Standards Development

Scope

This document provides guidance on the specific considerations that need to be given when using biometrics for major incident response. The following aspects are included within the scope of this document:

• managing people and their identities (living or deceased) to co-ordinate the emergency response effort

• linking reported missing persons to unidentified victims, reuniting relatives and loved ones

• keeping track/account of persons that have been displaced from their homes, countries or present domicile

• planning the use of biometrics and identity management for a major event where the safety and security of large numbers of people congregated together are concerns.

• the use of biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, face, DNA, dental information to identify victims caught up in a disaster, emergency, or crisis

• technical challenges such as biometric capture, enrolment, quality, building and accessing searchable data collections for high volumes of data, and interoperability

• societal and ethical concerns relating to privacy and vulnerability of identities, both in the use of biometrics and as a result of the incident

• highlight examples of evolving biometric technologies and emerging capabilities, for example mobile, field deployable or wearable technologies and where these may be of value. It is beyond the scope of this document:

• to go into any detail on the handling of biometric samples or data for societal or cultural considerations, such as ethical, religious, cultural beliefs and practices.

• to consider the age determination of the subjects involved in the accident in correlation with biometrics. Although aging effects should be considered as an important factor that needs to be considered this document does not describe specific technical approaches to address them.

• to consider bias in emergency medical care whether it be during a major incident response or during routinary emergency care

Purpose

Biometrics are in widespread use to establish and verify an individual’s identity in a wide range, and growing number of applications. The purpose of the document is to highlight the areas for consideration concerning the potential use of biometrics to prepare for, or respond to, a major incident. In the context of this report a major incident is any event for which there is risk of multiple casualties or loss of life, disruption to the public, or compromise of critical infrastructures.

When a major incident happens, its course might be unpredictable, fast evolving, can vary depending on the nature of its cause, and the response has to be immediate. This document provides a description of the identification strategies generally adopted in a major incident and is oriented to all parties that might have a role to play, including industry, emergency services and aid agencies.