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Emergency response team: Hurricane Georges in Key West.

T Wylie1, D Cheanvechai, D Seaberg

  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida Health Science Center/Jacksonville, 32209, USA. twylie7@aol.com

Prehospital Emergency Care
|July 15, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Hurricane Georges impacted Florida Keys, leading to emergency department operations managed by a specialized team. The study details patient visits, medical issues, and challenges faced during the storm response.

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Area of Science:

  • Disaster Medicine
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Hurricane Georges made landfall in Key West, Florida, on September 25, 1998, as a Category 2 storm.
  • Lower Florida Keys Hospital initiated an evacuation of inpatients and staff prior to the hurricane's arrival.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the operational challenges and patient care provided by an emergency response team during Hurricane Georges.
  • To analyze the types of medical and trauma cases presenting to the emergency department during the hurricane event.

Main Methods:

  • An emergency response team consisting of emergency medicine physicians and nurses was deployed to maintain hospital operations.
  • Data on patient presentations, medical problems, and outcomes were collected over a 72-hour period post-landfall.

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Main Results:

  • Eighty-six patients presented to the emergency department, with medical problems (52.3%) and minor trauma (41.9%) being the most common reasons for visits.
  • Six patients required hospitalization when evacuations were halted due to the storm's proximity. Four deaths occurred within 24 hours.
  • Complicating factors included environmental conditions, limited diagnostic and medication resources, and pharmacy closures.

Conclusions:

  • Maintaining emergency department operations during a hurricane requires a dedicated response team and careful resource management.
  • Planning for disaster response must consider vulnerable populations, such as nursing home residents, and potential disruptions to healthcare access.
  • Effective disaster preparedness necessitates anticipating and mitigating challenges related to limited resources and infrastructure damage.