Forensic Attendant

Duties

Essential Job Functions

• Drives a County vehicle to locations throughout the County to recover and transport bodies, specimens, or records from hospitals, nursing home, or other death scenes to the Medical Examiner's facility.
• Maintains vehicles in operational condition.
• Keeps vehicle stocked with gurneys, stretchers, straps, sheets, and necessary supplies.
• Recovers, lifts, and transports bodies to Department of Medical Examiner or other facilities.
• Receives and processes bodies into Department of Medical Examiner facilities; places bodies on autopsy tables; prepares bodies for release; and releases bodies subsequent to post mortem examination.
• Collects and preserves physical and medical evidence.
• Performs case related data entry to Medical Examiner's computer system; keeps a log on morgue activities; writes receipts for bodies, clothing, personal property, and evidence; fingerprints bodies in accordance with departmental standards.
• Cleans autopsy room and sterilizes instruments and equipment; delivers soiled linen to laundry; returns clean linen to morgue and storage room.
• Assist the Medical Examiner Investigators in physical recovery and lifting of decedents bodies, as needed
• Assist in autopsy procedures, as needed.
• Perform other related duties, as needed.

 Earn a Degree in Crime Scene Investigation, Forensic Science, or Computer Forensics

Requirements

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduation from high school or possession of an equivalency diploma -AND- One (1) year of experience in a hospital, morgue or ambulance service moving or transporting patients or decedents.

LICENSE:

• A valid California Class C Driver License is required to perform job-related essential functions.
• Successful applicants for positions that require driving must obtain and present a copy of his/her driving record from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles before final appointment. Applicants should not present a copy of their driving history until asked to do so by the hiring department. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether an applicant’s driving history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job. License must not be currently suspended, restricted, or revoked.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• One year of experience as an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professional, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), or Mortuary Removal Specialist.
• An Associate of Science (A.S.) Degree or higher, preferably in the following areas:
• Administration of Justice
• Health / Physical Sciences
• Nursing

PHYSICAL CLASS:

• 4 - Arduous. Positions within this class involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working on irregular surfaces; and occasionally requires extraordinary physical activity.

APPOINTEE MUST BE WILLING TO:

• Perform a variety of physically demanding activities, such as frequent lifting and moving of decedents and heavy equipment, climbing down rocky cliffs, carrying a piece of equipment up steep hills, or removing corpses from the ocean.
• Work ANY shift, including nights, weekends, and/or holidays.
• Work overtime in order to meet the legal requirements and/or departmental needs associated with death investigations.
• Drive 75-100 miles one-way using a County vehicle or personal vehicle to various death scenes throughout the County of Los Angeles (mileage reimbursement is provided by the County).
• Assist in the physical recovery, packaging, lifting, and moving of decedents’ bodies including infants, children and bodies that may be fragmented, burned and/or in advanced stages of decomposition.
• Work in highly stressful situations.
• Develop and apply effective coping and self-care skills that maintain physical, mental, emotional well-being, a healthy perspective, and a clear and appropriate set of boundaries.
• Work in death scenes that present a variety of difficult environmental challenges, such as strong odors, extreme temperatures, dilapidated living conditions, and/or rugged terrain.

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