Wind disasters: A comprehensive review of current management strategies

Changing windstorm characteristics over the US Northeast in a single model large ensemble

Extreme windstorms pose a significant hazard to infrastructure and public safety, particularly in the highly populated US Northeast (NE). However, the influence climate change and changing land use will have on these events remains unclear. A large ensemble generated using the Max-Planck Institute (MPI) Earth system model is used to generate projections of NE windstorms under different shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) and to attribute changes to projected land use land cover (LULC) change, externally forced changes and internal climate variability. To reduce the influence of coarse grid cell resolution and uncertainties in surface roughness lengths, windstorms are identified using simultaneous widespread exceedance of local 99th percentile 10 m wind speeds (U99). Projected declines in forest cover in the NE and the resulting reductions in surface roughness length under SSP3-7.0 lead to projections of large increases in U99 and derived windstorm intensity and scale. However, these projected changes in regional LULC under SSP3-7.0 are unprecedented in a historical context and may not be realistic. After corrections are applied to remove the influence of LULC on wind speeds, regionally averaged U99 exhibit declines for most of the single model initial-condition large ensemble (SMILE) members which are broadly proportional to the radiative forcing and global air temperature increase in the SSPs, with a median value of −0.15 ms−1 °C−1. While weak cyclones are projected to decline in frequency in the NE, intense cyclones and the resulting windstorms and indices of socioeconomic loss do not. Where present, significant trends in these loss indices are positive, and some MPI SMILE members generate future windstorms that are unprecedented in the historical period.

A Compact Optical MEMS Pressure Sensor Based on Fabry-Pérot Interference

Pressure sensors have important prospects in wind pressure monitoring of transmission line towers. Optical pressure sensors are more suitable for transmission line towers due to its anti-electromagnetic interference. However, the fiber pressure sensor is not a suitable choice due to expensive and bulky. In this paper, a compact optical Fabry–Pérot (FP) pressure sensor for wind pressure measurement was developed by MEMS technology. The pressure sensor consists of a MEMS sensing chip, a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (Vcsel), and a photodiode (PD). The sensing chip is combined with an FP cavity and a pressure sensing diaphragm which adopts the square film and is fabricated by Silicon on Insulator (SOI) wafer. To calibrate the pressure sensor, the experimental platform which consists of a digital pressure gauge, a pressure loading machine, a digital multimeter, and a laser driver was set up. The experimental results show that the sensitivity of the diaphragm is 117.5 nm/kPa. The measurement range and sensitivity of the pressure sensor are 0–700 Pa and 115 nA/kPa, respectively. The nonlinearity, repeatability, and hysteresis of the pressure sensor are 1.48%FS, 2.23%FS, and 1.59%FS, respectively, which lead to the pressure accuracy of 3.12%FS.

Suitability Assessment of Weather Networks for Wind Data Measurements in the Athabasca Oil Sands Area

The Athabasca Oil Sands Area (AOSA) in Alberta, Canada, is considered to have a high density of weather stations. Therefore, our objective was to determine an optimal network for the wind data measurement that could sufficiently represent the wind variability in the area. We used available historical data records of the weather stations in the three networks in AOSA, i.e., oil sands monitoring (OSM) water quantity program (WQP) and Wood Buffalo Environmental Association (WBEA) edge sites (ES) and meteorological towers (MT) of the air program. Both graphical and quantitative methods were implemented to find the correlations and similarities in the measurements between weather stations in each network. The graphical method (wind rose diagram) was found as a functional tool to understand the patterns of wind directions, but it was not appropriate to quantify and compare between wind speed data of weather stations. Therefore, we applied the quantitative method of the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and absolute average error (AAE) in finding a relationship between the wind data of station pairs and the percentage of similarity (PS) method in quantifying the closeness/similarity. In the correlation analyses, we found weak to strong correlations in the wind data of OSM WQP (r = 0.04–0.69) and WBEA ES (r = 0.32–0.77), and a strong correlation (r = 0.33–0.86) in most of the station pairs of the WBEA MT network. In the case of AAE, we did not find any acceptable value within the standard operating procedure (SOP) threshold when logically combining the values of the u and v components together. In the similarity analysis, minor similarities were identified between the stations in the three networks. Hence, we presumed that all weather stations would be required to measure wind data in the AOSA.

Triggering Mechanism of Extreme Wind over the Complex Mountain Area in Dali Region on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, China

Wind disasters are responsible for significant physical destruction, injury, loss of life, and economic damage. This study examined the extreme wind triggering mechanism over a typical mountain area with complex terrain, i.e., Dali city in Yunnan Province on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau in China. Using the observation data, we first optimized the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model configuration and parametrization schemes for better simulating the wind in this area using a 1-month simulation. Then, the triggering mechanism of extreme wind was investigated by performing a series of sensitive experiments based on a typical extreme wind case. The results indicate that terrain uplift is critical for triggering the local 8–9-scale (the wind velocity between 17.2 and 24.4 m/s) extreme winds over high topography regions. When a large-scale atmospheric circulation is passing, accompanied with regional terrain lifting, the instantaneous wind velocity can reach 9- to 10-scale (the mean wind velocity between 20.8 and 28.4 m/s), causing broken power lines. These results suggest that it is essential to avoid sites where these factors can affect the operation of power transmission lines, or to establish warning systems in the existing systems.

