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Barriers to Evacuation from the WTC on September 11, 2001

National Disaster Medical SystemDisaster Response Conference

April 20, 2004

Robyn R.M. Gershon, MHS, DrPHPrincipal Investigator

NCDPNational Center for

Disaster PreparednessColumbia University

CPHPCenter for Public

Health PreparednessColumbia University

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Dr. Kristine QureshiDr. Stephen MorseDr. Elizabeth SmailesDr. Tracy DurrahDr. Victoria RaveisMs. Erin Hogan

Dr. Alan Fleischman (NYAM)Dr. Fred Matzner (Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center)Mr. Glenn Corbett (John Jay)Dr. Charles Jennings (John Jay) Dr. Mark Franklin Peyrot (Loyola)Dr. Martin Sherman (Loyola)Dr. Rae Zimmerman (NYU)

Mailman School of Public Health:

Research TeamP.I. - Dr. Robyn Gershon

Other Institutions:

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• Study goals

• Background information on the WTC attacks

• Evacuation behaviors- what is known/does it apply to high rise buildings

• Qualitative data findings

• Preliminary policy implications

Lecture Outline

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1. To identify the individual, organizational, and structural factors that affected evacuation from the WTC on 9/11/01

2. To inform policy and practice in order to improve the safe evacuation of high rise structures

Goals

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Logistical Considerations:

• Funding timeliness

• Access to survivors

• Cooperation across studies

Logistical Challenges to Disaster Research

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Ethical Considerations:• Decision-making ability of survivors and

assessment of ability• How to assess impact of the research on the

survivors• How to assure confidentiality of data, litigation

issues• Access to survivors• Weighing societal benefits vs. costs to

participants, especially when individual benefits may be lacking

Ethical Considerations of Disaster Research

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• Building Facts

• Timeline

• 9/11 Attacks

• Evacuation

• Morbidity and Mortality

Background Information

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South

North

WTC Complex

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Timeline of Events

Announcement heard in WTC 2 (South)

WTC 1 (North) hit

WTC 2 (South) hit

WTC 2 (South) collapses

WTC 1 (North) collapses

8:46 8:55 9:02 9:59 10:28

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September 11, 2001

North Tower Impact

• Impact: 8:46 am- American Airlines Flight 11

• Collapsed 1 hour and 42 min after impact

South Tower Impact

• Impact: 9:02 am- United Airlines Flight 175

• Collapsed 57 minutes after impact

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• In the span of 102 minutes, approximately 18,000 people evacuated the North and South Towers

• High percentage of people below the impact site survived from both towers

• 16-18 survivors above impact site in South Tower

• 0 survivors above impact site in North Tower

• Approximately 200 people jumped or fell from floors above impact

• Fatalities below impact line linked to proximity

WTC Evacuation

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• 1103 injuries or illnesses related to attack

−73% treated and released from EDs

−16% hospitalized

−0.4% died during emergency care

• 790 physical injuries

• 152 non-injury conditions

InhalationBurnsFracturesOcularHead Injuries

RespiratoryCardiacNeuro/psych

Morbidity and Mortality: Injuries/Illness

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• 479 rescue workers• 157 jetliner crew and passengers• 2190 civilian deaths

- 1434 in North Tower - 599 in South Tower - 147 location unknown - 10 bystanders (on the ground)

• 70% worked on upper floors• Approximately 800 people in North Tower and

300 people in South Tower were trapped above impact zone

Morbidity and Mortality: Fatalities

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Study Overview

QuestionnaireDevelopment

& Administration

Data Analysis

Participatory Action Teams

Identification of Risk

Reduction Strategies& Recommendations

Feedback to Participants &Stakeholders

Preparation of

Reports

Qualitative Processes & Analyses

Sample Frame Identificationand Strategy

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What is Known:

• Will not go towards smoke

• Seek out groups, group size is important

• Individual and group panic dependent on several key factors

• Information serves as motivator

• Familiarity adaptive and pro-social behaviors

Human Behaviors in Fire Emergencies

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What is Known:

