Who should be notified first when there are multiple NOK?

Who should be notified first when there are multiple NOK?

• A. Ideally, the primary NOK
• B. The secondary NOK first
• C. The media
• D. The airline's public affairs officer

Answer: (A)

Notifying the primary next of kin first matches how casualty notifications are designed to work. The primary NOK is the designated main contact for the service member, typically the person with the strongest, closest relationship and the one the member wants informed first. Using trained casualty notification procedures, the news is delivered in person when possible, with follow-up support from a family liaison. Only after the primary has been notified (or if the primary cannot be reached in a reasonable time) would you contact the secondary NOK. The media and the airline’s public affairs officer are not appropriate channels for the initial notification. These channels should be used for official communications and public information, not for delivering sensitive personal news.

Notifying the primary next of kin first matches how casualty notifications are designed to work. The primary NOK is the designated main contact for the service member, typically the person with the strongest, closest relationship and the one the member wants informed first. Using trained casualty notification procedures, the news is delivered in person when possible, with follow-up support from a family liaison. Only after the primary has been notified (or if the primary cannot be reached in a reasonable time) would you contact the secondary NOK. The media and the airline’s public affairs officer are not appropriate channels for the initial notification. These channels should be used for official communications and public information, not for delivering sensitive personal news.