Philadelphia Crematories, Inc.
7350 State Road
Philadelphia, PA 19136
215-708-7747 (telephone)

PCI Due Diligence Answers

• Crematory Records Request
• Crematory Interview Questions
• Management and Personnel
• Facilities and Equipment
• Operations

The Funeral Home is requesting that the Crematory provide copies of the records listed below or, if the records are not available, please explain why in the space provided. The Funeral Home needs the requested records as part of its due-diligence investigation to make sure that any crematory it uses is operating in a lawful and professional manner.

IF A REQUESTED RECORD IS NOT PRODUCED, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY.

1. Policy and Procedure Manual for Crematory: Policies, Procedures and Requirements
2. State Crematory License or Permit: Pennsylvania does not yet license crematories. Phila. Air Management Services regulates and issues permits for emissions by crematories in Phila. (See licenses and stack testing results below).
   
3. Copies of Membership Certificates from CANA, Better Business Bureau or Other Organizations: See CANA and BBB membership cert.’s, and Board of Advanced Cremation Practices accreditation certification below.
   
4. List of Crematory Operators Employed by Crematory and a Copy of their Operator Certifications: Bill Sucharski, Jay McGee, Bob Sucharski, Rich McFillin, Dave Wolf, Joe Gigliotti, George Smith, Joe McFillin and Dave Barnes are all CANA Certified Crematory Operators (Certificates are all displayed in our office).
   
5. Copies of Crematory’s Liability Ins. Policy and Professional Liability (Errors and Omissions) Ins. Pol.: PCI mails out certificates of insurance naming our fh’s as additional insureds on our policy every year.
   
6. Copies of Cremation Authorization Form and Any Release Forms Used by Crematory: Authorization Forms
7. Copies of All Body Acceptance Forms and Cremated Remains Receipt Forms Used by Crematory: See below
   
8. Copies of All Price Lists Used by Crematory: Price Lists
9. Copies of Any State Inspection Reports of the Crematory: (See previous Phila. Air Mgt. stack testing results and the following chart recordings reference).
10. Copies of Recent Maintenance Reports or Logs Used Internally by the Crematory for its Equipment: PCI utilizes circular chart monitors which record each unit’s performance, along with maintenance and repair schedules. (Please inspect these during your Crematory Inspection).
    

Management and Personnel

1. Who owns the crematory? Bill Sucharski and Walt Sucharski
2. When did the current ownership acquire or start the crematory? May 1st, 1991
3. How many crematory operators are employed by the crematory? Five full-time and three part-time
4. What type of background check is conducted before a crematory operator is hired? Bill Sucharski handles the hiring of employees and all appropriate background checks and references.
5. What type of training and/or certification is required of the crematory operators, and who conducts the certification? Our operators are all CANA certified (training administered through Matthews Cremation) and are instructed daily on proper crematory operational procedures by Bill and Jay, who are both also licensed funeral directors and active CANA members.
6. What is the retention rate that the crematory has experienced with crematory operators? Bill = 19 yrs., Jay = 11 yrs., Bob = 9 yrs., Rich = 5.5 yrs., George = 5 yrs., Dave W. = 3.5 yrs., Joe G = 2.5 yrs., Joe M = 2 yrs

Facilities and Equipment

1. Does the crematory have refrigeration?   Yes   If so, is the refrigeration unit operational?   Yes   How many bodies can it hold, and what is the age of the equipment?   3   Bodies   13 yrs.   Age
2. Describe the retort that is used, including its manufacturer and year of manufacture: We have three IEE (Matthews Cremation) Power Pak II’s (1991, 1997 & 2004)
   
3. What type of processing station is used by the crematory? We use the state-of-the-art HEPA-VFC Processing Station which we have patented and marketed throughout the industry. This station enables the proper collection and disposition of all cremated remains dust produced during processing.
   
4. Describe the schedule for inspecting and servicing the crematory equipment: The equipment is inspected daily, and major refractory repairs are performed on each unit after every 1800–2000 cremations. Stack tests are also performed on each unit every 5 years to confirm clean and efficient combustion.
5. Does the crematory have an alarm/security system?   Yes   If yes, describe it. PCI has a thorough alarm system along with video surveillance and recordings. Entry to the property is also gated.

