NC H991

Establishes the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) within the Division of Emergency Management to support local mortuary services during declared disasters and mass fatality incidents

Required team members include licensed funeral directors, embalmers, medical examiners, dentists, fingerprint specialists, forensic specialists, and diagnostic radiologic technologists

DMORT operations include tracking human remains, establishing temporary morgue facilities, collecting DNA and medical records for victim identification, and transporting deceased individuals to families for burial or cremation

The Director of Emergency Management oversees DMORT and must integrate it into the North Carolina Emergency Operations Plan; funding comes from available appropriations and grants

Team members receive liability protection under existing emergency management statutes; the substantive provisions become effective October 1, 2025