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Injury Deaths Related to Hurricane Sandy, New York City, 2012

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 April 2016

Kacie Seil ,
Ariel Spira-Cohen  and
Jennifer Marcum
Kacie Seil
Affiliation:
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York.
Ariel Spira-Cohen*
Affiliation:
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York.
Jennifer Marcum
Affiliation:
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Ariel Spira-Cohen, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth St, Rm 620, New York, NY 10013 (e-mail: aspiracohen@health.nyc.gov).
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Abstract

Objective

This project aimed to describe demographic patterns and circumstances surrounding injury deaths in New York City (NYC) related to Hurricane Sandy.

Methods

Injury deaths related to Hurricane Sandy were classified by using data from multiple sources: NYC’s Office of Vital Statistics death records, Office of Chief Medical Examiner case investigation files, and American Red Cross disaster mortality data. Injury deaths were classified as being related to Hurricane Sandy if they were caused directly by the storm’s environmental forces or if they were indirectly caused by an interruption of services, displacement, or other lifestyle disruption.

Results

We identified 52 injury deaths in NYC related to Hurricane Sandy. Most decedents were male (75%); nearly half were aged 65 years and older (48%). Most (77%) deaths were caused by injuries directly related to Hurricane Sandy. Ninety percent of direct deaths were caused by drowning; most (73%) occurred within 3 days of landfall. Half (50%) of the 12 indirect deaths that occurred up to 30 days after the storm were caused by a fall. Nearly two-thirds (63%) were injured at home. Three-quarters (75%) of fatal injuries occurred in evacuation Zone A.

Conclusions

Risk communication should focus on older adults, males, and those living in evacuation zones; more evacuation assistance is necessary. NYC’s fatal injury profile can inform future coastal storm planning efforts. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:378–385)

Keywords

Hurricane SandymortalityNew York Cityinjury
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 10 , Special Issue 3: Superstorm Sandy , June 2016 , pp. 378 - 385
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2016 

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