07/21/2026
Today, the Warrick County Coroner's Office had the privilege of hosting the Mass Fatalities Planning and Response for Rural Communities training at the Phoenix Event Center. The course was instructed by Arbie Goings with FEMA and is a collaborative training effort between FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security.
This training marks the first step in updating Warrick County's Mass Fatality Plan, a joint effort between the Warrick County Coroner's Office and Warrick County EMA. EMA brought this important initiative to our office, and we are proud to be working together to ensure our county is prepared for the unthinkable.
We were honored to welcome attendees from across Indiana, with participants traveling from as far away as Delaware County and neighboring counties including Pike, Spencer, and Vanderburgh and many more.
Warrick County was exceptionally well represented, with participants from Newburgh, Yankeetown, Ohio Township, Chandler, Boonville and Skelton Owen Township Fire Departments, along with Warrick County EMA, the Warrick County Health Department, Deaconess Health System, the Warrick County Coroner's Office staff, the Warrick County Sheriff's Office, Warrick County Dispatch, and Titzer Funeral Home.
Throughout the day, participants worked through a realistic mass fatality scenario, discussing coordination, communication, and the unique challenges these incidents present. While we all hope a mass fatality event never occurs in our community, planning and training before a disaster strikes is what allows agencies to respond efficiently and serve victims and their families with dignity and professionalism.
Thank you to everyone who attended and to our partners who continue to invest in preparedness. Today was an important first step in ensuring Warrick County is ready should we ever be called upon to respond to a mass fatality incident.