In the aftermath of an active assailant or mass casualty incident, responders face the difficult task of balancing investigative priorities with the urgent needs of victims’ families.
This webinar explores best practices for communicating with families during rapidly evolving events, managing expectations with honesty and compassion, explaining the complexities of victim identification, and building effective partnerships across agencies. Participants will also learn the importance of seeking experienced support, avoiding common response pitfalls, and applying a family-centered approach that fosters trust during one of the most challenging moments a community can face.
Richard B. Marx, Empathia Crisis Solutions Advisory Council Member
Richard served nearly 28 years with the FBI, rising to Supervisory Special Agent in the FBI Laboratory’s Evidence Response and Shooting Reconstruction programs. He led or supported responses to many of the nation’s most significant mass casualty and terrorism events, including 9/11, the Boston Marathon bombing, Pulse Nightclub, Las Vegas Route 91, El Paso, Nashville, and multiple international air disasters. He directed multi-office forensic deployments, coordinated with the NTSB and international partners on disaster victim identification, and oversaw large-scale crime scene and recovery operations worldwide. His work earned numerous honors, including the FBI Director’s Awards and the U.S. Attorney General’s Lifetime Achievement Award for service to victims of violent crime.
