Funeral Terminology

    There is a bit of specific terminology in the funeral industry.  But actually not that much, especially when compared with other areas such as psychology, medicine, etc.


General Terminology:

• DC - Death Certificate, the original is essential with all burials and cremations.  Also used as authority to transfer a body.
• CC - Cremation Certificate, the original is essential with all cremations.
• Intrim - A temporary DC used to transfer a body.  It is not suitable for burial or cremation.
• NDY or Not Dead Yet - Someone who is soon to die and is arranging their funeral.

Transfer Terminology:

• Transfer - The process of moving a dead body prior to any service, such as collecting a body from the hospital to bring to the funeral home.  Or taking the body to the airport to be sent overseas.
• Transfer Vehicle, Ambulance Hearse - Although 'ambulance hearse' is a much older term often considered inappropriate by many, it can still be used.  Either way this is the vehicle used to transfer the body.  It is usually a white Toyota Hiace van.
• Ambulance Stretcher, Collapsible Stretcher - A stretcher used to transfer bodies.  It has collapsable legs, like an ambulance stretcher, which fold down and in with the use of a handel.
• One-Man Stretcher, Carry Stretcher - A stretcher used to transfer bodies.  It has no legs, instead only two wheels on the foot end of the stretcher.  It is much lighter and cheaper than the ambulance stretcher but the lack of legs makes it difficult to carry heavy bodies.
• Slide Sheets - Large slippery sheets made from parachute material.  They are used to slide or carry bodies about, often in small or awkward spaces.  Although these sheets are not cheap they are durable and reusable.
• Pat Slides - A flat, thin board, smaller than the average person.  It is used in hospitals and nursing homes as well to slide a body from the bed to stretcher.  Or to slide a body up or down small heights.
• Evacuation Pod - This is basically like a hammock that is sealed with buckles.  Used to move a body up or down stairs.  One person will hold the long handles at both the foot and head end which makes the weight even and controllable, even down steep stairs or slopes.
• Seat Slide - A cloth basket like carrier with four handles.  It is used to move a body from a seated position (such as on the toilet or in a chair) and onto the stretcher.
• Body Bag - A blue large plastic bag made out of tarpaulin like material used for containing and moving a body.  It has a long zipper from head to toe and can be unzipped so it is completely open.  Although most body bags are simple and have no handels lately there have been more with handels, and more cloth style body bags.
• Valuables - Anything on the body other than clothes.  Such as jewellery, pictures, watches, money, etc.  It does not have to be worth anything.  All valuables should be noted on the transfer sheet and in the mortuary book.
• ID Tag, Wrist Tag - An armband placed around at least one, but sometimes both wrists of the deceased.  There should always be at least one on the body at all times.  The wirst tag is similar to a hospital or club wrist band, plastic and secured with one press button that cannot be undone once fastened.  Some places use different colours to represent different things, such as yellow for valuables to be returned to the family and blue for valuables to stay with the body or red for no valuables.

Funeral & Hearse Terminology:

• Goose Neck - The stopper used in a hearse to keep the coffin in place.  It is slotted into special holes along the middle of the hearse and tightened with a horizontal screw with a rubber stopped on the end.
• Pegs - The small metal 'sticks' used to keep the coffin straight as it is loaded or unloaded from the hearse.  They have rubber on the top to prevent damage to the coffin.
• Ropes - The long flat ropes used to manually lower the coffin at the grave.
• Automatic Lower - A device used at the graveside to lower coffins automatically.  It can only be used on certain lawn graves.  Basically it uses clockwork style gears inside to keep the speed steady and slow.
• Wing Droos, Side Doors - When referring to the hearse this is describing the small doors on either side that open to the space under where the coffin sits.  The space underneath the coffin is completely hollow and designed to store things, these doors give access to that area.
• Coffin Bars - Long bars used to carry a coffin.  At least two are placed under the coffin, one at each end, and one person will carry the bar on either side.  This means at least four people will carry the coffin with both hands, which makes it much easier.
• Catafalgue - A special and specific object at crematoriums.  This is what the coffin is placed on at the crematorium, be it fixed to the front or movable and on wheels.
• Crypt, Vault - A special above ground 'burial' for the deceased.  Usually refers to a small stone building where four to ten coffins can sit on each level.  It sometimes has two levels, one on the surface and one underground.
• Cortege - The process of cars following the hearse.  They should (by law) have their lights on, but not hazard lights or high beams.  The cortege should also have right of way (by law) at roundabouts and other intersections without lights.  It is also highly illegal to cut-off a cortege, but this is difficult to prove or police.
• Police Cortege, Police Honour Guard - A special cortege which has police guiding it or blocking traffic at least part of the way.  Very rare now with few funerals having police escorts unless the deceased had direct ties to the police or was extremely important.  This type of cortege will often speed slightly and run read lights.  They will also follow each other a lot closer in this type of cortege.
• Family Car, Mourning Car - The car provided by the funeral company to transport the family, friends of the deceased or the priest or celebrant.  For example Greek Orthodox funerals must provide a free car for the priest, although they will often charge the family secretly.
• Zink Liner - A special inside lining made of zink.  It is used for international transfers or for coffins going into a vault.  The zink liner prevents fluids and gases getting in or out of the coffin.
• Grave Marker - A simple marker used to indicate where someone was recently buried.  It can be used temporarily or in lieu of a gravestone.  Most often it is a simple white wooden cross.

