25-28 July 2023, Yaoundé (Cameroun): ETAF shared its experience on DVI matters with participants of 8 Central African countries - members of CCPAC. Christian Decobecq and Eddy De Valck, D.D.S., Board Members of ETAF, had the pleasure of sharing our experience in DVI matters with participants of 8 Central African countries, members of the CCPAC ( Comité des chefs de Police de l’Afrique Centrale). The group was composed of Police Officers, Forensic Pathologists , Odontologist and Scientists. The one week training program was hosted at the CCPAC headquarters, Yaoundé, Cameroun and consisted of theoretical presentations followed by practical exercises on all aspects of the DVI work. We were very happy to put a little DVi seed in this part of the African continent which faces regular natural disasters and terrorist activities needing DVI knowledge. __ Christian Decobecq et Eddy De Valck, D.D.S., membres du conseil d'administration d'ETAF, ont eu le plaisir de partager leur expérience en matière d'IVC avec des participants de 8 pays de l'Afrique centrale, membres du CCPAC (Comité des chefs de police de l'Afrique centrale). Le groupe était composé d'officiers de police, de médecins légistes, d'odontologistes et de scientifiques. Le programme de formation d'une semaine s'est déroulé au siège du CCPAC, à Yaoundé, au Cameroun, et a consisté en des présentations théoriques suivies d'exercices pratiques sur tous les aspects du travail d'IVC. Nous avons été très heureux de mettre en place ce programme IVC dans cette partie du continent africain qui est régulièrement confrontée à des catastrophes naturelles et à des activités terroristes nécessitant des connaissances en matière d’IVC.

15 March 2023, Neuss (Germany): The European Training Center of Active Forensic Sciences (ETAF) are delighted to announce the new curriculum for 2023. Beginning in September 2023 at our training centre in Weeze, Germany, this is a unique opportunity for those involved Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) to test their skills in challenging scenarios, where the use of body donors will push delegates to the limit in a safe training environment. Because of ETAF unique collaboration with Europe’s leading experts in the art of Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) we are proud to be able to offer a full training package with access to all 14 forensic specialties in one multidisciplinary training. We are alone in being able to deploy a joint team with practitioners’ expertise in the DVI medical, Police and sciences arenas. ETAF are also able to offer full Family Liaison training, based on the New Scotland Yard and Belgium Police model, to ensure that the modern DVI team is fully capable to deal with the complexities that a DVI incident will cause to those family members left behind. Our training programme consists of 8 modules under two areas of expertise Necrosearch and Recovery Forensic Anthropology Forensic Pathology Forensic Odontology Forensic Radiology Police/Law Enforcement response Fingerprints DNA CBRN Family Liaison Each module will be split between a theoretical delivery of, on average 30%, with the rest of the time involving practical hands-on simulations, where cadavers will be used at scenarios that include Helicopter crash Plane crash including fire Train accident Earthquake scene Terrorist attack Armed conflicts / Massgrave Additionally, there will be practical exercises that include, DVI in armed conflicts zones, CBRN inputs and dealing with Family Liaison matters from strategies to family briefings, collation of Ante Mortem material, through to face to face, one on one conversations with family members to accurately reflect the professionalism of the DVI Team speaking for the dead and caring for the living. Each scenario is structured to provide an interdisciplinary approach to each module, so every team member knows the challenges that each other face, promoting a unified, cohesive approach in future, real-life deployments. Delegates will see the value of their own occupational safety and learn how to effectively protect themselves and their team. They will be able to operate effectively in all environments from high-tech settings to destroyed infrastructures. ETAF trainers will show students, both theoretically and in practical scenarios, how to triage large numbers of bodies, how to gather Ante Mortem data and, most importantly, examine and treat the deceased with respect and dignity whilst maintaining an open, honest, transparent, and professional relationship with the family. At the end of this unique learning experience, delegates will be qualified for deployment as full members of any DVI Team in the world. Using knowledge from training deliveries on processes and protocols from Interpol, ICRC, The Bournemouth, and The Minnesota protocols and those from the United Nations, delegates will be able to apply and integrate the different guidelines and international standards in all DVI situations regardless of where it occurs in the world. Completion of the ETAF curriculum will guarantee each delegate will fit into the team, knowing their own role and that of their colleagues. ETAF trained delegates will ensure gold standard, uniform policies, procedures, and practical applications are implemented allowing scene managers to concentrate on the evolving incident, safe in the knowledge their team is highly trained and capable of facing ever changing circumstances, often in hostile environments. ETAF is dedicated to building DVI Teams, compliant with international standards and protocols, with experience of challenging scenarios, able to deploy immediately having learned to communicate with other DVI professionals and having a deep understanding of the overall process. ETAF ability to offer delegates exposure to world class experts in their field, a desire to make training as practical as possible and an ethos that ensures DVI teams around the world are enhanced by highly competent, ETAF trained individuals, makes this opportunity one that cannot be missed.

