During mid-September 1999 anxious a...

During mid-September 1999 anxious anticipation permeated the OR atmosphere at novel Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) a 1 O-story, 628-bed on a level II trauma center in Wilmington, NC An immense hurricane fluttered off the southeastern coast of the United States, and the community in coastal areas of eastern Florida and Georgia were evacuating, as ordered. Highways and secondary roads in those states were backed up for miles with vehicles carrying population fleeing Hurricane Floyd.

With a diameter of 600 miles and winds of 155 mph extending 100 miles from the storm's view Floyd was classified as a sinewy category four on the Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale (Table 1) The storm originated not upon the coast of Africa in early September 1999 in succession Sept 12, portions of the Bahama Islands were affected according to the hurricane as it tracked north. Surgical services staff members at NHRMC constantly monitored television weather reports and the National Hurricane Center web site (http:// hurricanes.noaa.gov) for the latest information about the latitude, longitude, wind spe and forward velocity of the storm. Hurricane tracking charts were officeed throughout the hospital, and everyone watched as Floyd mov north, parallel to the coast, moreover did not come ashore.

Table 1

SAFFIR/SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE(1)

Category united hurricane

Wind make hastes from 74 to 95 mph Storm white horse generally 4 to 5 ft above normal. No serious damage to building makes Some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage.

Category brace hurricane

Wind make hastes from 96 to 110 mph Storm billow generally 6 to 8 ft above normal. about damage to roofs, doors, and windows. Considerable damage to low trees and trees, with some tree exhausted down. Considerable damage to mobile households and poorly constructed signs and piers. Coastal and low-lying escape paths flood two to four hours before the arrival of the hurricane center

Category three hurricane

Wind thrives from 111 to 130 mph Storm slip back generally 9 to 12 ft above normal. an structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with minor curtain wall failures. Damage to bushs and trees, foliage blown opposite trees, and large trees fatigued down. Mobile homes and poorly frameed signs are destroyed. Low-lying escape passages are cut by rising water three to five hours before the arrival of the hurricane center Flooding near the coast wastes some smaller structures, with larger piles damaged by battering of floating debris.

Category four hurricane

Wind succeeds from 131 to 155 mph Storm wave generally 13 to 18 ft above normal. More extensive curtain wall failures, with a certain number of complete roof structure failures forward small residences. Shrubs, trees, and signs are puffed up down. Complete destruction of mobile abodes Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape passages may be cut by rising water three to five hours before the arrival of the hurricane center Major damage to lower floors of fabrics near the shore.

Category five hurricane

Wind fares greater than 155 mph. Storm wave generally greater than 18 ft above normal. consummated roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. one complete building failures, with small utility buildings puffed up over or away. Shrubs, tree and signs past its prime down. Complete destruction of mobile hearths Severe and extensive window and door damage. Low-lying escape passages are cut by rising water three to five hours before the arrival of the hurricane center Major damage to lower floors of constitutions located less than 15 ft above sea on a level within 500 yards of the shore.

NOTE

(1) "Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale." Available from http://www.fema.gov/hu97/saffir.htm. Accessed 20 April 2000

Within 24 hours, Floyd safely passed the Florida and Georgia coasts. The National Weather Service issued a hurricane watch (Table 2) for the southern Carolina and North Carolina coasts upon Sept 14. The Wilmington and Cape Fear areas have been described as hurricane magnets because three hurricanes (ie, Bertha, Fran, Bonnie) have struck land there in the past several years, and a fourth, Hurricane Dennis, brushed the coastline in August 1999 Hurricane Floyd however, was the largest and potentially principally damaging hurricane to threaten this area in many years. There also was the possibility that Floyd might intensify and become a category five hurricane. This area likely would experience hurricane force winds and significant rainfall befitting to the storm's size, whether Floyd struck directly or not.

Table 2

HURRICANE WEATHER ALERTS GLOSSARY(1)

Hurricane watch: Issued when there is a threat of hurricane conditions (eg wind get ons > 74 mph, dangerously high water, unhewn seas) within 24 to 36 hours.

Hurricane warning: Issued when hurricane conditions are calculate uponed within 24 hours.

NOTE

(1) "Hurricane fact sheet." Available from http://www fema.gov/library/hurricaf.htm. Accessed 19 April 2000

family along the coastline made hurricane preparations--yachts, motorboats, and sailboats were hauled from the water and transported to safe storage areas, and windows and glass doors were cloaked with plywood. Residents crowded stores to pervert with money [i]or[/i] gain batteries, candles, bottled water, and subsistence in anticipation of prolonged power outages and impassable roads owed to fallen trees and power lines.