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Impact of a blizzard on an Irish Emergency Department

Laura Heffernan1

  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Tallaght University Hospital, Cookstown, Dublin 24, D24 NR0A, Ireland. Laura.heffernan@ucdconnect.ie.

Irish Journal of Medical Science
|March 16, 2019
PubMed

Insights

A March 2018 blizzard caused a surge in emergency department (ED) visits, primarily for injuries and medical issues. Public awareness of weather warnings can mitigate some blizzard-related ED presentations.

Area of Science:

  • Emergency Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Blizzards pose significant public health challenges, impacting emergency service utilization.
  • Understanding the specific reasons for emergency department (ED) presentations during extreme weather events is crucial for preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the impact of a March 2018 blizzard on patient presentations to the Temple University Hospital Emergency Department (TUH ED).

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective descriptive study was conducted.
  • Emergency department records from March 1st to 5th, 2018, were reviewed.

Main Results:

  • Out of 479 total presentations, 71 were blizzard-related.
  • Injuries accounted for 67% (n=48) of blizzard-related visits, followed by medical conditions (15%, n=11).
  • Logistical issues (10%, n=7) and social reasons (7%, n=5) also contributed to presentations.

Conclusions:

  • ED attendance initially decreased during snowfall but increased sharply as weather improved.
  • Injuries were the primary reason for ED visits, with physical exertion in snow causing medical complaints.
  • Public awareness campaigns and future planning are essential to minimize blizzard-related morbidity and mortality.
Abstract

Keywords:
BlizzardClimateClimate changeEmergency PlanningEmergency departmentEmergency medicineEnvironmentOvercrowdingPlanningPreparednessPreventionSnowStormWeather

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