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Health and Safety Precautions in the Wake of Katrina and Rita
Written by
Kelly Taaffe
, Special to Redcross.org
Friday, September 30, 2005 — While hurricanes usually bring trials with high winds, heavy rain storms and flash floodwaters, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina churned up particularly hazardous waters that have lingered in parts of Louisiana and Mississippi, making the weeks following its landfall a disaster unto itself, increasing health risks for residents and those who are there to help.
Slouched slightly in a desk chair in front of a dozen flashing computer screens at the American Red Cross national Disaster Operations Center in Washington, D.C., Red Cross Rapid Response Team photographer Bradley Hague, 28, shared his memories of Hurricane Katrina survivors and the conditions they and he faced in Louisiana, Mississippi and at the Houston Astrodome.
Bradley Hague, an American Red Cross Rapid Response Team photographer, spent his first 12 hours in Houston capturing the scene as evacuated Hurricane Katrina survivors checked into the Astrodome shelter. He was awed by the Red Cross workers who patiently helped escort thousands of evacuees into the stadium.
(Photo Credit: Bradley Hague/American Red Cross) |
Inescapable were images from photographers like Hague and members of the media telling without words the story of Katrina and devastation that followed it. Many images captured evacuees, first responders and humanitarian aid workers and volunteers as they waded through filthy water, some up to their waists and necks or even swimming in the roof-high swamp the storm left behind. Other images conveyed the reality of hundreds and even thousands of survivors and aid workers amassed in temporary shelters. The volume of people evacuated and packed in shelters for days that stretched into weeks is an open invitation to germs. Maintaining health and safety in these environments is paramount, which is why deployed Red Cross workers take extensive precautions to prevent outbreaks of disease in shelter communities.
“It’s a trying experience,” said Hague, who photographed areas affected by Katrina from Aug. 31 to Sept. 14. “There are diseases just waiting to happen. You’re sweating buckets. One day out in Mississippi, myself, my writer and one other [person] ran through a whole case of water.”
Hague credits proper rest for keeping his immune system working well, even though he conceded to suffering the annoyances of allergies due to mold and dust. Much to his benefit, he also had received the Red Cross recommended vaccinations for onsite professionals before a recent trip to Sri Lanka.
Although workers are not required to get immunizations, the experts at Red Cross highly recommend that workers have up-to-date tetanus, influenza and Hepatitis A vaccinations. Brenna Aileo, Head of Staff Health at Red Cross Headquarters, warned that waste matter and other toxic substances from overflowing sewage, agricultural and industrial systems have severely polluted areas hit by the storm.
She also stressed that one of the most effective ways for staff and shelter guests to maintain a safe environment is by proper hand-washing, especially before handling food. According to Aileo, the difference between the rapid spread of disease and maintaining a healthy environment begins with personal hygiene. Most flus, colds and intestinal illnesses spread through touching contaminated surfaces followed by hand-to-mouth contact. Red Cross has made hand-washing a top priority for onsite staff by ensuring an ample supply of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, made possible in part through generous product donations from companies such as Ecolab and GOJO, maker of Purell.
For as serious as Katrina was, Aileo said that so far infections and illnesses among volunteers have not been excessive.
“We’ve had some [cases], but our events have not been greater than any other disaster,” she said.
Jennifer Morcone, a spokesperson for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) indicated that “a handful of wound infections associated with floodwaters” had been reported to date. Morcone said that she was confident that workers had done as much as possible to control the spread of infection.
Even so, once the Astrodome hit its capacity of 31,000, Hague said that the stadium felt as if it was the most densely-populated area in the world. Body heat and warmth from light fixtures were intense, making it a potential breeding ground for disease.
“Think of it—the air was stifling because it wasn’t moving. After a couple of days, the smell was very powerful,” he Hague. He recalled one family had moved outside the shelter to keep their toddler, who had open-skin abrasions, from exposure to potential contaminants in the confined, communal living space.
