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TORNADO-RELATED DEATHS AND INJURIES DUE TO THE MAY 3, 1999 TORNADOES

TORNADO-RELATED DEATHS AND INJURIES DUE TO THE MAY 3, 1999 TORNADOES. Sheryll Brown, Pam Archer, Elizabeth Kruger, and Sue Mallonee Injury Prevention Service Oklahoma State Department of Health. Path of F5 Tornado Through Moore. OBJECTIVES. Injury epidemiology Magnitude of injuries

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TORNADO-RELATED DEATHS AND INJURIES DUE TO THE MAY 3, 1999 TORNADOES

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  1. TORNADO-RELATED DEATHS AND INJURIES DUE TO THE MAY 3, 1999 TORNADOES Sheryll Brown, Pam Archer, Elizabeth Kruger, and Sue Mallonee Injury Prevention Service Oklahoma State Department of Health

  2. Path of F5 Tornado Through Moore

  3. OBJECTIVES • Injury epidemiology • Magnitude of injuries • Causes of Injuries • Locations • Warnings • Protective actions

  4. METHODS • Injury Assessment • Community Survey • Random telephone survey of OCMSA

  5. INJURY ASSESSMENT • Reviewed hospital medical records • Emergency room and inpatient • Reviewed Medical Examiner reports • Surveyed survivors by mail • Telephone interviews by Medical Examiner’s office

  6. COMMUNITY SURVEY • Face-to-face interviews in severely damaged areas 4 days following tornadoes • Bridge Creek • Moore and Southwest OKC • Del City

  7. RANDOM TELEPHONE SURVEY • Telephone interview of 6 county Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area • Computer generated random digit telephone sample

  8. DEATHS • 45 persons died • 3 cardiac deaths • 1 preparing for the tornado • 1 after the tornado • 40 directly from tornado

  9. INJURIES • 577 injured persons • 26 preparing for the tornado • 39 after the tornado • 512 directly from tornado

  10. DIRECT INJURIES* • 134 (26%) hospitalized • 376 (73%) treated and released in emergency departments *512 persons. Treatment status was unknown for 2 persons.

  11. Number AGE AND SEX

  12. FREQUECY OF INJURY BY TREATMENT AND OUTCOME STATUS Internal Eye Died Hosp ED Chest FB Brain Fx/Disloc* Soft Tissue 0 20 40 60 80 100 *Significantly higher among persons who died. Percent

  13. CAUSES OF INJURIES • Unspecified flying/falling debris (36%) • Picked up/blown by tornado (16%) • Collapse of walls, ceiling, roof (13%) • Flying/falling wood or boards (11%) • Hit by objects (11%) • Glass (6%) • MVC (5%) • Other (10%) • Unknown (29%) *Percents add up to more than 100 because persons sustained more than one injury from more than one cause.

  14. PROBABLE CAUSE OF DEATH • Multiple injuries (50%) • Head injuries (23%) • Chest trauma (18%) • Traumatic asphyxia (10%)

  15. LOCATIONS* OF DEATHS AND INJURIES • *Includes locations of 353 injured survivors and 40 persons who died. • **Proportion of deaths significantly higher than in houses.

  16. SPECIFIC LOCATIONS OF 27 PERSONS WHO DIED • 19 (70%) not in recommended place • 8 mobile home • 7 outdoors (2 under overpass) • 1 upstairs apartment • 2 rooms with exterior walls • 1 motor vehicle • 8 (30%) in recommended place • 5 closet • 3 bathroom

  17. Outdoors Public bldg/apartments Mobile Homes Shelter Houses 0 100 200 300 400 LOCATIONS OF PERSONS IN DAMAGED AREAS • *450 people in damaged areas.

  18. WARNINGS THAT CAUSED ACTION (COMMUNITY SURVEY*) 9% TV 4% SEEING 4% SIRENS 5% RADIO 8% WEATHER CHANGES 58% PAGER/PHONE 12% WORD OF MOUTH/OTHER *Interviews with 450 people in areas damaged by the tornado.

  19. PREVALENCE OF WARNINGS No Warning WB radio Radio Saw Tornado Siren Television 0 20 40 60 80 100 Telephone Community Injured

  20. KNOWLEDGE OF SHELTERS • Community survey • 66% “didn’t know or weren’t sure” of shelter location • Random telephone survey • 37% “didn’t know or weren’t sure” at time of tornado • 32% “didn’t know or weren’t sure” 14-17 months later • 14% shelter on home premises at time of tornado • 17% shelter on home premises 14-17 months later

  21. PROTECTION • Go to lowest level of dwelling, away from exterior walls, in an interior closet or bathroom • Need to examine how public perceives “recommended safe place” • Cover the body with thick blankets or clothing (protect from flying debris) • Protect the head from brain injury by wearing a motorcycle or bicycle helmet

  22. RECOMMENDATIONS • Have a preparedness plan in advance • If in a mobile home, LEAVE immediately. Have a predetermine shelter • Heed the warnings • Increase availability of shelters • Increase knowledge of location of shelters

  23. RECOMMENDATIONS • Don’t seek protection under overpasses • If caught outdoors or in motor vehicle, seek substantial shelter

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