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Impact of Hurricane Ike on Texas Poison Center Calls

Address correspondence to Mathias B. Forrester, Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit, Texas Department of State Health Services, 1100 W 49th St, Austin, TX 78756 (e-mail: mathias.forrester{at}dshs.state.tx.us).

On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall in Texas, resulting in the mandatory evacuation of 8 counties before landfall and the declaration of disaster areas in 29 counties afterward. This study evaluated whether Hurricane Ike affected the pattern of Texas poison center calls. Texas poison center calls received from the disaster area counties were identified for 3 time periods: August 12 to September 10, 2008 (preevacuation), September 11 to 13, 2008 (evacuation and hurricane landfall), and September 14 to 30, 2008 (postevacuation). For selected types of calls, the mean daily call volume during time periods 2 and 3 was compared with a baseline range (BR) derived from the mean daily call volume during time period 1. During the evacuation and landfall period, gasoline exposure calls were higher than expected (mean 3, BR –1 to 2). During the postevacuation period, higher than expected numbers of calls were observed for gasoline exposures (mean 5, BR –1 to 2) and carbon monoxide exposures (mean 3, BR –1–1). During an evacuation, certain calls such as those involving gasoline exposures may increase. After a hurricane, calls such as those involving carbon monoxide and gasoline exposures may increase.

Key Words: carbon monoxide • food poisoning • gasoline • hurricane • poison center

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