§ 5–1406.01. Mass fatality management and response.

(a) The OCME shall serve as the lead agency for the District's mass fatality management and mass fatality incident response.

(b) The CME shall create a District mass fatality management response plan.

(c)(1) The CME may enter into, request, or provide assistance under a mutual aid agreement with states or local jurisdictions within the National Capital region or with the federal government for the purpose of mass fatality management or mass fatality incident response; provided, that any financial obligation created by a mutual aid agreement is consistent with the limitations under § 47-355.02, as determined by the General Counsel of OCME after consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

(2) The CME may enter into a mutual aid agreement that creates a financial obligation for the District if there is clear legal and budgetary authority to do so, as determined by the General Counsel of OCME after a legal sufficiency review by the Office of the Attorney General and a budgetary authority review by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

(3) Any requests by the CME for federal assistance shall be coordinated with the Mayor's authorized representative, designated pursuant to 44 C.F.R. § 206.41(d).

(d) For the purposes of this section, the term:

(1) "Mass fatality incident" means a situation resulting in more human remains to be investigated, recovered, and examined than can be managed using District resources, or any other exceptional circumstance that results in the inability to process human remains under routine conditions.

(2) "Mass fatality management" means the training of and cooperation among governmental and nongovernmental agencies, organizations, associations, and other entities to ensure the accomplishment of the following after a mass fatality incident:

(A) The proper recovery, handling, identification, transportation, tracking, storage, and certification of cause and manner of death of victims; and

(B) Facilitating access to mental and behavioral health services to family members, responders, and survivors.

(3) "National Capital region" shall have the same meaning as provided in § 2-1001(b)(1).