Request for deaths records

To whom it may concern:

This is a request pursuant to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Act. We are requesting death records dating July 15, 2020, to the date this request is ultimately fulfilled, with the following information for each case:

- decedent name
- case number
- decedent name
- date of death
- location of death
- race
- ethnicity
- age
- gender
- occupation/industry
- whether injury/infection occurred at work
- incident location (street address, city, state, ZIP where injury/infection occurred)
- incident date
- decedent residence (street address, city, state, ZIP)
- cause(s) of death, with complete MOD and COD fields (indicating if COVID related)
- contributing factors
- any other accessible, non-exempt information contained in electronic case records

This request is part of an ongoing collaboration involving the Brown Institute for Media Innovation, the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University, the MuckRock Foundation and partner newsrooms across the country. This request is part of a news-gathering process and is intended for educational, not commercial use.

We request expedited processing to the extent possible. This information is critical to the public’s understanding of the coronavirus pandemic and its local impact on public health. Let us know if we can help clarify this request in any way. Please also consider waiving any fees for producing the requested records.

Please provide the data in spreadsheet format as an e-mail attachment.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. We look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.

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Sincerely,
Kyra Senese
Brown Institute for Media Innovation
kas2317@columbia.edu
630-608-8844

Thank you for your response to our request. We look forward to hearing back soon. Please feel free to contact me at kas2317@columbia.edu or by phone at 630-608-8844 with any questions.

Best,
Kyra Senese
Senior Research Assistant
Columbia University's Brown Institute for Media Innovation
kas2317@columbia.edu
630-608-8844