• Social contact neutralizes threat

• Evacuation behaviors related to prior experience and practice- “auto-pilot”

• Lack of leader, ambiguity leads to milling behaviors

• Move towards and stay with group even if it is not the best option

Human Behaviors in Fire Emergencies

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• Key Informant Interviews

• In-depth Interviews

• Focus Groups

Qualitative Data

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Individual Barriers:• Disabilities and poor physical

condition

• Last minute work-related tasks

• Taking personal items, making calls

• Footwear

• Waiting for instructions/direction

• Poor familiarity with WTC building

• Fear of negative impact on job

Individual Facilitators:• Direct evidence of

magnitude

• Intuition

• Prior experience

Factors Associated with Evacuation

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Organizational Barriers:• Lack of internal communication• Confusion re: fire safety responsibility

• Lack of preplanning for disabled

• Variability in training

• Poor commitment to safety climate

• Lack of orientation to building

• Lack of visitor planning

• Lack of direction on street

• Subway level mismanagement

• Breakdown in Fire Safety procedures

• Lack of info on building egress point limits

Factors Associated with Evacuation

Organizational Facilitators:• Fire drill participation• Support from senior

management• Fire safety procedures in

addition to PANYNJ

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Structural Barriers:• Poor visibility of exit signs

• Lack of back-up communication systems

• Elevator communication

• Locked egress (re-entry points)

• Stairwell width

• Stairwell design (e.g., switching)

• Debris/water/smoke

Factors Associated with Evacuation

Structural Facilitators:• Well lit stairwells

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Individual:

– Degree of personal responsibility

– Familiarity with building, especially exit points

– Determine time to descend

– Disability preparations

– Comfortable footwear

– Start evacuation immediately

Preliminary Recommendations

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Organizational:

– Delineation of responsibilities

– Written plans, policies that target full evacuation if necessary

– Training, mandatory, new, annual, and orientation

– Drills to include stairwells, 3 flight minimum

– Leaders chosen with experience

– Responsibilities of building owners, lease holders, employers and employees

– Coordination/pre-planning with local agencies

Preliminary Recommendations

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Structural:

– Redundancy of communication systems

– Communication in elevators

– Signage

– Lighting

– Egress

Preliminary Recommendations

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Phase III: Questionnaire Development & Administration

• Security badge list from Port Authority of NY/NJ in December 2003

• ~100,000 employees in WTC 1, 2, 7• Current as of April 2001• Excel spreadsheet file

– Names– Employer Names– Tower– Floor– WTC phone #– Badge type (permanent employee, contractor, PANYNJ

employee)

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• Sample underwent “cleaning”– WTC 7 employees removed– Names of deceased removed (checked 3x)– Duplicate entries removed

• 30,000 sampling frame (randomly selected)– 20,000 randomly selected from sample to

receive recruitment letter

Questionnaire cont.

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Questionnaire: Process

• Hard copy, web-based, and email versions• Recruitment letter w/ return post card

– Accept/decline– In WTC 1 or 2 on 9/11– Bar code – Web based or paper version option (mailed or emailed)– Code # serves as web based user ID

• After 2 weeks, no card or web completion first reminder card

• Two month data collection phase

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Preliminary Recommendations

• High rise occupancies High risk occupancies

• Inform: – Building owners, leaseholders, employees

– Code development

– Building design

– Regulatory compliance

– Emergency planners

• Next Steps:

– Develop and evaluate model evacuation plan

– Meet with OSHA, WTC builders

– Widespread dissemination to reach all stakeholders

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OSHA 1910: Occupational Safety & Health Standards

Subpart E– Means of Egress:1910.37 Means of Egress1910.38 Employee Emergency PlansAppendix to Subpart E--Means of Egress

Subpart K– Medical and First Aid:1910.151 Medical Services and First Aid

Subpart L– Fire Protection:1910.155 through 1910.165

Subpart Z– Toxic and Hazardous Substances:1910.1200 Hazardous Communications

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http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/sph/CPHP/wtc.html

Thank youWorld Trade Center Evacuation Study