Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T17:58:34.488Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evacuations as a Result of Hurricane Sandy: Analysis of the 2014 New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2017

Prathit A. Kulkarni ,
Hui Gu ,
Stella Tsai ,
Marian Passannante ,
Soyeon Kim ,
Pauline A. Thomas ,
Christina G. Tan  and
Amy L. Davidow
Prathit A. Kulkarni
Affiliation:
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Division of Science Education and Professional Development, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, New Jersey Department of Health, Trenton, New Jersey
Hui Gu
Affiliation:
Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, New Jersey Department of Health, Trenton, New Jersey
Stella Tsai
Affiliation:
Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, New Jersey Department of Health, Trenton, New Jersey
Marian Passannante
Affiliation:
Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey
Soyeon Kim
Affiliation:
Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey
Pauline A. Thomas
Affiliation:
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey
Christina G. Tan
Affiliation:
Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, New Jersey Department of Health, Trenton, New Jersey
Amy L. Davidow*
Affiliation:
Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Amy L. Davidow, 185 South Orange Ave, Medical Science Building F 596-A, Newark, NJ 07103 (e-mail: [email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

We characterized evacuations related to Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall in New Jersey on October 29, 2012.

Methods

We analyzed data from the 2014 New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey. The proportion of respondents reporting evacuation was used to estimate the number of New Jersey adults who evacuated. We determined evacuation rates in heavily impacted and less-impacted municipalities, as well as evacuation rates for municipalities under and not under mandatory evacuation orders. We tested associations between demographic and health factors, such as certain chronic health conditions, and evacuation.

Results

Among respondents, 12.7% (95% CI: 11.8%-13.6%) reported evacuating, corresponding to approximately 880,000 adults. In heavily impacted municipalities, 17.0% (95% CI: 15.2%-18.7%) evacuated, compared with 10.1% (95% CI: 9.0%-11.2%) in less-impacted municipalities. In municipalities under mandatory evacuation orders, 42.5% (95% CI: 35.1%-49.8%) evacuated, compared with 11.8% (95% CI: 10.9%-12.9%) in municipalities not under mandatory orders. Female gender (odds ratio [OR]: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.14-1.64), unmarried status (OR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.02-1.46), shorter length of residence (OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.03-1.60), and living in a heavily impacted municipality (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.54-2.20) were significantly associated with evacuation. History of stroke (OR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.02-2.53) was the only chronic condition associated with evacuation.

Conclusions

Approximately 880,000 New Jersey adults evacuated because of Hurricane Sandy. Those in heavily impacted municipalities and municipalities under mandatory evacuation orders had higher evacuation rates; however, still fewer than half evacuated. These findings can be used for future disaster planning. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:720–728).