21 January 2023, London (UK):  ETAF Director Sven Benthaus attended the Royal Society of Medicine event on Disaster Victim Identification. A variety of forensic medical experts and police officers demonstrated their standard operational procedures for identifying disaster victims. Tracy Alexander (Police) reported on the repatriation of British citizens and servicemen killed in the Ukraine conflict. Once again, the absolute necessity of international cooperation in this context was emphasised. Joint international training is the key to success.

09 January 2023, Kyiv (Ukraine) and Neuss (Germany):  The project called “Joint Forensic Support to Ukraine” is now finalized between the Ministries of Justice and Health and the Security Service of Ukraine and ETAF. This comprehensive and ambitious project aims at putting the Ukrainian forensic services in a position to cope with the immense workload which the war has suddenly put on them. In relation with the ongoing war, the work of the forensic services – and, thus, the project - serves two purposes. The humanitarian purpose is to inform relatives of civil and military victims of the fate of their beloved ones, without mistake and as rapidly as can be. The rule of law purpose is to document any crimes committed to standards that can be used before existing or future courts. The parties underline that the beneficiaries of the project are the relatives of both Ukrainian and Russian victims of the war, with no discrimination. This has been firmly agreed between them. The “Joint Forensic Support to Ukraine” project has four components: (1) standardizing throughout Ukraine and its various forensic services the scientific protocol(s) to be used and making sure a unique file numbering system is in place and properly used in all circumstances, (2) delivery of modern equipment and training on its use, (3) peer-to-peer training (and training of trainers) on state-of-the-art Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) work in line with agreed protocols and other best practices and (4) provision of on-going advice and support in response to ad hoc demands through a sort of hotline. The preparation of the “Joint Forensic Support to Ukraine” project has involved at different stages representatives of the Parliament of Ukraine (Verkhovna Rada), the United National Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) and the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG). ETAF is now actively searching for funding of this multi-million project with the aim to start implementation at the latest by mid-2023. The Ukrainian authorities will take care of all import and customs formalities for equipment that will be donated to them under the project, as well as of transportation from the Ukrainian borders to the locations where it will be deployed. The detailed project can be obtained from ETAF.

29 November 2022, Ljubljana (Slovenia): Prof. Djordje Alempijevic , Head of Forensic Pathology ETAF and ETAF Director Dr. Sven Benthaus (Germany) are invited key note speakers for Disaster Victim Identification. They present the actual approaches in international standards and interdisciplinary / interagency workflows in the field. Cooperation in training with the Institute of Forensic Medicine and Prof. Tomaz Zupanc ´s team is arrangened in the next future. Thank you for this well organized high level meeting in memorial of Prof. Janez Milcinski.

20-21 November 2022, Krakow (Poland):  Delegations from the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health and of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) meet with ETAF’s Ukraine Steering Group ( https://www.etaf-dvi.org/ukraine-steering-group ) to list and explain the needs of their forensic services, both in terms of material support and training. A member of the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) and a representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine participate in the meeting. The list of participants can be found here ( link ). On the basis of the needs assessment, ETAF will prepare a detailed project proposal for formal adoption between it and the above-mentioned Ukrainian authorities, to be submitted to potential donors. The Ukrainian side insists on the urgency of the matter and the scope of the problem, given the very high and ever-increasing number of human remains and potential war crime scenes to be dealt with by their services.

10-11 November 2022, Abu Dhabi (UAE): Abu Dhabi Police authorities and ETAF Director Dr. Sven Benthaus discuss concepts of future cooperation in different fields of disaster victim identification, such as multidisciplinary training, preparedness and capacity building.