- Shipping Human Remains

Question 1

Thomas Holmes

Answer 1

Prepared some 4000 fallen soldiers for shipping home during civil war. $100.

Question 2

People allowed to deliver or receive human remains from an airport:

Answer 2

Funeral director or licensed trainee. Must produce two forms of ID, picture id and license or registration card.

Question 3

All airlines require:

Answer 3

Body to be embalmed
If not, packed with dry ice or ice packs or in Ziegler case, no sign of putrefaction or leaking.
Both sending and receiving funeral home could be liable for clean up costs if body leaks.

Question 4

Shipping casketed remains

Answer 4

• Body lowered to bottom of casket
• Face and hands covered to prevent cosmetics from rubbing off
• box by feet to prevent sliding
• lock casket, so top doesn’t collapse
• must be in shipping unit (wooden bottom, cardboard top- can only be used once).
• all info in shipping envelope taped to top of casket
• btp in envelope

Question 5

Shipping non-casketed remains

Answer 5

• plastics should be worn
• minimum of hospital gown
• wrapped in a sheet
• send clothes in a bag
• anchor body to combo tray by nylon straps
• all flight info in envelope
• one time use container must be discarded.

Question 6

Apostile

Answer 6

Verification of a notary seal or govt agency seal & an accompanying signature.

Question 7

Domestic shipping in the funeral industry

Answer 7

Defined as the returning of human remains to a place of origin for final ceremonies and disposition.

• Average funeral director will have between 1 and 5 of their case calls each year
• Rooted in a person’s desire to be returned to the place they “call home” as their final resting place.

Question 8

Reasons for the increase in domestic shipping.

Answer 8

1. Mobility of today’s society
2. Development of embalming and the Civil War
3. President Lincoln

Question 9

Mobility of today’s society

Answer 9

• Majority of people used to stay within close proximity of their residence and when they died buried in a church or community cemetery.
• Revolutionary War era- soldiers killed in battle were usually buried in the closest local cemetery near the battlefield.
• Transcontinental railroad (early 1800’s)- people began to venture outside local community, but still buried close to home due to no means to preserve bodies.
• Relatives notified by telegram or when people accompanying the person who died returned back home.

Question 10

Development of embalming and the civil war.

Answer 10

Development of embalming was realized later when the Civil War broke out in 1861 and Holmes became a commissioned officer in the Union Army.

• became so lucrative he resigned his commission and marketed his service of preservation and shipping to the common soldier for as much as $100

Question 11

President Lincoln

Answer 11

A fundamental force that promoted new technology and modern embalming in the US.

• Enamored with the idea of embalming and declared to the Union Army that all Union officers killed in action were to be prepared and sent back home to their towns for burial. (this was the pinnacle point in domestic shipping).
• It was not until his assassination that the masses became aware of the importance of how domestic shipping could bring people together to morn and pay respects. He and his son traveled together from Springfield Illinois to Washington D.C.. They rest at Oakridge Cemetery

Question 12

Army Procedure and Protocol During Civil War for Shipment Back Home

Answer 12

• Embalmed
• Dressed and placed in pine rectangular box and delivered to nearest train station.
• Sent to place of origin for burial
• Telegram to soldier’s home to inform family remains will be at the train station at a specific time.
• Family or Undertaker received remains and had a viewing

Question 13

William Wallace (Willie) Lincoln

Answer 13

• Died of typhoid fever just before 11th birthday.
• Dr. Charles Brown (embalmer surgeon) summoned to the White House to embalm
• Either buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown or housed in receiving vault
• Never president’s and first lady’s intent to keep him at this cemetery until the President’s term in office had expired.

Question 14

World War I

Answer 14

Fallen soldiers were prepared in a nearby morgue affiliated with a new branch of the service known as Graves Registration Service.

• Developed a way of tracking soldiers via dog tags to reduce amount of unknowns
• Unknown soldiers were the single most reason why 42% of all soldiers were not able to be returned back to their families during the Civil War era.

Question 15

World War II

Answer 15

• Viewed returning human remains to families as a sacred obligation.
• War department contacted next of kin and asked if they wished for the remains to be sent back home.
• Graves Registration Service would disinter the body and return it back to the US via military transport.
• Body then placed on a train for final destination.
• Aviation advances improved speed
• Period of time to return home was greatly improved upon due in part of the Graves Registration Service and a commitment by the government to return as many soldiers back to their families ASAP.
• The first time three forms (air, sea, rail) of shipping were used to return remains.

Question 16

Korean War

Answer 16

• Airlines became much more efficient and expeditious.
• Aviation and air cargo reduced the trek to a manageable period of time based off the airline’s schedule (rather than 2-3 days).
• Train shipping became a thing of the past because of the cost factor and amount of time required for transportation.

Question 17

Gulf War

Answer 17

Slain soldiers were on American solid 48 hours after being killed in action.

-Once received by military detail in the US, remains domestically shipped to their final place of rest.

