Travis County Officials Unveil Medical Examiner's Facility

TRAVIS COUNTY, TX — Government officials on Wednesday hosted a dedication ceremony and open house for the county's new medical examiner's facility.

The new structure at 7723 Springdale Rd. in Austin is two stories high encompassing 53,000 square feet. The structure is environmentally friendly, already securing the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification.

The structure houses cutting-edge equipment and technology, including a computer tomography (CT) scanner — which makes the local ME's office one of a few in the country utilizing the advanced imaging modality. The site also contains a complex mix of state-of- the-art autopsy, morgue, and laboratory spaces.

Travis County Commissioners Court members in March 2015 approved funding for the facility after recognizing the need to invest in the development of a public facility to meet the needs of residents in Travis County and throughout Central Texas.

“We are so pleased to be able to show this state-of-the-art facility to the public that we serve” said Dr. Keith Pinkard, Travis County Chief Medical Examiner. “This facility is truly reflective of the high-quality death investigations performed by the dedicated professionals at the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office.”

The new facility is equipped with the modern technology which assists not only with daily work of the office, but enables quality scientific inquiry that can assist in identification of public health trends, preventive healthcare interventions, and public information focused on helping people live longer and healthier lives, Josh Davies, Travis County Executive of Emergency Services.

“Not only will this facility provide the modern infrastructure that is required to conduct the scientific medical-legal work of the ME’s Office,” Davies said. “It provides a compassionate and comfortable space for friends and family during a highly emotional time.”

Precinct One Travis County Commissioner Jeff Travillion added: “The ME’s Office has the technological innovations and teaching resources to be best in class. However, the community’s access to the facility and the way that we serve them are as important as the cutting edge technology,” said “It’s important for families to know that should they have to visit ME’s Office, they will be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.”

The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office (TCMEO) is tasked with investigation and certification of cause and manner of death of all sudden, unexpected, violent, suspicious or unnatural deaths that occur in Travis County. TCMEO is accredited by the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) and the Toxicology Laboratory is accredited by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology. TCMEO performs death investigations and postmortem examinations for 43 counties and averages 1,800 cases per year.

For more information about the Medical Examiner’s Office, website their website by clicking here.

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