On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy, pummeled the East Coast, slamming into numerous states. Some of the hardest hit were New York, and New Jersey where the storm surge, produced the largest amount of destruction. According to the National Weather Service (2012) the storm surge occurred near the time of high tide along the Atlantic Coast, causing record tide heights; some measuring 12.5 feet high.
Alongside the damaging storm surge, Hurricane Sandy gave way to explosions and downed power lines, resulting in a fire responsible for the destruction of 100 homes in Breezy Point, Queens (Barron, 2012). The destruction throughout New York and New Jersey was so severe, President Obama permitted disaster declarations for the two states, providing …show more content…
The mental health community was also burdened from the storms destruction, however, the amount of resources dwindled for those who needed it the most.
In New York, the mental health care system was largely impacted by Hurricane Sandy. As a result of the storm, the number of people seeking mental health care increased drastically, yet the number of providers to treat them dropped (Manuel, 2013). Of the most affected hospitals, Beth Israel in lower Manhattan, recorded a 69 percent increase in psychiatric emergency room patients (Bernstein, 2012). Dr. Andrew Kolodny, the chairman of psychiatry at Maimonides Medical Center remarked:
Triage has reached a different level: You have to get sicker to get in. Not only is there decreased capacity, there’s increased demand because the storm or the loss of residences has been a stressor for mental illness. (Bernstein, …show more content…
Raw sewage flowed into homes in New York after a sewage plant flooded while in New Jersey, power loss and damage occurred amongst 80 sewage treatment systems with an estimated 2.75 billion gallons of untreated waste flowing into the nearby bay (Manuel, 2013). To ensure the public’s safety, advisories were issued for public waters, while shellfish waters were closed statewide, and boil water warnings were issued for areas where the water supply may have been affected (Manuel, 2013). In addition to contaminated water, mold growth in homes that were not properly cleaned after flooding threatened the public as indoor exposure to mold could result in breathing problems, coughing, wheezing and an increase of symptoms in those with asthma (Manuel, 2013). In conclusion, hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc throughout New York and New Jersey creating billions of dollars in damage. However the health impacts associated with the storm are of the most concerning. Not only is the once functioning mental health system shattering, hospitals are struggling to make room for the increasingly overwhelming amount of psychiatric patients. As a final point, long-term effects of mold-growth and contaminated water sources pose a valid threat to those who were affected, and their
Alongside the damaging storm surge, Hurricane Sandy gave way to explosions and downed power lines, resulting in a fire responsible for the destruction of 100 homes in Breezy Point, Queens (Barron, 2012). The destruction throughout New York and New Jersey was so severe, President Obama permitted disaster declarations for the two states, providing …show more content…
The mental health community was also burdened from the storms destruction, however, the amount of resources dwindled for those who needed it the most.
In New York, the mental health care system was largely impacted by Hurricane Sandy. As a result of the storm, the number of people seeking mental health care increased drastically, yet the number of providers to treat them dropped (Manuel, 2013). Of the most affected hospitals, Beth Israel in lower Manhattan, recorded a 69 percent increase in psychiatric emergency room patients (Bernstein, 2012). Dr. Andrew Kolodny, the chairman of psychiatry at Maimonides Medical Center remarked:
Triage has reached a different level: You have to get sicker to get in. Not only is there decreased capacity, there’s increased demand because the storm or the loss of residences has been a stressor for mental illness. (Bernstein, …show more content…
Raw sewage flowed into homes in New York after a sewage plant flooded while in New Jersey, power loss and damage occurred amongst 80 sewage treatment systems with an estimated 2.75 billion gallons of untreated waste flowing into the nearby bay (Manuel, 2013). To ensure the public’s safety, advisories were issued for public waters, while shellfish waters were closed statewide, and boil water warnings were issued for areas where the water supply may have been affected (Manuel, 2013). In addition to contaminated water, mold growth in homes that were not properly cleaned after flooding threatened the public as indoor exposure to mold could result in breathing problems, coughing, wheezing and an increase of symptoms in those with asthma (Manuel, 2013). In conclusion, hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc throughout New York and New Jersey creating billions of dollars in damage. However the health impacts associated with the storm are of the most concerning. Not only is the once functioning mental health system shattering, hospitals are struggling to make room for the increasingly overwhelming amount of psychiatric patients. As a final point, long-term effects of mold-growth and contaminated water sources pose a valid threat to those who were affected, and their