Impact of Hurricane Rita on Texas poison center calls.

INTRODUCTION

On 24 September 2005, Hurricane Rita made landfall in eastern Texas, resulting in the mandatory evacuation of 16 counties and declaration of disaster areas in 22 counties afterward.

HYPOTHESIS

This study tested whether the evacuation and hurricane landfall affected the pattern of Texas poison center calls.

METHODS

Texas poison center calls received from the 22 disaster-area counties were identified for three time periods: (1) 10-20 September 2005 (pre-evacuation); (2) 21-25 September 2005 (evacuation and hurricane landfall); and (3) 26 September-08 October 2005 (post-evacuation). The numbers of calls reviewed during the two latter time periods were compared to a baseline range (BR) derived from the number of calls received during corresponding time periods in 2002, 2003, and 2004. This comparison was made for total calls, as well as calls involving pill identifications, other information, total exposures, carbon monoxide exposures, gasoline exposures, food poisoning, water contamination, and other information.

RESULTS

The daily call volume was relatively stable during the pre-evacuation period (mean = 291), declined during the evacuation period (mean = 191), and returned to normal volume during the post-evacuation period (mean = 283). During the evacuation and landfall period, only gasoline exposure calls were higher than expected (n = 68, BR = 11-30). During the post-evacuation period, the only higher than expected call volumes were for carbon monoxide exposures (n = 11, BR = 2-10) and gasoline exposures (n = 40, BR = 12-28).

CONCLUSIONS

During an evacuation, total poison center call volume in the affected area may decline, although certain calls such as those involving gasoline exposures might increase. After a hurricane, the total call volume returns to normal, but certain calls such as those involving carbon monoxide and gasoline exposures may increase. This information allows for poison centers and public health providers to prepare their response to hurricanes and to educate the population before such events occurs.