Spring 2023 Case Studies – NYU GPH Journal of Public Health Disasters

July 13, 2023July 13, 2023

Joanna Horvath, Victoria Sevilla, Hyacinth Burrowes, and Gangao Chen’s Wildfire Outbreak Emergency Operations Plan

Due to California’s topography, climate, and vegetation the state provides a “world class” fire environment. By acreage, the largest seven fires in California history have all occurred in the past five years, five of which burned through the state between August and September 2020. To address wildfire response by The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH), the group developed a comprehensive Wildfire Outbreak Emergency Operations Plan.

May 30, 2023May 30, 2023

Hyacinth Burrowes’ Case Study on South Asia’s Air Pollution

In this case study, Burrowes examines the effect and management efforts of air pollution in South Asia. Air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels and windblown dust remains a major public health concern in South Asian regions inlcuding Lahore, Pakistan, Bhiwandi, India, and Bangladesh. Air pollution has significant negative health impacts and is linked to lower respiratory disease, heart disease. lung cancer, and stroke.

May 28, 2023September 14, 2023

Keasler Witt’s Case Study on The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Witt presents the public health concerns associated with the Great Specific Garbage Patch (GPGP), a collection of marine remains and plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean. Consisting of nearly 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic, the state of the GPGP poses a significant threat to marine life. Due to microplastics and discarded fishing nets, the GPGP has led to a ghost fishing epidemic (the trapping of marine life by abandoned fishing nets) that harms fish, crustaceans, marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds.

May 28, 2023May 29, 2023

Hsin-Yi Chang’s Case Study Presentation on the Indian Ocean Tsunami

In a case study, Hsin-Yi discusses the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004. Brought on by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake, the disaster resulted in 228,000 fatalities and $4.5 billion in damages. The most affected groups among those impacted by tsunami were vulnerable populations such as young children and the elderly.

May 21, 2023September 14, 2023

Himani Chhetri’s Case Study on The 2022 Seoul Crowd Crush

Amid the Halloween festivities in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea, a crowd crush occurred on October 29, 2022. With nearly 100,000 people out attending the evening celebrations, nearly 153 individuals died in the surge.

March 27, 2023April 26, 2023

Sophia Zuniga’s Case Study on the 2018 Parkland Shooting

Protesters hold signs at a rally protesting gun violence in 2018.

The Parkland Shooting Massacre was one of America’s top three deadliest mass shootings. The shooting took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018. Using a semi-automatic AR-15, shooter Nikolas Cruz shot thirty-four people, killing seventeen. The shooting prompted discussions on gun control policies, policies in response to gun violence, and young people’s participation in politics.

March 13, 2023March 29, 2024

Dareen Aloufi’s Case Study on Ricin Poisoning in Utah

Ricin is a potent toxin extracted from castor beans. Photo courtesy of Wiki Images.

Ricin is a highly toxic poison derived from castor beans that can cause cell death and extreme morbidity when inhaled, ingested, or injected. Death is reported to occur within thirty-six to seventy-two hours after exposure and can spread through fomites.

March 13, 2023March 29, 2023

Jenna MacLeod’s Case Study on the Guatemalan Volcanic Eruption

Guatemala volcano eruption eases after forcing airport closure.

The Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupted on June 3, 2018. The volcano’s quick-moving lava made it difficult to evacuate homes and find substantial shelters for displaced populations. Hundreds of people were killed in the disaster and homes were destroyed by volcanic residue and hot lava.

March 13, 2023March 29, 2023

Thomas O’Neill’s Case Study on the 1986 Chernobyl Power Plant Disaster

A reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Pripyat, Ukraine exploded on April 26, 1986. Two plant workers died as the disaster took place, followed by the death of twenty-eight more individuals in the next few weeks, all of whom were involved in local disaster response efforts. In the next few years, more than 6,000 children suffered from thyroid cancer. The disaster also resulted in the evacuation of 220,000 inhabitants in Pripyat for unsafe habitability.