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Toxic Exposures

7. Natural Disasters

Objectives

  • Analyze the association between natural disasters and potential exposure to hazard materials.
  • Describe the most common toxic exposures in natural disasters.
  • Discuss the signs and symptoms, and the management for these exposures.

Emergency responders and medical personnel should prepare for the management of natural disasters that are most prevalent in their community. Natural disasters, however, can lead to secondary toxic exposures. For example, Hurricane Katrina caused flooding releasing industrial chemicals, sewage, dead animals, etc into the water supply. In addition, a super fund site was flooded further contaminating the water supply. Any force of nature that disrupts the soil and causes structural damage to surrounding buildings can result in toxin release. Homes, for example, can have natural gas leaks, electrical fires, and sewage line damage. This can lead to secondary exposures and injuries. Damage to area industries can lead to toxin exposures affecting larger numbers of people. Healthcare workers should be vigilant in disaster situations for clustering of symptoms that could suggest an ongoing exposure in the area.

Any force of nature that disrupts the soil and causes structural damage to surrounding buildings can result in toxic release.

Case 1

You are working in a large hospital at 02:30 hours in the morning when an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 on the Richter scale occurs. Buildings and bridges have collapsed onto hundreds of people in a downtown area, and others are victims of explosions and fires. A Signal D (disaster) has been declared by the Chief Medical Officer and the Hospital Administrator.

Several hours after the initial massive arrival of patients with trauma lesions, burns, and other lesions, about 25 individuals arrive at the hospital in private vehicles. They complain of headache, nau­sea, and some are weak and dizzy.

  • How would you assess these individuals? Should they be considered healthy emotionally impacted individuals or are they suffering from a toxic exposure?