Survey of trauma patients injured by falling or flying objects in Japan based on the Japan Trauma Data Bank

PURPOSE

We retrospectively investigated patients injured by falling/flying objects using the Japan Trauma Data Bank (JTDB).

METHODS

The study collected information of the JTEB from January 2004 to May 2019. The subjects were divided into two groups: the unexpected accident (UA) group included cases in which the patient was injured by an unexpected accident; the labor accident (LA) group included cases in which the patient was injured at work.

RESULTS

A total of 1997 patients were enrolled as subjects (UA group, n = 383; LA group, n = 1134). In both groups, head injuries were the most frequent type of injury, followed by chest injuries. The median head abbreviated injury scale of the UA group was significantly higher than that of the LA group. In the UA group, the percentage of female patients, average age, and average TRISS value were significantly greater in comparison to the LA group. The frequency of emergency operations in the UA group was significantly lower in comparison to the LA group. The frequency of head injuries in the UA group was significantly greater than that in the LA group. The frequencies of upper extremity and lower extremity injuries in the UA group were significantly lower than those in the LA group.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report to analyze trauma patients injured by falling/flying objects using the JTDB. Public health and emergency providers can use this information to anticipate the health-care needs after falling/flying object injuries.

Injury Patterns and Outcomes of Victims After the 2016 Jiangsu Tornado in China: A Retrospective Analysis of Injuries Treated at a Teaching Hospital

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to characterize the injury profiles and outcomes of victims of a tornado in Jiangsu Province, China.

METHODS

This study retrospectively investigated the clinical records of 144 patients treated at a teaching hospital due to a tornado. Each patient's demographic data, diagnosis, injury types, causes of injury, infection status, and outcomes were all reviewed.

RESULTS

Of the 144 patients, 64 (44.4%) were male, and 80 (55.6%) were female. The patients' ages ranged from 2 months to 94 years; 91 (63.19%) were admitted within the first 12 h after the disaster. The most frequently injured sites were the body surfaces (24.48%), followed by the limbs and pelvis (21.79%) and chest (20.3%). Soft-tissue injuries and fractures were the most frequent injuries. Traumatic brain injuries were the main causes of death. Tornado-related injuries were primarily caused by flying/falling bricks, wood, and glass. Twenty-three (15.9%) patients suffered from infections, which consisted mainly of skin/soft tissue infections and pneumonia.

CONCLUSIONS

Destructive tornadoes often cause heavy casualties with little warning. Medical aid agencies must be prepared to accommodate the massive numbers of injured patients after a catastrophe. Proper triage and prompt treatment of injured victims may decrease mortality. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;xx:xxx-xxx).

Portable ultrasound in disaster triage: a focused review

Ultrasound technology has become ubiquitous in modern medicine. Its applications span the assessment of life-threatening trauma or hemodynamic conditions, to elective procedures such as image-guided peripheral nerve blocks. Sonographers have utilized ultrasound techniques in the pre-hospital setting, emergency departments, operating rooms, intensive care units, outpatient clinics, as well as during mass casualty and disaster management. Currently available ultrasound devices are more affordable, portable, and feature user-friendly interfaces, making them well suited for use in the demanding situation of a mass casualty incident (MCI) or disaster triage. We have reviewed the existing literature regarding the application of sonology in MCI and disaster scenarios, focusing on the most promising and practical ultrasound-based paradigms applicable in these settings.

The emergence of ebola as a global health security threat: from 'lessons learned' to coordinated multilateral containment efforts

First reported in remote villages of Africa in the 1970s, the Ebolavirus was originally believed to be transmitted to people from wild animals. Ebolavirus (EBOV) causes a severe, frequently fatal hemorrhagic syndrome in humans. Each outbreak of the Ebolavirus over the last three decades has perpetuated fear and economic turmoil among the local and regional populations in Africa. Until now it has been considered a tragic malady confined largely to the isolated regions of the African continent, but it is no longer so. The frequency of outbreaks has increased since the 1970s. The 2014 Ebola outbreak in Western Africa has been the most severe in history and was declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Given the widespread use of modern transportation and global travel, the EBOV is now a risk to the entire Global Village, with intercontinental transmission only an airplane flight away. Clinically, symptoms typically appear after an incubation period of approximately 11 days. A flu-like syndrome can progress to full hemorrhagic fever with multiorgan failure, and frequently, death. Diagnosis is confirmed by detection of viral antigens or Ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the blood or other body fluids. Although historically the mortality of this infection exceeded 80%, modern medicine and public health measures have been able to lower this figure and reduce the impact of EBOV on individuals and communities. The treatment involves early, aggressive supportive care with rehydration. Core interventions, including contact tracing, preventive initiatives, active surveillance, effective isolation and quarantine procedures, and timely response to patients, are essential for a successful outbreak control. These measures, combined with public health education, point-of-care diagnostics, promising new vaccine and pharmaceutical efforts, and coordinated efforts of the international community, give new hope to the Global effort to eliminate Ebola as a public health threat. Here we present a review of EBOV infection in an effort to further educate medical and political communities on what the Ebolavirus disease entails, and what efforts are recommended to treat, isolate, and eventually eliminate it.