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BACKGROUND: After Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New York City (NYC) on October 29, 2012, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) sought to identify and characterize the fatalities related to Sandy’s landfall. Understanding the causes of these deaths and the demographics of the decedents can inform prevention efforts for future coastal storms.
METHODS: Immediately following the storm, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) identified and shared the case ID of probable storm-related fatalities with the DOHMH Office of Vital Statistics (OVS). In collaboration with DOHMH OVS, the Environmental Assessment and Analysis Response Group of DOHMH’s Incident Command System (ICS) was tasked with characterizing the injury-related deaths resulting from Hurricane Sandy. Preliminary analyses were done on data abstracted from death certificates; analyses were later updated using OVS data once the deaths were registered and coded with International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) underlying cause of death codes. Death dates of inclusion were: 10/29/12–11/9/12. Basic descriptive statistics were calculated on deaths whose cause was an injury mechanism. Counts and proportions were calculated by sex, age, race/ethnicity, borough of injury, location of injury, and injury mechanism.
RESULTS: The total number of injury deaths resulting from Hurricane Sandy was 44. The most common mechanism was drowning (82%) followed by falling (7%), being struck by tree (7%), being cut/pierced (2%), and electrocution (2%). The majority of decedents were male (70%) and aged 55 and older (70%); another 9% of decedents were between the ages of 45 and 54. Decedents were mostly white (80%) and non-Hispanic (98%). Over half of the Hurricane Sandy deaths occurred in Staten Island (52%), and 96% of these deaths were drownings. Over one-quarter of deaths occurred in Queens (27%), and 58% of these deaths were drownings. Three-quarters of the 44 injury deaths occurred in or around the decedent’s home. About 20% of the deaths occurred in outdoor public spaces (e.g., parks, parking lots).
CONCLUSIONS: The classification of Hurricane Sandy deaths by injury mechanism and decedent characteristics, mainly drownings among middle-aged and older adults in low-lying coastal regions, will help mitigate injury risks by identifying vulnerable populations in future storms. Further work is planned for identifying and examining additional deaths associated with Hurricane Sandy – but not directly resulting from the storm’s force. Clear and specific risk communication before a storm could strengthen messaging and, in turn, prevent tragic outcomes.