---
attrs:
  .reference_type: 0
  Abstract: "INTRODUCTION: On 14 August 2003, New York City and a large portion of the northeastern United States experienced the largest blackout in the history of the country. An analysis of such a widespread disaster on emergency medical service (EMS) operations may assist in planning for and managing such disasters in the future. METHODS: A retrospective review of all EMS activity within New York City's 9-1-1 emergency telephone system during the 29 hours during which all or parts of the city were without power (16:11 hours (h) on 14 August 2003 until 21:03 h on 15 August 2003) was performed. Control periods were established utilizing identical time periods during the five weeks preceding the blackout. RESULTS: Significant increases were identified in the overall EMS demand (7,844 incidents vs. 3,860 incidents; p < 0.001) as well as in 20 of the 62 call-types of the system, including cardiac arrests (119 vs. 76, p = 0.043). Significant decreases were found only among calls related to psychological emergencies (114 vs. 221; p = 0.006) and drug- or alcohol-related emergencies (78 vs. 146; p = 0.009). Though median response times increased by only 60 seconds, median call-processing times within the 9-1-1 emergency telephone system EMS dispatch center of the city increased from 1.1 to 5.5 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: The citywide blackout resulted in dramatic changes in the demands upon the EMS system of New York City, the types of patients for whom EMS providers were assigned to provide care, and the dispositions for those assignments. During this time of increased, system-wide demand, the use of cross-trained firefighter and first-responder engine companies resulted in improved response times to cardiac arrest patients. Finally, the ability of the EMS dispatch center to process the increased requests for EMS assistance proved to be the rate-limiting step in responding to these emergencies. These findings will prove useful in planning for future blackouts or any disaster that may broadly impact the infrastructure of a city."
  Author: 'Freese, John; Richmand, Neal J.; Silverman, Robert A.; Braun, James; Kaufman, Bradley J.; Clair, John'
  DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X00004064
  Date: Nov-Dec
  ISSN: 1945-1938
  Issue: 06
  Journal: Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
  Keywords: Ambulances/utilization; Disaster Planning; *Disasters; Emergency Medical Service Communication Systems/utilization; Emergency Medical Services/organization & administration/*utilization; *Equipment Failure; Heart Arrest/epidemiology; Humans; *Lighting; New York City; Telephone; Time Factors; Urban Health Services/organization & administration/*utilization
  Pages: 372-378
  Title: Impact of Citywide Blackout on an Urban Emergency Medical Services System
  Volume: 21
  Year: 2006
  _chapter: Ch7
  _record_number: 16302
  _uuid: 9d80ee92-5d59-4dd5-858f-8818b9d692b4
  reftype: Journal Article
child_publication: /article/10.1017/S1049023X00004064
description: Impact of Citywide Blackout on an Urban Emergency Medical Services System
display_name: Impact of Citywide Blackout on an Urban Emergency Medical Services System
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publications:
  - /report/usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016/chapter/extreme-events
  - /report/usgcrp-climate-human-health-assessment-2016
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