Dallas, Texas – The recent arctic blast in Dallas County has significantly disrupted the operations at the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Southwest Institute of Forensic Science (SWIFS), both crucial for conducting autopsies. This unforeseen challenge has also affected the adjacent Health and Human Services building, complicating matters further.
Frozen water pipes are the root cause of this disruption. The importance of water in the autopsy process cannot be overstated, and without a functional water supply, the office has had to halt its operations. Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price described the situation as problematic. “We don’t have water at either of the buildings, unfortunately. Here at SWIFS we don’t have heat, we could bring in portable heaters, but without water they can’t do autopsies,” Price explained. The inability to conduct autopsies due to the lack of water highlights the intricate dependencies within the medical examination process.
The impact of the water issue is substantial, leading to a backlog in autopsies. “It’s stacking it up. The average autopsy an hour or so, gunshots, you know, three hours, four hours, not counting paperwork, and so now you’re doing approximately 15 to 25 autopsies a day, so now you’re starting to have to stack them,” Price added. This backlog creates a domino effect, disrupting the smooth operation that typically handles a significant volume of autopsies around the clock.
The arctic blast has not only affected the Medical Examiner’s Office but also caused widespread difficulties across North Texas, including traffic problems, flight cancellations, power outages, and medical emergencies. These additional stresses compound the challenges faced by the Medical Examiner’s Office, which would normally shift some of its operations to the county Health and Human Services building. However, the lack of water in these buildings has made this impossible.
Moreover, the frozen pipes present an ongoing emergency. The uncertainty of how long the pipes will remain frozen, followed by concerns about potential breaks during the thaw, adds to the complexity of the situation. Any further damage to the pipes could exacerbate autopsy delays, creating a more significant backlog.