Mortuary Terminology:

• TP - A temporary, simple embalming of the body.  It is much quicker and easier than a complete embalm.
• Aneurysm Hook - Perhaps one of the most useful and versatile tools in the mortuary.  And it looks and feels great! With a flat hook on one end and a rounded scraper on the other it can be used in endless ways.  Plus the gap in the middle makes it great for tying suture corde to, this means the needle wont go falling off the table.
• Forceps - Scissor like tool that seals, grabs and clamps rather than cuts.
• Trocar - An ancient device used to inject and/or remove fluids from a body.

This is a picture of just about every tool used in embalming or the mortuary in general.  Starting from left to right at the top you can see the trocar, other similar fluid removing/adding tools, forceps and clamps and finally the different gauges of needles used for suturing and other such tasks.  On the second, bottom row we see scalpels, scissors, a few different aneurysm hooks, tweezers and finally different attachments for the trocar.

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Bricky

   The funeral industry is very old school when it comes to gossip about the industry.  They love it and spread it.  A good example is when a coffin fell on a funeral and came open in front of everyone. It happened to another company and in another part of Sydney.  Yet I knew all about it and the fall out in less than a month.
    So there are a lot of stories floating about, good and bad. But the stories about one funeral director in particular really stand out.  He is simply known as ‘Bricky’ to many in the industry.  This is because he accidentally cremated a body that was meant to be buried. A reason most companies use ID on the body, such as wrist tags (and a reason they should never be removed by anyone).  He then filled an empty coffin with some bricks and buried that instead.  Someone from the company blew the whistle a while later, and was promptly fired.  They exhumed the coffin, the person in charge of the exhumation opened it more than allowed. Because of this it was no longer a health department matter at all.  Instead they prosecuted the Bricky as a commercial case.  That he did not give the family what they paid for, as in cremated rather than buried the person.  Obviously he lost the court case and was fined.  It was all over the national news, and everyone in the industry knew about it. But his business went up.  He actually got a lot more business as a result of the court case and even continues to work with the same company name to this day.
    He is also known for other 'interesting' events. Such as occasionally stalking a woman with his hearse at all hours of the day and night. To the point that the police where involved.

~~

My First Transfer

   In about my second week at the funeral home they sent me on my first transfer.  It was over at St Vincents Public Hospital.  I still remember it; the anticipation, the nervousness, the excitement.  I had no idea what to expect.  While they had explained ‘transfers’ to me a couple of times I had never actually seen one let alone been on one.  And here I was, going to collect my first body from a hospital.  Transfers are a two person operation, in this case the guy who went with me was a veteran of the industry.  ‘Garry’ has been doing transfers and working funerals for longer than I have been alive.  And it shows as he is quite good at it.  In fact he is very good at just about everything he does and he would later become my favourite hearse driver.

   At this time we still had the Ford Falcon station-wagon.  This held only two stretchers at a time but was a little more palatable than the van.  So we would use it for quick or nursing home transfers.  Garry and I hoped in the wagon, he drove while i held the paperwork.  They explained that I would have to check everything, but I knew he would be looking over my shoulder to make sure I got it right.  Which actually made me feel better that there would be less chance of a mistake, but also worse as I had someone watching my every move.


   He made sure to explain the process to me as we drove out.  How he would be looking over what I did, for my sake as much as anything else.  That discretion and appropriate behaviour was always crucial.   He told me the sort of things to look for on a DC or CC and how imporant they are.  Then he told me about a couple of stories from his transfer days.  The usual things about how hospitals work, nothing special.


   We arrived at the hospital and headed in to reception together.  He introduced me to the receptionist, a nice older lady behind the large desk.  She handed me the appropriate papers and then we headed off to the mortuary.  He drove up what looked like a park, ignoring and passing several ‘No Entry’ signs as he did so.  I assumed this was alright, but was still surprised.


   Upon arriving at the mortuary he started to reverse up into the garage.  This is when I first noticed that due to the capsule to contain and hide the stretchers the back window was completely blacked out.  The only way to see behind was through the wing mirrors.  And yet the middle rear-view mirror remained attached to the windscreen.  Noticing me see the mirror he commented that it was being kept there as they intended to sell the car later and removing it would count as an after market modification.  Which could reduce its value.  It was funny how we could be talking about the resale value of a car while picking up a body from the hospital.


   Even though the rear vision was limited to two wing-mirrors he reversed it in without issue.  Obviously he had done this many times before.  Now we were inside he showed me the stretcher.  Something I had never seen in action before.  It was relatively simple once you got the idea.  He demonstrated how to grab the stretcher and squeeze a little handle on the right as you pulled it out.  This made the legs fold down.  Then he put it back in, squeezing the same handle just as the first legs of the stretcher kissed the back of the car.  He gave me a go at it, although I had trouble at first by the second or third time it was easy.


   This was all done while the mortician got the body out.  This mortician is a very nice guy, easy to get along with and very professional.  So he had no issue with us having a little practice in the garage.  Actually he was taking great amusement and interest in the whole spectacle.  Garry and the mortician obviously knew each other exchanging pleasantries and asking how each others kids were; after all they had been working together for decades.  As we entered the mortuary Garry grabbed some gloves out of a box on the wall, as he did so he informed me that all hospitals would have gloves.  But not nursing homes or the coroners.


