NEWS
OCTOBER, 2009 – CERTIFICATION SEMINAR: Carbon County Coroner Paul Zamora will be hosting a 20-hour POST Certified seminar on suicide and prevention November 12th, 13th, & 14th, 2009 in Rawlins, WY. This seminar will fill the requirements of 20 hour continuing education for any coroners or deputies that need hours for POST. Information can be obtained by contacting Coroner Zamora at 307-321-7974, or emailing zccoroner@netscape.net
AUGUST 20, 2009 – SWINE FLU / PANDEMIC PREPARATIONS: The Fremont County Coroner’s Office is coordinating with other county agencies to track and prepare for any contingencies as the flu season begins. The first death attributed to Swine Flu has been reported to this office, in a 21 year-old female from Fremont County who died in Casper with the cause confirmed. Other cases of varying degree have been reported to Public Health, with the patients recovering. A multi-agency effort is already working to increase public awareness to mitigate health concerns and emphasize prevention as the flu season begins. Concerned members of the public are urged to contact Public Health, or their local health provider for more information.
JULY 2009 - NEW ON-LINE SYSTEM: The Wyoming Department of Health – Vital Records, has been rolling out a new on-line system for completion of death certificates by Coroners. This should both simplify and expedite the process on behalf of the families of the deceased.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I get copies of records? Copies of coroner reports and/or autopsy reports can be requested by addressing a letter of request to the office address as listed on the main page. The request must be in writing, stating what you want, where it is to be sent, your relationship to the deceased, and have a signature.
2. Is there a cost for copies? Reports are provided to family members at no cost. All other parties may be charged a minimal fee to cover time and materials.
3. Are coroner files Public Record? Yes – with limitations. Cases that are under investigation, or in the process of adjudication, are not public information by Wyoming and Federal Statutes. Medical records obtained by the coroner’s office are not subject to secondary release as restricted by Federal Law. Once a case has been closed and completed the judicial process, coroner reports and autopsies are public record by Wyoming Statute.
4. Where can I get copies of Death Certificates? Families should request copies through the local funeral home/registrar that handles the remains. While the coroner provides information, and certifies the death, our office does not provide the certificates. In the case of past deaths, copies of death certificates should be requested from the Wyoming Department of Health, Vital Statistics – http://wdh.state.wy.us/rfhd/vital_records/index.html
5. Why is the Coroner’s Office involved in the death of my loved one? The Coroner’s Office is required by State Law (WS 7-4-104) to investigate all deaths that were not anticipated and may involve any of the following: Violent or criminal action; Apparent suicide; Accident; Apparent drug or chemical overdose or toxicity; Unattended death; Apparent child abuse; The deceased is in State custody in any manner; Cause is unknown; Public health hazard; Deceased is unidentified or unclaimed. The Coroner’s Office has trained investigators who are responsible for determining the cause and manner of death, confirm identification of the deceased, and provide notification of next of kin.
6. Is an autopsy needed? While this office always tries to accommodate the wishes of a family, sometimes an autopsy is necessary to determine the cause and manner of death. In many cases an autopsy will resolve many of the questions a family has about the nature of the event or death. Autopsies are performed in about a third of the yearly number of cases, and are at the discretion of the Coroner.
7. When will we get autopsy results? While often a physical cause, such as a heart attack, will be immediately apparent on examination, in many cases final results must wait for lab examinations and testing results. The final written autopsy report is usually available in four to six weeks.
8. What are the costs? Any investigation costs, including autopsies, and other services such as transportation of the deceased, consultation on results or the investigation, are all provided by the Coroner’s Office at no cost to the involved families. This is part of the public services provided by Fremont County Government.
9. How do I receive or claim property or personal possessions? Any property recovered and held by the coroner’s office can only be released to authorized next of kin, or their designee, by proper identification and signature. In specific instances, contact the office for assistance.
10. How recent does a case have to be to obtain records? The Fremont County Coroner’s Office has files and records going back to 1885. Older cases will have varying degrees of information, and are only those where the death, or incident that caused the death, occurred in Fremont County.