There has been no change in the past 24 hours regarding the Haitian government's willingness to allow government or private organizations to assist with mortuary management. NFDA remains in close communication with the U.S. federal government and will be among the first in the mass-casualty response community to be notified when new information becomes available.

NFDA leaders held a conference call this morning with leaders of the National Funeral Directors & Morticians Association (NFDM&A). The two groups expressed their strong mutual desire to provide assistance to Haiti from the mortuary-management perspective and agreed to stay in close communication should opportunities for funeral professionals to assist in Haiti arise.

The number of funeral service professionals in the United States who have contacted NFDA and offered their voluntary services continues to rise. Presently, more than 160 professionals have provided the information that NFDA is gathering as funeral service and the U.S. government await word that recovery operations may begin. If you are interested in volunteering your service, should the need arise, please contact NFDA at 800-228-6332.

To help members understand more about Haiti, NFDA has compiled some information about Haitian funeral practices. Although there is diversity in the funeral customs of Haitians and Haitian-Americans, they tend to share the following characteristics:

• When death is imminent, the entire family will gather, pray, cry and use religious medallions or other spiritual artifacts
• Haitians prefer to die at home, although the hospital is acceptable.
• Close family members and relatives make the arrangements for the funeral and church services. In some cases, the oldest family member might be the person to notify the family of the death and make all of the arrangements.
• The body may be kept at the place of death until the entire family can gather.
• Family and close friends typically gather at the home of the deceased to pray and offer support.
• A wake is held in the home of the deceased every night from the time of death to the time of burial. During the wake, family and friends chat, eat, drink and share stories.
• A viewing is followed by the funeral service and burial.
• Mourners often dress in black or white. Bright colors, such as red, are not considered appropriate for a funeral; dark colors, such as blue, purple and brown, are considered proper.
• After the burial, family members and friends usually gather in the home of the deceased for a reception where pastries, coffee, tea and other foods are served.
• Haitians typically will not cremate their dead because they believe the body is necessary for resurrection

(Information obtained from: http://www.salisbury.edu/nursing/haitiancultcomp/death_rituals.htm and http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/culture_death.aspx).