   The mortuary was connected directly to the small garage by a roller door.  It had a white roof with creme walls and a floor to match.  The fluro lights gave it a cold and very bright atmosphere.  An old computer sat quietly on one side by a large square cut into the floor.  I would later learn that this square was actually a weighing machine and was in just about every hospital.  On the other side of the room proudly stood a row of stainless steel draws.  They glistened under the fluro lighting.  In the middle of the room was a trolley with a long blue lumpy bad on it.  Inside the bag was the body.


   The mortician and Garry then showed me how to check the body for valuables and put on the wrist tag.  Garry then signed the mortuary book, showing me how to do so as he did it.  Next we all stood opposite the our stretcher and grabbed the body bag together.  Then we pulled him across onto our stretcher.  Our stretcher come with two seat-belts, one set at the foot end and one set at the head end.  We buckled then tightened these to prevent the body moving about on the stretcher.


   Finally we were ready to load the stretcher into our wagon.  Loading the stretcher was more difficult with weight on it.  Although it was not perfect I got it in.  We said our goodbyes to the mortician and moved off.


   Back at the base we revered up to the mortuary and unloaded the stretcher.  Then we transferred the body to one of our trays.  Garry and I then filled out our whiteboard and mortuary book together before I took the paperwork into the office as he put the wagon away.

~~

Transfers; Moving the dead

A Toyota transfer van.

    Not many people know of the 'transfer'.  What it is or even the fact that it happens.  When one sees a while van outside a hospital they would assume it was a courier.  However this is not always the case, it might just well be a transfer crew.

    At this point you might be asking what a transfer is.  Simply put it is the process of moving a body from one place to another.  When someone dies in a hospital, their home or somewhere else they need to get to the funeral home.  This is what a transfer is.


Who 'Transfers' a Body?
    Generally funeral company employees such as undertakers will do the transfer.  There are also transfer companies who do not do funerals or anything other than transferring bodies about.  These companies generally deal with the more difficult transfers such as interstate or after hours.  No qualifications or training is needed to do a transfer.  The transfer crews are just regular people on minimum wage and have no equipment other than a pair of gloves.  This is the same with police transfers, there is no government group who transfer bodies.  In other words a couple of undertakers will move the body from the crime scene to the coroners.


Types of Transfers:
    There are four main types of transfers; house transfers, nursing home transfers, hospital transfers and relocation transfers.  You can click on the links to get more details, but here is a short summary:

    House transfer - the act of removing a body from a home or private residence to take to a funeral place.  This is the most intimate and personal form of transfer, and has the most chance for the family to be present.  It is also the most unpredictable transfer.

    Nursing home transfer - the act of removing a body from a nursing home to take to a funeral place.  This is a fairly intimate and delicate transfer.  There will be other residents, relatives and patients who know why the transfer crew are there and will not like it.  The family, or other residents might be there watching.

    Hospital transfers - the act of removing a body from a hospital to take to a funeral place.  This is not really an intimate form of transfer.  It is in fact one of the easier, simpler and predictable.

    Relocation transfer - the act of collecting a body from the coroners to take to a funeral place or the act of collecting a body to take to the coroners, hospital or somewhere else.  It can involve police jobs (such as murders, suicides, accidents, etc) and other random work.  This is a highly unpredictable form of transfer.

Inside a transfer van.

The Transfer Vehicle:  
    A transfer vehicle is just a while van.  Some places use a station-wagon at nursing homes or houses to be more "discreet".  Yet in almost all cases a Toyota Hiace is used to transfer the dead.  A few funeral companies such as InvoCare use white Mercedes vans, but the vast majority use a Toyota Hiace.  The transfer can can hold four bodies at a single time thanks to a shelf in the middle.  This shelf uses a hydraulic system so it can be raised and lowered to make getting bodies in and out easier.

    Not just any car can be used to transfer a body.  I do not know the specifics but in NSW a transfer vehicle must have a a airtight compartment for the body, sealed and separated from the driver.  This compartment must also vent to the outside of the car.  However not all transfer vehicles meet either of these requirements.  But either way one cannot just collect a body from a hospital in a regular car.  Although some have tried.

    For more information and photos of a transfer van go to this post.


Stretchers:

Two stretchers on top of each other.
The 'carry' stretcher is on top of the ambulance stretcher.

    There are two main types of stretchers.  The cheaper and simpler type is the "two man" or "carry" stretcher.  This stretcher has two wheels at the foot end and no wheels at the head end.  The other thing is that the wheels on this stretcher are fixed and cannot be raised or lowered.  Which means the stretcher has to be carried about.  This means the carry stretcher is quite light and piratical in areas where a lot of carrying is needed.

    The other type of stretcher is the "ambulance" or "collapsable" stretcher.  This stretcher has four wheels on the end of legs.  So the legs, and the whole stretcher, can be raised and lowered.  A benefit is that the stretcher can be raised to bed hight and that the stretcher does not need to be carried.  The down side is that this stretcher is quite expensive and heavy.

    The ambulance stretcher was my favourite, loading it up into the back of the transfer van had such a satisfying click and clank.