Keywords

HurricaneHurricane SandyevacuationBehavioral Risk Factor Surveillance SystemNew Jersey
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 11 , Issue 6 , December 2017 , pp. 720 - 728
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. North Atlantic Basin Number of Tropical Storms and Hurricanes: 1950-2014. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/cmb/images/hurricane/2014/annual/NAT_storms_2014.png. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
2. Fothergill, A. Gender, risk and disaster. Int J Mass Emerg Disasters. 1996;14(1):33-56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Baker, EJ. Evacuation behavior in hurricanes. Int J Mass Emerg Disasters. 1991;9(2):287-310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Bateman, JM, Edwards, B. Gender and evacuation: a closer look at why women are more likely to evacuate for hurricanes. Nat Hazards Rev. 2002;3(3):107-117. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1527-6988(2002)3:3(107).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5. Whitehead, JC, Edwards, B, Van Willigen, M, et al. Heading for higher ground: factors affecting real and hypothetical hurricane evacuation behavior. Environ Hazards. 2000;2(4):133-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1464-2867(01)00013-4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Lindell, MK, Lu, JC, Prater, CS. Household decision making and evacuation in response to Hurricane Lili. Nat Hazards Rev. 2005;6(4):171-179. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1527-6988(2005)6:4(171).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Baker, EJ. Predicting response to hurricane warnings: a reanalysis of data from four studies. Int J Mass Emerg Disasters. 1979;4(1):9-24.Google Scholar
8. Solis, D, Thomas, M, Letson, D. An empirical evaluation of the determinants of household hurricane evacuation choice. J Dev Agric Econ. 2010;2(3):188-196.Google Scholar
9. Smith, SK, McCarty, C. Fleeing the storm(s): an examination of evacuation behavior during Florida’s 2004 hurricane season. Demography. 2009;46(1):127-145. https://doi.org/10.1353/dem.0.0048.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10. Riad, JK, Norris, FH, Ruback, RB. Predicting evacuation in two major disasters: risk perception, social influence, and access to resources. J Appl Soc Psychol. 1999;29(5):918-934. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1999.tb00132.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Quarantelli, EL. Evacuation behavior and problems: findings and implications from the research literature. Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University Disaster Research Center. http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA091818. Published July 1980. Accessed April 8, 2016.Google Scholar
12. Blendon, RJ, Benson, JM, DesRoches, CM, et al. The public’s preparedness for hurricanes in four affected regions. Public Health Rep. 2007;122(2):167-176. https://doi.org/10.1177/003335490712200206.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Dow, K, Cutter, SL. Crying wolf: repeat responses to hurricane evacuation orders. Coast Manage. 1998;26(4):237-252. https://doi.org/10.1080/08920759809362356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14. Perry, RW. Citizen evacuation in response to nuclear and nonnuclear threats. Seattle, WA: Battelle Human Affairs Research Centers. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235102134_Citizen_Evacuation_in_Response_to_Nuclear_and_Nonnuclear_Threats. Published September 1981. Accessed April 8, 2016.Google Scholar
15. Reininger, BM, Raja, SA, Sanchez Carrasco, A, et al. Intention to comply with mandatory evacuation orders among persons living along a coastal area. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2013;7(1):46-54. https://doi.org/10.1001/dmp.2012.57.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. Lazo, JK, Bostrom, A, Morss, RE, et al. Factors affecting hurricane evacuation intentions. Risk Anal. 2015;35(10):1837-1857. https://doi.org/10.1111/risa.12407.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Baker, EJ, Brigham, JC, Paredas, JA, et al. The social impact of Hurricane Eloise on Panama City, Florida. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Resources and Environmental Analysis Center, The Florida State University. August 1976.Google Scholar
18. Perry, RW, Lindell, MK. Aged citizens in the warning phase of disasters: re-examining the evidence. Int J Aging Hum Dev. 1997;44(4):257-267. https://doi.org/10.2190/RT3X-6MEJ-24AQ-03PT.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Hurricane Center. Tropical cyclone report—Hurricane Sandy (AL182012). February 12, 2013. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL182012_Sandy.pdf. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
20. Order of the State Director of Emergency Management (New Jersey). October 27, 2012.Google Scholar
21. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. CDC website. http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
22. 2014 New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Questionnaire. http://www.state.nj.us/health/chs/documents/brfss/NJ_2014_BRFSS.pdf?question=NJ_2014_BRFSS.pdf&submit=Submit. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
23. Hoopes Halpin, S. The impact of Superstorm Sandy on New Jersey towns and households. http://njdatabank.newark.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/files/RutgersSandyImpact-FINAL-2013_10_28.pdf. Published October 2013. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
24. US Census Bureau, Population Division. Annual estimates of the resident population for selected age groups by sex for the United States, states, counties, and Puerto Rico Commonwealth and Municipios: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014. http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/lpa/dmograph/est/NJ_AgeSex2014.xls. Published June 2015. Accessed April 7,2016.Google Scholar
25. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Hurricane Floyd assessment: review of hurricane evacuation studies utilization and information dissemination, May 2000. https://coast.noaa.gov/hes/docs/postStorm/H_FLOYD_ASSESSMENT_REVIEW_HES_UTILIZATION_INFO_DISSEMINATION.pdf. Published May 2000. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
26. US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hurricane Katrina evacuees: who they are, where they are, and how they are faring. Mon Labor Rev. 2008;(March):32-51. http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2008/03/art3full.pdf. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
27. Farris, GS, Smith, GJ, Crane, MP, et al, eds. Science and the storms—the USGS response to the hurricanes of 2005. US Geological Survey Circular. 2007;1306:12-15. http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1306/pdf/c1306_ch2_b.pdf. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
28. US Census Bureau, Population Division. State population estimates and demographic components of population change: July 1, 1998 to July 1, 1999. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/state/st-99-1.txt. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
29. US Census Bureau, Population Division. Annual estimates of the population for the United States and states, and for Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005. December 22, 2005. https://www.census.gov/popest/data/state/totals/2005/tables/NST-EST2005-01.xls. Published December 22, 2005. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
30. Aguirre, BE. Evacuation in Cancun during Hurricane Gilbert. Int J Mass Emerg Disasters. 1991;9(1):31-45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
31. Burger, J, Gochfeld, M. Health concerns and perceptions of central and coastal New Jersey residents in the 100 days following Superstorm Sandy. Sci Total Environ. 2014;481:611-618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.02.048.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32. Abramson, D, Van Alst, D, Merdjanoff, A, et al. The Hurricane Sandy place report: evacuation decisions, housing issues and sense of community. The Sandy Child and Family Health Study. Rutgers University School of Social Work, New York University College of Global Public Health, Columbia University National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Colorado State University Center for Disaster and Risk Analysis, Briefing Report 2015_1. http://academiccommons.columbia.edu/download/fedora_content/download/ac:187431/CONTENT/SCAFH_Place_Report.pdf. Published July 1, 2015. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
33. Monmouth University Polling Institute. Superstorm Sandy survey: impact on New Jersey coastal residents. http://www.monmouth.edu/assets/0/32212254770/32212254991/32212254992/32212254994/32212254995/40802189893/80075bb796504e2b90f9e0dd54301b22.pdf. Published February 2013. Accessed April 7, 2016.Google Scholar
34. Fairchild, AL, Colgrove, J, Jones, MM. The challenge of mandatory evacuation: providing for and deciding for. Health Aff (Millwood). 2006;25(4):958-967. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.25.4.958.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
35. Dash, N, Gladwin, H. Evacuation decision making and behavioral responses: individual and household. Nat Hazards Rev. 2007;8(3):69-77. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1527-6988(2007)8:3(69).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
36. Sorensen, JH, Mileti, DS. Warning and evacuation: answering some basic questions. Industrial Crisis Q. 1988;2:195-209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
37. Stein, RM, Dueñas-Osorio, L, Subramanian, D. Who evacuates when hurricanes approach? The role of risk, information, and location. Soc Sci Q. 2010;91(3):816-834. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6237.2010.00721.x.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed