When Death Occurs  There are few things in life more traumatic than the death of a family member. Most people are not totally prepared to know exactly what to do or the sequence in which to do things. This section will offer some thoughts on what to do when a death occurs.An Unanticipated Death If a seizure, accident or foul play occurs … call 911 immediately! Relay information such as the address of the scene, telephone number you are at, name of the victim, your name and any other pertinent information. The police and emergency service personnel will determine the appropriate steps to take, depending upon the situation. In the case of a non-suspicious death of an apparently healthy individual, the police will call the State Medical Examiner's Office for instructions. If the victim had been under a physician's care, the Medical Examiner can release the deceased to a funeral home. In all cases, the Medical Examiner has the right to order an autopsy. However, many times the only requirement is that the M.E.'s office check with the physician and the family before a release is approved. We then can take charge of the deceased for transfer to the funeral home. State Law Regarding a Death In Connecticut, the statutes state that a person cannot be removed from the place of death until a pronouncement of death has been made by an attending physician, registered nurse with a physician's verbal approval, or an Emergency Medical Technician with verbal approval from the M. E.'s Office. General Guidelines Regardless of when and where a death occurs, the family should call us as soon as possible. Our phone is answered by a member of our full time staff at all times, 24 hours every day. Many times we can offer help, suggestions or answer questions to relieve anxiety. We will ask some specific questions, such as the name of the deceased, the place of death, the name of the person calling, their relation to the deceased, their phone number and any other information they would like to provide. If you want to tell us about any service that you desire or information that you need, we will help in any way possible. Finally, we will set up a convenient time for an appointment to complete all arrangements. An Anticipated Death in a Healthcare Facility When a death occurs in a hospital or nursing home, there is little the family needs to do immediately, except to call us. The medical staff at the healthcare facility will pronounce the death and sign the Death Certificate. We will be in contact with the facility about releasing the deceased to us. Although some healthcare facilities will call the funeral home on behalf of the family, this is the exception rather than the rule. They may encounter another emergency or patient need that delays notification. To be safe, it is best that the family calls us directly. An Anticipated Death at Home Many people with a debilitating terminal illness want to die at home in more familiar surroundings with family close by. When a death occurs outside of a healthcare facility, the first step would be to call the attending physician who cared for the individual, the hospice or the visiting registered nurse in charge. One of them must come to the home to pronounce the death. If neither of them can come, then we must call the M. E.'s Office for approval before the deceased is transferred. Once the pronouncement has been made, no matter what time of day, we will come to the home to take charge of the deceased. Once you have called the physician, your next call should be to us. Let us be of help. When Death Occurs Out of Town Wherever the death occurs, call Beecher & Bennett immediately. There is no need to call an unknown funeral director in a place that you might be unfamiliar with. We can act as your agent, with resulting savings, through a network of participating funeral homes. We will handle all of the details and arrange transportation. Only if you plan to have services or visitation in the town where death occurred and you know a local funeral home, should you call them directly. We will certainly cooperate with them for transportation and services locally. Consider Advanced Arrangements Many times an elderly person will move out-of-town to be with a family member, but they still desire to be returned "home" for funeral services. We frequently meet with the family prior to the move to plan for an eventuality. We begin the process of gathering information and discussing services. In this way, the family is not overwhelmed or unprepared at the time of death. Everyone knows what to do and who will do it. To begin the process, simply give us a call at (203) 288-0800. We will record your requests and keep them on file. Call us for details. You can also start the process by filling out our online form. Whom to Notify When a death occurs, there is a need to notify many individuals. Our list might not conform to your priorities, but we hope it will be helpful.
You can start the pre-planning process with Beecher & Bennett by completing the information requested on the funeral Pre-planning section. We will help you complete the information needed at your convenience. |