Foot First:
    A body always travels foot first when going anywhere.  This means the zipper on the stretcher and body bag must be at the head end.  It also means the body should go into a vehicle, be it a transfer van or hearse, foot first.  So that as the car drives the body travels foot first.  The other thing is that a body should be wheeled or carried on the stretcher foot first.

    This actually has a rather practical reason.  Bodies are liable to 'purge' which is not nice.  Purging is basically when a body 'leaks' fluids out of the mouth or nose.  To prevent this one must always keep the head higher than the torso.  So when carrying a body down stairs take it foot first.


Identity & Name Tags:
    This is perhaps the most important aspect of the transfer.  Making sure you have the correct body.  It is obviously very important as collecting or identifying the wrong body could have serious consequences.  So the correct name tage has to be on the correct body.

    The first thing you should do is check to make sure you have the right body.  In a hospital look for ID tags on their wrists, all patients wear them.  Nursing homes do not generally have a good ID system, so you will have to rely on the nurses.  Generally the best you can do outside a hospital or the coroners is hope and go by what others say.

    Next you will need to place your own ID tag on the body.  Contrary to popular belief the funeral industry does not use toe tags.  I explain the reasons why we use wrist tags and why toe tags are never used in this post here.


Paperwork:
    The appropriate paperwork is essential.  You cannot and must not ever move a body without a DC (death certificate) or an interim.  An interim is a temporary document to say the person is dead, it allows one to transfer a body and to start the paperwork for a funeral.  However a DC will be needed for a burial or cremation and to actually go through with the funeral.

Things to ask about the paperwork:
- Is it the original?
- Is it filled out correctly?
- Does it have the name of the deceased (the exact and correct name)?
- Does it have a date of death?
- Has it been signed?

    There are more specifics, such as a DC must also list cause of death and duration for the cause.  However these other specifics vary and are too numerous to list here.

    The other thing to not with paperwork is if the body is going to be cremated a CC (cremation certificate) will be needed.  You will not need a CC to transfer or bury the body but it is a must for cremations.  The price differs with each state, in NSW it is $88 but it is only $65 in QLD (as far as I am told).  The other thing is a CC will cost $88 to get from the hospital which has to be paid for by check.  So make sure if the body is due for a cremation that you wither have a check to get the CC or payment has been arranged.  And do not forget to actually collect the CC!!

    With the DC and CC check to see if the body has a pacemaker.  If there is a pacemaker or other "battery" device inside the body then it must be removed before cremation.  They explore in the crematorium and can do serious damage.

    At the end of the day actively check all paperwork.  There are little issues to look for, like question10 on a CC is often missed by doctors because it is in small writing and right where the paper is usually folded.  So the fold hides the question, and it is an important question.


Valuables:
    All items need to be catalogued and recorded, to do so they are grouped under 'valuables'.  Valuables are the items on or with the body other than clothing.  Anything and everything on the body is considered a valuable.  These items might not actually have any real 'value' but they are all treated as precious.  I remember one valuable was just a piece of string, but it was important to the deceased and the family.  So we treated it as though it carefully.

    Not everything is a valuable.  Clothing, while recorded and catalogued, are not counted as valuables and have their own section.  Things in the room with the decease are also not valuables unless told otherwise.  Basically valuables are only what is on the body and going with the body.

    Always count and record valuables!  But do not be too specific.  For example with a diamond gold ring one would write "yellow coloured metal ring with white stone".  It is unknown for sure if the ring is gold and the stone is a diamond, so just describe it visually and simplistically.  Too much detail might be incorrect or confusing.


Pay & Experience:
    I get asked this a lot.  Many people assume that those who transfer bodies get paid a fortune.  That it is a job so few want to do that it must pay well.  Or they assume there is lots of training and equipment needed.  Truth is that it is a minimum wage job with no safety equipment other than a pair of regular gloves.  The only thing needed to transfer a body is a drivers license.


Links and Further Information:

- To learn about what becomes of medical waste and the cadaver go here.

- To read about wrist tags and why toe tags are not used go here.

- For pictures and a description of a transfer van go here.

- For information and descriptions about body bags go here.

- To read a funny and rather unusual story about a transfer go here.

- For funeral industry terminology go here.

An~~

House Transfers

   This is the most unpredictable and delicate form of transfer.  Because of this it is the most interesting and also the most difficult.  It involves going into someone private residence to remove a dead body, often in front of family or friends.


One must always be on guard and act professionally when doing a house transfer. You should never forget that not only are you moving a body, a loved one but you are also doing it in someones private home. It is incredibly personal for most people.