Question 18

Transporting Human Remains via Airlines can best be Divided into Two Periods of Time.

Answer 18

1. Pre 9-11 - Funeral homes were free to send any funeral associate to the airport with human remains for domestic shipping
2. Post 9-11- Governmental agencies in cooperation with major airlines have restricted who is authorized to bring human remains to the airport for transport.

Question 19

Domestic Shipping Today

Answer 19

Begins with a phone call from the family member who informs the funeral director that a death has occurred away from home.

• Hometown director informs a director in the area where death occurred or a company specializing in shipping remains.
• Family may contact a funeral home in areas where the death occurs first and that funeral director will contact the hometown director.
• Services may be held in both locations.

Question 20

Shipping Human Remains to Foreign Countries

Answer 20

• Call embassy (or consulate of jurisdiction) to verify regulations and fees
• Shipping FD must comply with regulations of country of destination (and any countries the shipment will pass through). Every country is a sovereign power and can impose regulations essential to protect health of its citizens.
• Failure to comply results in refusal to permit entry of remains and shipment back to the US at FDs expense.

Question 21

Apostile of US Department of the State

Answer 21

Located in Washington D.C..
-Documents must be sent to: United States Department of State, Authentication Department, Columbia Plaza, 518 23rd Street, NW, Washington DC.

Question 22

Receiving Remains From Abroad

Answer 22

• Family needs to contact US embassy in the country where the death has taken place.
• Consular Services Representative can assist by providing information in many countries about funeral services that are available.
• Family contact the United States Department of Overseas Services, Washington DC.
• Neither American embassy or Department of State will provide funds
• Decisions must be made quickly because many countries bury within 3 days without family’s consent. They will then have to disinter and return it to the US. (Many countries have a time of 2-15 years)
• Family should select least expensive services available in foreign country, may have to choose cremation. (may be able to inquire if portion of ticket can defray shipping costs).
• No federal services available in foreign country that regulate funeral services. Whatever the charges are will have to be paid. (Do NOT involve US officials, slows the process down)
• Many foreign countries do not issue death certificates. US embassy will issue a “Consuar Report of a Death Overseas” that is accepted by insurance companies and other businesses such as banks that will require it.

Question 23

Legalization for Authentication

Answer 23

Refers to the examination by representatives of the embassy or consulate of the specifically mentioned documents.

• Documents will have a seal of the governmental agency impressed on them attest to their authenticity.
• Must accompany the shipment

Question 24

Documents Required by Individual Countries must have a dry, raised, or impressed seal

Answer 24

These terms refer to the use of a device to impress the insignia of a notary seal or issuing agency on a document. Cannot be fulfilled by use of a rubber stamp.

• Certified copiers
• Burial and/or transit permit
• Non-contagious disease letter
• Embalmer’s non-contraband affidavit

Question 25

Inspection and/or sealing of casket

Answer 25

Requires an actual visit by a representative of the consulate or embassy to view the body and/or casket/contents, and outer container.

• may require examination of the remains and/or clothing with verification of identity.
• Sealed by cords or ribbons tired around the casket and held in place by sealing wax impressed with the seal of the embassy or consulate.

Question 26

Sending Flowers Overseas

Answer 26

This constitutes a quarantine situation and may result in returning the remains to the country of origin at the shipper’s expense.

Question 27

For Inspections:

Answer 27

• Bear in mind the remains may need to be transported to another city where the consulate or embassy is located.
• Requires services of a funeral director in the city where the consulate or embassy is located incurring additional expense.

Question 28

Obtaining Apostile

Answer 28

• Agency of each individual state that issues notary or governmental agency seals.
• May be secretary of state or country registrar
• Shipping FD will need to contact state authority to determine the agency responsible.

Question 29

Apostile of US Department of the State

Answer 29

Located in Washington D.C..
-Documents must be sent to: United States Department of State, Authentication Department, Columbia Plaza, 518 23rd Street, NW, Washington DC.

Question 30

Receiving Remains From Abroad

Answer 30

• Family needs to contact US embassy in the country where the death has taken place.
• Consular Services Representative can assist by providing information in many countries about funeral services that are available.
• Family contact the United States Department of Overseas Services, Washington DC.
• Neither American embassy or Department of State will provide funds
• Decisions must be made quickly because many countries bury within 3 days without family’s consent. They will then have to disinter and return it to the US. (Many countries have a time of 2-15 years)
• Family should select least expensive services available in foreign country, may have to choose cremation. (may be able to inquire if portion of ticket can defray shipping costs).
• No federal services available in foreign country that regulate funeral services. Whatever the charges are will have to be paid. (Do NOT involve US officials, slows the process down)
• Many foreign countries do not issue death certificates. US embassy will issue a “Consuar Report of a Death Overseas” that is accepted by insurance companies and other businesses such as banks that will require it.

Question 31

Federal Regulations on the Shipment of Human Remains to the US.

Answer 31

• US embassy must be assured that they are properly encased and prepared for shipment.
• Requirements where death occurred must also be met at all times.