Over three thousand people remain missing, many of them children after the devastating tsunami in March of 2011.  Debris which floats close to the surface and has been pushed by the wind has been coming ashore off the West Coast of the United States and Canada, including Sovereign Native American Tribes and Inuit in Canada.

It should not be surprising that small pieces of human remains will be found in the later debris fields coming ashore in increasing amounts, for example, bones or tissue inside of waterlogged tennis shoes which will float, but not move as rapidly as the current make up of items.  Wouldn’t it be wise to work with our Japanese partners now to develop a DNA data base and library of photos or descriptions of shoes the victims were last wearing?  It also makes sense law enforcement, medical examiners offices and coroners should develop a clear consistent protocol on how these can be handled to assist Japanese authorities and family members find some closure.

Our Federal agencies have been far too slow in planning to deal with the tons of debris that has been heading towards our shores for over a year.  Little time is left to prepare for this critical task, without it becoming a case by case circus.