Here is the basic procedure:

1. Get the paperwork.  Before you do anything make sure they have the appropriate papers.  If there is no DC or interim then something signed by a doctor or other professional which declares the person dead and give you authority to remove them.
2. Scope out the place, you can do this while sorting the paperwork.  What you want to look for is a way in and out as well as what the situation and residence are like.  Will you need to move furniture?  Can you get the stretcher to the body and back?  Are there any stairs or tight corners?  And other similar questions.  Do this
before you get the stretcher out.
3. Bring gloves and wear them when needed.  Keep them quietly in your pocket and actually wear them, some find it awkward to put on glove in font of the family but it is your health at stake.  The family may object to you wearing gloves as they do not see the deceased as ‘dirty’ or ‘diseased’.  But again, it is your health and helps preserve the deceased.
4. Assess the situation before starting.  You do not want to be in an awkward situation where you realise the stretcher will not fit through the door with a body. Knowing what you are dealing with and talking it through with your partner can avoid an embarrassing issue later.
5. Talk to the family or those who are watching.  If appropriate tell them what you are going to do.  Even before putting on the gloves let them know and why.  Not only will this make them more comfortable but they might even help.
6. Getting them involved.  This is debatable and not recommended unless absolutely necessary.  The family or whoever is there may be quite willing and able to help, but they are not trained or experienced.  If anything goes wrong because of them it would be your fault. In situations where it would be dangerous or very impractical not to get their help, and they are willing and able, then ask them.  Other times the family just
want to help and doing so will make them happier.  If this is the case find something simple and easy for them.
7. Check for valuables!!  This is one of the most important steps, but check for valuables on the body before you put them in the stretcher.  Also ask the family if anything is to go with them such as clothing.

Dealing with the Residence:
   Explain what you have to do and the procedure before you do it.  This will help them understand and prevent any unpleasant surprises.  If it is appropriate get them involved in the process.  Not only can this make it easier for you but it makes them feel better.  Someone I work with is great at this.  He at least gets them to at least help slide the body onto our stretcher and they always appreciate it.  So if the job is difficult or dangerous and the residence are willing and able to help ask them.

   I personally prefer the family or friends be out of the room when transferring the body to the stretcher.  This is because it allows me to be rougher and work as I  normally would without worrying about what others think.  Sometimes it is impossible to move a body ‘delicately’ and watching it could look bad.

   You must always wear gloves on all transfers.  However with house transfers the residence may take offence to this.  To them their loved one is not dirty or diseased.  This is not about dirt or disease, most bodies are clean.  This is about simple hygiene and cleanliness for the body as well as you.  Explain to the residence about the gloves before you put them on.  Keep them comfortable and informed about the process.


   Never demand, never expect and never judge.  These are all important when dealing with residence.  Demanding things will make them unhappy and uncooperative.  Expecting things will disappoint you or leave you high and dry.  And never judge, everyone is different.  While some people appear uncaring or cold they may simply be grieving, or did not know the deceased well.  How sad are you that they are dead?

The Unpredictability:
   The driveway is the first issue you may find.  Many places do not have driveways meaning you need to ‘load up’ on the street.  Just do what you have to do, but be quick and discrete about it.  Other times there is a driveway but it is impractical or difficult to reverse into.  Do not be fooled, reverse in if you can.  This will make loading up easier and then you can just drive out.  Reversing out is always more difficult than reversing in.

   Stairs and doors are a nightmare.  Not only are they difficult to get around but they are often dangerous.  Stairs in particular can be slippery, steep and have tight corners.  One person has a story about how the stairs collapsed as he carried a heavy body out of a house.  It resulted in him being up to his waist in stairs and with a heavy stretcher with a body on top of him.

   Furniture is also an issue.  It is often in the way of getting the body onto the stretcher, or getting the stretcher out of the place.  This can be anything from a little table by the door to a washing machine.  Either way feel free to move it, ask first if the residence are about but always move it if it is in the way.  Asking sometimes results in them helping, so never hesitate to ask, or simply get them to help if you need.  Try to put the furniture back if you can, but this is not always impossible.  And remember that when moving anything electrical or plumed in to turn it off at the source and unplug it first.

   The location of the body itself is often a hazard in itself.  The deceased may be on the floor of a tiny bathroom with water everywhere and not enough room for the stretcher.  Or they might be in the middle of a large bed.  Beds are surprisingly difficult as you cannot get a solid or stable foot hold to move the body.

   The deceased will not have been cleaned in most cases.  While hospitals and nursing homes will usually clean the body, or at least neaten them up the residence of houses will not.  be ready for a dirty or messy body.

Three Relevant Transfers:
   One transfer I remember was very interesting in terms of dealing with residence.  We arrived, scoped out the place and situation.  There were two people there, the son and his friend.  they were fairly emotional and tense but very nice and easy to deal with.  We are about to head to the car and get the stretcher when they ask if they can watch.  We explain that it might not be pretty but are free to watch if they like.  After unloading the stretcher we come back, slide the door open and are confronted by over 40 people in the room.  The deceased’s whole family was there, from his cousins and children to his grandparents and friends.  To say this made us feel awkward is a serious understatement.  Imagine trying to work with over 40 emotional people watching your every move.  It all went well, but i will always remember the surprise of all those people and the awkwardness.

   On another transfer I had to deal with some stairs.  While the family were amazingly nice and friendly the job itself was particularly difficult.  The body was over 6 foot tall and he was not light.  The door was right next to the stairs with very little standing room let alone enough room to carry a stretcher.  And then there were the stairs.  They were slippery wooden, had no railing, a tight 180 bend in the middle and went up two stories.  We ended up standing him vertically in the stretcher to get him out the door.  Then slowly carrying him down the stairs.  It was very difficult and dangerous.

   My final transfer story is a little more ‘graphic’.   The deceased was on the floor in a tiny bathroom.  She had slipped getting out of the bath and died on the floor.  There was a puddle of water (or at least what I hope was water) all over the floor.  Luckily there was no blood at least.  Because of the small size of the room there was not enough room to get the stretcher in and barely enough room to stand.  After much struggling and tricky maneuvering we got her onto a sheet and then dragged her out into the hall where we put her on the stretcher.

