Effects of the August 2003 Blackout on the New York City Healthcare Delivery System A Lesson for Disaster Preparedness

The authors reviewed citywide emergency medical calls for service, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions after the 2003 power failure in New York City. They found a nearly 200% increase in EMS calls for service from respiratory issues in community-based patients with 37 admissions to a single hospital for device failure and note the need for better disaster preparedness planning for facilities and homebound patients.