Operations

1. What procedures are used to identify remains awaiting cremation, remains in the cremation chamber, cremated remains in the processing station, and the urn(s) or container(s) holding the cremated remains? PCI custom-built our own highly specialized state-of-the-art crematory database program. From the moment an order for cremation is taken, and entered into the database, a case number is assigned which will remain constant throughout completion and return to the family. An identification label, along with an additional, in-house, secondary metal I.D. disc is affixed to the cremation container upon receipt at PCI. A work order produced by the database, and signed by the FH rep., and PCI rep., is also clipped to the corresponding work station while the remains are being cremated, cooled, or processed. The cremated remains are then heat-sealed in a plastic bag along with an ID tag issued by the database. Finally, database issued labels are affixed to the sealed urn(s) or container(s) ensuring the consistent integrity of the process.
2. How and where are remains stored while awaiting cremation? At PCI, human remains awaiting cremation are required to be received in a rigid, covered, leak-resistant container/casket. Remains are held in our private, air-conditioned holding room. If necessary, due to our schedule, remains can be held overnight in our refrigeration unit.
   
3. How long does the crematory typically hold a body before cremation? 0-4 hours
4. How are cremations scheduled? Are cremations done by appointment? At PCI , we request to be notified that you are bringing remains to be cremated so that we can initiate a case in the database, and have the necessary paperwork ready when you arrive. Family witnesses to the commencement of the cremation process need to be scheduled in order to have an open unit available when you arrive with the family.
5. Does the crematory allow witnessing of the cremation by the public?   Yes   If yes, what type of facility has been set up for the witnesses? PCI offers a chapel for families wishing to have an ID viewing or committal service, and a private witnessing room for those who wish to be present when the cremation begins, or even during the entire process.(See photos on back page of our urn brochure).
   
6. Describe what requirements the crematory has for cremation containers: At PCI, human remains are required to be received in a rigid, covered, leak-resistant container/casket.
7. What does the crematory do with commingled cremated remains dust in the filtration material it collects? PCI collects, labels, documents and consigns this material to earth in a vault at Beechwood Cemetery.
   
8. If the crematory does not collect the cremated remains dust, what happens to it?
    
9. Describe the crematory's policy for recovering, handling and disposition of non-combustible items such as medical and dental implants, prosthesis and casket hardware, etc.: After the cremation, all materials other than cremated human remains will be visually and magnetically extracted, collected, labelled and recycled via a CANA approved implant recycling company with all proceeds generated going to St.Jude Children's Research Hospital with proper documentation.
10. Does the crematory cremate remains in metal caskets?   No   If yes, what is done with the charred shell?
     
11. Does the crematory perform pet cremations or incineration of medical waste?   No   If yes, are pet cremations and/or medical waste incinerations performed in a separate retort (one not used for human remains)?
     
12. Describe the crematory’s policy for handling excess cremated remains? At PCI, if all of the cremated remains do not fit in the urn/container provided, then we will use an additional container(s), and label them as #1of2 and #2of2, etc. (the same way we proceed when multiple urns/containers are selected).
13. Describe the crematory’s procedures for identifying and labeling cremated remains in urns/temp.containers: PCI’s database generates a label/sticker that is affixed to the urn/temp. container. There is also an ID tag that is heat-sealed inside the bag holding the cremated remains. Both pieces contain the deceased’s name, date of cremation, cremation number, arranging funeral home, and crematory identification. We also seal our plastic temporary urns closed with a gold seal sticker, which reveals if an urn has been opened after leaving our possession.
    
14. Describe the crematory’s policy for packaging and shipping cremated remains: PCI mails cremated remains via the US Postal Service Registered Mail or Express Mail (labeled clearly as cremated remains).
15. Describe the crematory’s policy for handling unclaimed cremated remains: PCI recommends that the arranging funeral home send a certified letter to the next of kin before consigning cremated remains to earth in a documented, recoverable manner. (We consign at Beechwood Cemetery, Bensalem, PA).
16. Does the crematory have a scattering service?   Yes   If yes, please explain how it operates: PCI owns South Jersey Sea Scattering Service which: scatters cremated remains at sea 3 miles off the coast of Ocean City, NJ; registers the deceased’s info., longitude, latitude and date of event with the Federal EPA office; and issues a certificate containing that information to the authorizing next of kin.
17. Does the crematory offer educational tours of the crematory for funeral home personnel?   Yes   If yes, please explain how this can be arranged: PCI has always provided educational tours for funeral home personnel. We also provide educational field trips every semester for MCCC’s mortuary science program. PCI is also accredited by the Pennsylvania Funeral Board and by the New Jersey State Board of Mortuary Science to give up to 2 continuing education credits for crematory due diligence training.
18. Does the crematory permit unannounced inspections of their facility by funeral home personnel?   Yes  
19. Will the crematory list the funeral home as an additional insured on its professional liability insurance policy?   Yes   If yes, will the crematory furnish the funeral home proof that its name has been added to the policy as an additional insured?   Yes