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   This makes the whole procedure very personal for those involved.  So remember, the most important thing is to be delicate and professional!!  Discretion is the corner stone of this industry and it is never more important as with a house transfer.  Most times the family/friends will understand what you have to do, but try to be as nice and delicate about it as possible.
   As for the unpredictability, with a hospital or nursing home you will generally know what to expect.  However with a house transfer you will rarely know what the situation is before you get there.  And peoples residence are rarely designed to get a body out of.  Think about how hard it is to move something like a couch or fridge into or out of your place.  Now imagine doing it with a body, the weight is about 60-80kg at the lightest with the trolley and you have to be more delicate than you can be with furniture. 

Hospital Transfers

    Hospital transfers are generally the more predictable and easier form of transfer.  The first time at a hospital might be tricky, but once you have been there you know exactly what it is like and what to expect.  From then on every trip will be fairly similar and predictable.

    The main issue is usually with the CC (cremation certificate).  It costs $80 to get a CC and often needs to be paid for first.  This means going to a cashier then going back to the records section to collect the papers.  The other common issue is with after hours or if a hospital has dedicated mortuary staff and they are away.  Then it can take a while to get security or someone else to let you in.

    Something which caught my attention was how hidden the mortuaries appear to be.  It is as though to hide the mortuary is to deny that death happens there.  Those that run the hospitals do not want the mortuary to be seen or known of by the public.  As such the mortuary is usually in a service corridor, between the kitchens and laundry rooms.  The mortuary door is unlabelled and looks like a janitors closet.  An interesting correlation is that the hospitals who do not hide the mortuary tend to have the best mortuaries (such as Westmead and Concord).  The ones that hide the mortuary are the ones that tend to have the worst mortuaries (such as RPA).

    Hospital mortuaries usually have a large fridge.  To find the correct body an undertaker enteres this large fridge and 'goes shopping' as someone put it.  This involves going up to each body and checking its ID one by one until the right one is found.  Sometimes you will find the right one first go, but many times it will take a few moments.  Some hospitals (such as Westmead and Concord) keep the bodies on numbered trays.  Others like Royal North Shore have an ID badge on the outside of the body bag.  Both systems make it easier to find the body and can skip the 'shopping' experience.

    A list of hospitals and how to do a transfer there.  Note; this is not a complete list and things are liable to change.  So it is perhaps not an accurate list.

Concorde:
This is a good hospital. The mortuary is basic, kind of dark, but it is always clean and organised. The administration in this hospital is also very good and efficient. The mortuary staff are also great to work with. It is also one of the only hospitals which signposts the location of the mortuary.

Contacts:
- Switchboard: 9767 5000.
- Fax: 9767 6991.
- Address: Hospital Rd, Concord West NSW 2138

1. Enter via the gate at the intersection of Nullawarra Ave and Boronia St, Concorde West.
2. Head over to the records building for both the DC and CC.
3. Collect the papers from records and head to the mortuary which is just back down the road and on the left as you exit.
4. Wait for the staff to show up.  This is the only issue as it can sometimes take time.  It should be noted that they will try to drop what they are doing and prioritise getting to you.  So do not bug them too much.
5. Let them know who you need, sign out the body and go.  That’s it!

Greenwich Hospital:
A good hospital and mortuary. However there are no dedicated mortary staff, although the medical and admin staff here are good. The only tricky part is how spread out everything is and how one has to go up and down levels to get everything. If you go around the back and basically in what appears to be a staff door then you will have a lift that can take you everywhere.  Saving yourself a lot of unnecessary trouble and walking.

Contacts:
- Main Number: 9903 8333.
- Fax: 9903 8269.
- Address: 97-115 River Road, GREENWICH NSW 2065.

1. Enter via the lights on River Rd, Greenwich, near Standish St.  Watch out as the sign for the hospital is a large white board behind some bushes and with small writing.  This makes it easy to miss.
2. Drive up the hill and park by the mortuary first, it is an older green garage door on the left as you go up the hill.
3. Go in the doors to the left of the garage. There you will find the lift that can take you everywhere and saves walking up and down stairs and slopes.
4. If you need a CC head over to reception first to collect the receipt. This is up on level 2.
5. Next go the records office, on level 1, turn right as you exit the lift and right again.
6. The staff will get the appropriate papers then accompany you to the mortuary which should be right next to where you parked (on level G).
7. Reverse into the now open garage and shut the door to conceal what is happening.
8. Sign out the body as with many other hospitals and head out shutting the garage door behind you.

Royal North Shore:
RNS is a great hospital. Everything is close and easy to get to. Sure there is a long walk from the van to the mortuary, but it is an easy and level walk. Then the records are right next to the mortuary. But one of the best things about this place is the staff. It shows how having dedicated mortuary staff makes a huge difference. The other thing here is do not annoy the mortuary staff or they can make things difficult.

Contacts:
- Main Number: 9926 7111.
- Fax: 9926 7779.
- Address: Reserve Road, ST LEONARDS NSW 2065.