“But Red Cross places a huge priority on the safety of their people, and rightfully so,” said Hauge, who indicated he would be returning “for another tour.”
Dr. Andrew Cavey, M.P.H., a national physician advisor for Red Cross Disaster Health Services for 10 years, and Dr. Thomas Kirsch, M.D., M.P.H., a former disaster consultant for the federal CDC, assisted in evaluating medical risks in the aftermath of the storm. Kirsch said that E. coli, a bacterium that causes intestinal sickness, was found in high levels in floodwaters, along with dysentery and tetanus. While Cavey and Kirsch agreed that bacterial diseases will be an ongoing public concern in the areas affected for an undisclosed amount of time, they also said that help from the Red Cross has reduced risk factors.
“Red Cross shelters are well-managed in terms of hygiene,” Cavey said, praising Red Cross for providing shelter residents with access to health and safety information, including a 24-hour hotline available to evacuees in Mississippi.
According to Hague, workers and survivors at the Astrodome also were grateful when CVS opened a temporary pharmacy at the shelter, which he said remained continuously stocked and provided medications to evacuees at no cost.
Although large outbreaks of disease from contaminated water are rare in the United States today, the extent of damage from Katrina has increased the danger, according to Morcone. Bacteria have tainted many normally clean water sources. Evacuees should be aware that contaminants from damaged waste sanitation and water treatment systems were spread during and after the hurricane. Walking through murky floodwaters puts people at risk not only for infections, but for snake bites and other “threats you can’t see, including animals or nails and other debris that may cause punctures,” said Morcone.
“When a lack of sanitation or clean water exists, the risk of communicable disease increases,” Morcone said. “It reinforces the need for good hygiene.”
With some survivors of Katrina remaining in the close quarters of temporary shelters and some evacuees returning to damaged homes, the Red Cross and the CDC offers the following recommendations to prevent and combat disease:
- Wash hands frequently and properly to prevent the spread of many germs and bacteria. Place hands together under warm running water. Using soap, rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds, taking care to wash all surfaces well and getting under the fingernails. Rinse the soap and dry hands completely with a clean towel or air dry. If using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, apply the gel to the palm of one hand and rub hands together, rubbing all surfaces until the gel dries.
- Use bottled water until local authorities indicate tap water is safe to use. When bottled water is not available for drinking, filter tap water through a piece of cloth and bring it to a boil for one minute, and then let it cool for 30 minutes before using. Or, stir non-fragranced liquid chlorine bleach into tap water (16 drops per gallon of water) and let it stand for 30 minutes. If the water smells of chlorine, it is safe to drink. If it doesn’t, repeat the process one more time. If the water still does not smell of chlorine afterwards, do not drink it. Throw away food that has been in contact with storm water.
- Avoid tetanus and other serious infections by preventing open wounds. Wear hard-soled shoes, long pants and sturdy gloves.
- Be sure to check walls and ceilings for discoloration due to mold, as well as for a foul smell. If mold is found, Morcone said that the CDC’s recommends removing it with commercial products, soap and water, or a solution of one cup of bleach with one gallon of water and a hard brush.
Additionally, stagnant water that has collected and not been emptied from containers or surfaces breeds microorganisms and mosquitoes. CDC recommends the use of DEET or insect repellants containing Picaridin, which are most effective against mosquitoes. Also, avoid or restrict dusk-to-dawn outdoor activities as peak season for West Nile virus hits the Southeastern United States.
“The size and scope of the Katrina public health response was the largest that CDC has participated in during recent history,” added Morcone. “We anticipate being a full partner in the health and rebuilding of the areas impacted for some time to come.”
Learn more about safety recommendations regarding health and safety after a hurricane, by visiting www.redcross.org and www.CDC.gov.
Kelly Taaffe is a volunteer writer working from the American Red Cross national headquarters in Washington, D.C.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Midwest ice storms, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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