Is it human? Comparative Osteology for First Responders 

The Comparative Osteology for First Responders Workshop is an invaluable resource designed for search and rescue teams, law enforcement, fire/rescue personnel, and park rangers. It equips participants with the skills to distinguish between human and non-human remains, crucial for effective identification of human remains. 

Workshop Components: This hands-on workshop features a dynamic slide presentation complemented by genuine and replica human and non-human bones. Participants have the unique opportunity to closely examine bones, with a special focus on differentiating white-tail deer and human skeletal structures, prevalent in the Virginia wilderness. 

Why White-Tail Deer? Given the prevalence of deer remains in wooded areas, this workshop strategically begins with these common specimens. Participants gain insights into distinguishing features, addressing the ever-present question: “Could these bones be human?”. 

Objectives: 

■ Familiarity with Comparative Osteology Resources: Participants gain access to essential resources aiding in the comparative analysis of skeletal remains. 

■ Proper Response to Bone Discovery: Learn protocol for encountering bones, ensuring appropriate actions are taken. 

■ Anatomical Terminology: Acquire a solid understanding of the specific anatomical terms crucial for accurate bone identification. 

■ Differentiation Skills: Develop expertise in distinguishing human from non-human bones, a vital skill for first responders who encounter human and animal remains. 

The Comparative Osteology for First Responders Workshop offers a comprehensive and adaptable training program, arming participants with the knowledge and practical skills essential for effective response to bone discoveries. Through a blend of anatomical understanding and hands-on experience, this workshop plays a pivotal role in enhancing the capabilities of those responsible for human remains detection

Instructor Biography 

Jim Russell has been involved in the Virginia Search and Rescue program since 2014 and is the founder of IS IT HUMAN, LLC (www.isithuman.us). 

He is the Director of the Search and Rescue Tracking Institute (SARTI), former Group Commander of Tidewater Search and Rescue (TSAR), and a current member of the Virginia Search and Rescue Council Tracking Standards Committee. 

Jim currently holds certifications as a Search Team Leader (STL), Management Team Member (MTM), and Tracking Technician (TT) from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). Jim is also a Tracking Evaluator for the VDEM tracking program. 

In 2019, Jim was hired by VDEM as an Adjunct Instructor for the Virginia SAR Program. Jim has been part of the instructor cadre for the Tracking Team Operations (formerly called Foundations for Awareness, Signcutting and Tracking) class, Search Team Operations class, and the Search Team Leadership class. Jim has also been an instructor for the Natural Awareness Tracking School (NATS) operated by Melissa Weeks (formerly by Rob Speiden until 2024). 

Since attending comparative osteology and forensic anthropology workshops at Radford University, Western Carolina University, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and Durham University (UK), Jim has been researching and developing his own workshop for comparative osteology, comparing and identifying human and non-human bones that are found during searches. He launched The Russell Bone Atlas (www.RussellBoneAtlas.com) in 2019, a comparative osteology website that searchers can use while in the field to help identify bones. Jim is also on the research team helping to introduce new technologies involving the use of Alternative Light Sources (ALS), specifically in the ultraviolet spectrum, to the Virginia SAR Program human remains detection (HRD) and cold case missions.