Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Certified Crematory Operator (CCO) Program is off to a strong start in 2014. The CCO designation has been conferred on 160 funeral professionals to-date this year; they join the 131 funeral directors who earned the designation after the program launched in September 2013. As the profession’s recognized certification seminar, the NFDA CCO Program offers a unique perspective from the funeral director’s point of view.

 

“On behalf of the entire Executive Board, I offer congratulations to the funeral professionals who have earned their CCO designation during the first half of 2014,” said NFDA President Robert L. “Robby” Bates, CFSP, CCO. “We thank you for your commitment to providing the best possible service to families that choose cremation.”

 

As the trusted leader in funeral service, NFDA set the bar high with a critical cremation certification program that not only emphasizes professional excellence, but also the important role ethics plays in serving families.

 

David J. Weber, CFSP, CCO, owner of David J. Weber Funeral Homes in Baltimore, Md., does not own a crematory but attended the CCO program in his home state and found it extremely valuable.

 

“This program was informative, entertaining, thought provoking and sometimes even frightening,” he said. “It opened my eyes to the possibility that my firm might not be completely protected. I gained insight into the potential risk of using a third-party crematory, as well as the proper paperwork and procedures to have in place to minimize that risk.”

“Having been through the CCO program, I feel more knowledgeable about the cremation process,” said Bates. “I am better prepared to answer families’ questions about cremation and can better address liability issues before they become problems. Whether you’re an operator or, like me, use a third-party crematory, after completing the NFDA CCO program, you will be able to make smart decisions regarding all aspects of the cremation process.”

 

Developed for funeral homes that offer cremation services, the NFDA CCO Program covers ethics, crematory operations, safety and compliance, liability issues, customer service, and more. The program meets or exceeds the criteria in most states requiring certification and has been approved for CE by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice.

 

“With cremation litigation on the rise, you must understand the steps you need to take to protect your firm from the moment you take a decedent into your care until you deliver the cremated remains to the family,” said Bates. “You are liable throughout the entire process – even when you transfer the decedent into the custody of the third-party crematory. Even if you don’t own a crematory, this training is critical.”

 

NFDA has scheduled a number of CCO seminars throughout the remainder of 2014:

• July 29, Brookfield, Wis. (NFDA headquarters)
• August 6, Cincinnati, Ohio (host: Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science)
• August 8, Alexander City, Ala. (host: Radney Funeral Home)
• August 13, Cantonsville, Md. (host: Maryland State Funeral Directors Association)
• September 9, West Columbia, S.C. (host: South Carolina Funeral Directors Association)
• October 11, Nashville, Tenn. (NFDA International Convention & Expo preconvention seminar)
• October 29, Kansas City, Mo. (host: Missouri Funeral Directors & Embalmers Association)

 

Registration is open for most programs. Additional programs will be scheduled throughout 2014. Information about upcoming CCO Programs and registration details can be found on the NFDA website, www.nfda.org/cco.

 

NFDA thanks the four organizations that hosted a CCO program during the first half of 2014: Virginia Funeral Directors Association (program held in Richmond, Va.); Colorado Funeral Directors Association (program held in Denver, Colo., at Horan & McConaty Funeral Service); North Carolina Funeral Directors Association (program held in Wilmington, N.C.); and Maryland State Funeral Directors Association (program held in Baltimore, Md.).

 

Any organization that wishes to host a CCO Program in their state should contact NFDA at 800-228-6332 for more information. CCO host and executive director of the Virginia Funeral Directors Association, Lacy Whittaker, said that hosting an NFDA CCO program was easy.

 

“The work was done for us by NFDA,” she said, “and it is a great benefit to our association’s members to bring this cremation certification training right to our door.  It keeps travel costs down and participants get all the training they need at a reasonable price from the top instructors.  It’s been a win-win for everyone who has taken advantage of this program in Virginia.”

 

NFDA congratulates the following funeral professionals who have earned the CCO designation from NFDA in 2014:

 

NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving 19,700 individual members who represent more than 10,000 funeral homes in the United States and 39 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.