Effects of the August 2003 Blackout on the New York City Healthcare Delivery System: A Lesson for Disaster Preparedness

• 2005

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• David Prezant; John Clair; Stanislav Belyaev; Dawn Alleyne; Gisela Banauch; Michelle Davitt
PMID: 15640685DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ccm.0000150956.90030.23

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This article examines the impact of the largest power failure in history on New York City's healthcare system following the blackout in 2003. The study analyzes citywide 911 emergency medical service calls, ambulance responses, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions at Montefiore Medical Center. Results show a significant increase in respiratory and cardiac-related EMS calls and visits to the hospital attributed to respiratory device failures. The findings highlight the need for improved disaster preparedness planning, emphasizing the importance of fully operational backup power systems for both acute care facilities and community-based patients with electrically powered lifesaving devices to prevent overwhelming healthcare systems during emergencies.

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Tags

Focus Area: Infrastructure Failure

Audiences: Emergency Managers; EMS Clinicians

Emergency Management Stage: Response

Collection: Disaster Research Literature Review

Keywords: Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Delivery of Health Care; Disaster Planning; Electricity; Emergency Medical Services; Equipment Failure; Hospitals, Urban; Infant; New York; Respiratory Insufficiency; Retrospective Studies; Ventilators, Mechanical; Female; Adolescent; Middle Aged; Emergency Service, Hospital

Institutions: Montefiore Medical Center

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