1. Enter via Westbourn St, St Leonards, just off the Pacific Hwy.
2. Turn right where the ‘Emergencies’ sign points; just after all the parallel parking, before the round about area.  Follow the road around and turn into the car park on the left just after the ambulance bay.  Opposite the hospital entrance there is a driveway with a chain across it.  Remove the chain and
reverse up around the corner, you want to be as out of site and close to the doors as possible.  Put the chain back lest you get parked in.
3. Grab your trolley and proceed through the wide door behind you. You will walk along a long and high corridor that reminds people of mine shafts.  Keep following the corridor until you get to a fork, here the middle tunnel will lead down to another level and has “Restricted Access” signs on it.  You want to go in a door to the right of that tunnel.
4. Go in the first door and stop at the second, here you just ring the buzzer and announce yourself when they answer.  If nobody is there use the phone to call security, or if they are busy call the switchboard operator.  It’s a 24 hour operation so someone will be about to let you in.
5. Once in you will notice the mortuary is a long corridor with the fridge on the left and another door at the end.  Which ever one of you is in charge of paperwork will now continue out the other door.  If and only if you need a CC then you will need to go up to level 10 and pay the cashier before coming back down.  As you exit the mortuary you will have noticed on the right is Medical Records.  This is where you go to actually collect the DC and CC.
6. While one person is collecting the paperwork the other will collect the body.  Head into the big fridge and ‘go shopping’.  The bags are almost always clearly marked and labeled here to make it easier for you.  Once you’ve located the correct body wheel them out into the corridor/mortuary.
7. Check for valuables and if infections!! Place your wrist tag on the deceased.
8. Wedge the deceased on the hospital trolley against the wall and place your trolley between you and the deceased.  Now simply slide them from the hospital trolley to your trolley.  This is a one person operation due to the convenient height and shape of the hospital trolleys here.
9. Complete the mortuary book and head out.

<> RNS is under renovations and due to move the mortuary. So in not long the system here will be completely different <>
Royal Prince Alfred:
Simply put I hate this place (as do most undertakers).  It is the most disrespectful mortuary in NSW by far. The staff themselves are nice enough, and do try. However the whole system is just shocking and regards the dead as a nuisance. RPA is a great hospital with wonderful administration and doctors. So if sick go here. However if you are to die it would be better to do so on the street as the dead are disrespected so much at RPA.

Contacts:
- Main Number: 9515 6111.
- Fax: 9515 6133.- Address: Missenden Road, CAMPERDOWN NSW 2050.

1. Book the wards-man before you even set off.  R.P.A is the
only place where you will need to book the wards-man in advance.  Just be aware that booking them will not mean they show up on time.
2. Enter via John Hopkins Drv, Camperdown, just off Misseden Rd.
3. Drive around back, head to the little brick church behind the main hospital building.  Just opposite the church is a driveway that goes up into a sealed car park.  Buzz secruity on the intercom and head in.  The parking space is at the end and on your left.
4. You will enter the building on level 2 and the mortuary is just down the corridor past the lifts and to the right.  These lifts will take you directly to Medical Records, but not to the Cashier.
5. If you need a CC go to the cashier next to reception on level 1 first and collect the receipt.
6. If you only need a DC or have a receipt then go to Medical Records on level 4.  If going straight from reception you will need to head over to the North Elevator down the corridor.  Do not go up the first lift you see or you will get stuck at a dead end.
7. Collect the DC and CC (if needed) from Medical Records and make sure they ring the wards-man before heading to the mortuary.
8. Sit and wait.  You can wait an hour easily, and if they are there in 30 minutes or less count yourself lucky.  An issue here is that there use to be a row of dirty discarded chairs to at least sit on.  Now there are none.
9. Once the wards-man shows up head in, show him the papers and sign the body out.  Sometimes you will have to get the body yourself as they might be slow or unwilling.
10. Check for valuables and if infections!! Place your wrist tag on the deceased and fill in the mortuary book.

Sacred Heart Hospice:
This is another pretty good hospital.  The staff are usually fast and helpful.  However they can be a bit slow sometimes.  The entrance to the morgue is easy to miss, so keep and eye out for the crossing and look for the driveway on the right.

Contacts:
- Main Number: 9361 9444
- Address: 170 Darlinghurst Road, DARLINGHURST, NSW 2010.

1. Enter via Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst.
2. Go in the gate, use the one on the left.
3. Park somewhere inside out of the way, one person should wait in the car while the other continues inside for the papers.
4. Reception is just inside and on the right (similar to St Vincents Private).  You will need to sign a book, get the papers and you
must get the key.  This will let you into the garage for the mortuary and the building itself.  Either are impossible without it.  Make sure they also call the mortuary staff to let them know you are on the way.
5. Head to the mortuary on Victoria Rd.  To do this drive out and turn right onto Darlinghurst Rd.  Go right at Burton St and then right once more at Victoria Rd.
6. The entrance is on the right opposite St Vincents Private, just after a crossing.  Swipe the key at the boom gate to enter.
7. The mortuary is down the end on the left, but you will need to back up to it.  So drive in and turn right so you head to the wall, this will let you reverse down the car park and up to the mortuary.  It is the glass door between the yellow bollards.
8. Swipe the key once more and make your way in, go right and then left into a long corridor.  The first door on the right is the mortuary, wait here for the staff.  This can take some time but is usually not too bad.
9. Check for valuables and if infections!! Place your wrist tag on the deceased and fill in the mortuary book.
10. Once all is done you will need to return the key to the staff member.  To exit into the car park there is a swipe pad to the left of the doors, just waving your hand by it is enough to open it.

