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Surviving collapsed structure entrapment after earthquakes: a "time-to-rescue" analysis
Anthony G Macintyre1, Joseph A Barbera, Edward R Smith
1Department of Emergency Medicine, The George Washington University 2150 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20037, USA. amacintyre@mfa.gwu.edu
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
|April 11, 2006
Summary
Earthquake survivors can be rescued up to 14 days after entrapment. This study analyzed survival times to aid search and rescue (SAR) decisions, helping optimize resource allocation and transition to recovery efforts.
Area of Science:
- Disaster medicine
- Emergency response
- Structural engineering
Background:
- Earthquakes frequently cause structural collapse, trapping victims under rubble.
- Search and rescue (SAR) operations are resource-intensive and prolonged, often continuing beyond the point of viable survival.
- Determining maximum survival time is crucial for effective SAR decision-making and resource management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the maximum survival time of victims entrapped after massive earthquakes.
- To provide data to aid incident managers in making informed decisions regarding SAR efforts.
- To establish when SAR activities are no longer indicated and to facilitate the transition to recovery.
Main Methods:
- Searched Medline and Lexis-Nexis databases for earthquake events between 1985-2004.
- Identified medical literature and media reports containing time-to-rescue data for earthquake victims.
- Analyzed data for factors potentially contributing to prolonged survival.
Main Results:
- 34 earthquake events and 48 medical articles with time-to-rescue data were identified.
- The longest reported survival time was 13-19 days, with reliably documented cases up to 14 days.
- Multiple rescues occurred after 48 hours in 25 medical articles and 18 media reports, with an average maximum survival time of 6.8 days.
Conclusions:
- Numerous survivors are rescued beyond 48 hours, with some enduring entrapment for 13-14 days.
- Findings are specific to earthquake-induced structural collapse and may not apply to other disaster types.
- The study provides valuable insights for incident managers to refine post-disaster decision-making and resource prioritization.
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