Step 1: Planning

Once you receive notice that a trauma notification is to be made, the first step is planning. 

First, you will need to know who died. Next, a trauma notification team should be selected. The team should consist of two people, one of them in the position of authority (e.g., law enforcement, coroner, investigator). The second member of the team can be a law enforcement officer or a support person (e.g., victim advocate, chaplain, social worker).

After the team is selected, they need to collect as much accurate information as possible. ​​

  1. ​Identify the victim.

  2. Select the trauma notification team members​.

  3. Identify next of kin/guardian, if necessary.

  4. Collect accurate information.