St Vincents Private Hospital:
St Vincents private and public hospitals both share the same mortuary and basically the same procedure.  The main difference is just where you go to  get the paperwork.  The staff at both hospitals are also usually good, especially the dedicated mortuary staff.  It can be off-putting to go to the mortuary due to all the ‘No Entry’ signs and that you are driving down a park.  But it is ok, this is a service road for the hospital.

Contacts:
- Main Number: 8382 6222.
- Address: 438 Victoria Street, DARLINGHURST NSW 2010.

1. Enter via Victoria St, Darlinghurst.  Pull over and wait where all the cars are parked at a 45 angle.
2. Enter the hospital and head to reception for the DC or CC.  Fill in their book and let them call the mortuary to let them know you are on the way.
3. Head over to the mortuary, it is located in Barcom Ave.  To get there continue up Victoria St, turn left on Oxford St and then left right away into Barcom St.  Do not follow the road to the right but go straight up the brick roadway in the park.  Ignore the ‘No Entry’ signs.  There is a garage door on the left not too far down the roadway.  This is the mortuary entrance so reverse up to it.  In many cases it will already be opened for you.
4. Let the staff know who you are after and they will get the body.
5. Check for valuables and if infections!! Place your wrist tag on the deceased and fill in the mortuary book.
6. Load up the body and that is it.

St Vincents Public Hospital:
St Vincents public and private hospitals both share the same mortuary and basically the same procedure.  The main difference is just where you go to  get the paperwork.  The staff at both hospitals are also usually good, especially the dedicated mortuary staff.  It can be off-putting to go to the mortuary due to all the ‘No Entry’ signs and that you are driving down a park.  But it is ok, this is a service road for the hospital.

Contacts:
- Main Number: 8382 1111
.- Fax: 9332 4142.
- Address: 390 Victoria Street, DARLINGHURST NSW 2010.

1. Enter via Victoria St, Darlinghurst.  Turn left
just after the ‘Emergency’ sign into the temporary waiting area.
2. One person will wait in the car while the other heads in to get the paperwork.
3. If you need a CC go to the cashier first to pay for it.  They are located a little further down the corridor and on the right, opposite the ATM machine.
4. Go to reception next to the entrance for the DC and CC itself (it is on the right as you entered; similar to Sacred heart Hospice).  You will need to sign a book here and let them know who you are after before getting the DC or CC.
5. Make sure they call the mortuary and let them know you are on the way.
6. Head over to the mortuary, it is located in Barcom Ave.  To get there continue up Victoria St, turn left on Oxford St and then left right away into Barcom St.  Do not follow the road to the right but go straight up the brick roadway in the park.  Ignore the ‘No Entry’ signs.  There is a garage door on the left not too far down the roadway.  This is the mortuary entrance so reverse up to it.  In many cases it will already be opened for you.
7. Let the staff know who you are after and they will get the body.
8. Check for valuables and if infections!! Place your wrist tag on the deceased and fill in the mortuary book.
9. Load up the body and that is it.

Westmead:
Westmead has hands down one of the cleanest mortuaries you will ever find.  Do NOT take your trolley inside the mortuary.  They have lovely blue floors and do not want scuff marks, so if you try to take the trolley inside you may find yourself in trouble.

Contacts:
- Main Number: 9845 5555.
- Fax: 9845 5000.
- Address: Cnr Hawkesbury and Darcy Roads, WENTWORTHVILLE NSW 2145.

1. Enter via the lights on Darcy Rd, Westmead.
2. Follow this road and stop at the main entrance in the 15min temporary parking area.  Whoever is in charge of paperwork will head inside.  Go in down the large corridor on the right and just to the left you will find Medical Records/Reception, it is an office set-up with lots of little cubicles and chairs to wait in.
3. Skip the queue (if there is one) and head straight to the counter.  They will recognise who you are and see you straight away.  This is where you pay for CC as well as collect the CC and DC.  Once you have all the paperwork head over to the mortuary.  
4. Continue up this road and turn left on Hawksberry Rd.  Turn left back into the hospital just after the round about and turn right straight away.  basically follow the ‘NETS’ signs until you see signs pointing to the mortuary.
5. This next part is the only issue with Westmead.  You will need to pass through two security boom gates.  Press the buzzer and prepare to wait a while, I have waited over 25mins before someone behind us got out and used their staff card to open the gate.
6. After passing a second boom gate there will be an awning on the right, head over here and reverse up to the big roller door.  Use the bell on the pillar to ring the mortuary staff.  If after hours or nobody is there then use the phone to call them in.
7. Get your trolley ready but leave it in the loading dock!  Never take your trolley onto the blue floor.  They keep it perfectly clean and will either be annoyed you took the trolley in or appreciate that you did not.
8. Hand them all the appropriate paperwork and they will pull out the body for you.
9. Check for valuables and if infections!! Place your wrist tag on the deceased and fill in the mortuary book.
10. Transfer the deceased to your trolley and into the car in the loading bay.  Make sure to fill in the mortuary book.

An~~