Citation
(2002), "World Trade Center related injuries", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 11 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2002.07311dab.004
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2002, MCB UP Limited
World Trade Center related injuries
World Trade Center related injuries
A rapid assessment by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the type and severity of injuries among a sample of survivors who received emergency care at five New York City hospitals in the first 48 hours after the attack on the World Trade Center in September 2001 reveals:
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Inhalation injuries were the most common type in this group (49 per cent), followed by eye injuries (26 per cent), lacerations (14 per cent) and sprains and strains (14 per cent). More than half of survivors (56 per cent ) were treated for inhalation injuries, eye injuries, or both without other injuries. Most of these injuries were caused by smoke, dust, debris or fumes.
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Fractures (6 per cent), burns (5 per cent), and closed head injuries (2 per cent) were less common, but most survivors with these injuries required further hospitalisation for treatment.
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The arrival of survivors at nearby hospitals peaked in the first two to three hours. Half of survivors received medical care within seven hours. Approximately one-quarter (282) of survivors arrived at hospitals by emergency medical transport.
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Rescue workers sustained significantly more eye injuries than other survivors (39 per cent vs 19 per cent) but fewer burns (2 per cent vs 6 per cent).
View the complete report on the CDC Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/ (Disaster – Preparedness and Mitigation in the Americas, No 86, Jan 2002).