Assignment #2-
Hurricane Katrina Case Study- Read the case study and answer the questions for each section.
There are 3 parts to read and answer.
Katrina's Troubled Waters:
The Rescue Worker's Dilemma
by
Lynn M. Diener, Biology Department, Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, WI
Part I – Concerns
As a rescue worker in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, Patty was expected to go from house to house looking for stranded flood survivors. She was part of a boat rescue team and spent much of her time on the boat, but also had to wade through the water from time to time to assist people who had trouble walking or were afraid of crossing through the water on their own to get to the boat. Patty had some concerns about being a rescue worker and was considering quitting her job.
Questions
1. If you were Patty, what concerns would you have about being a rescue worker? How many people would I need to rescue? Are their people trapped under the water that we can't see? How many people are in community homes? How about the nursing homes and the elderly how are we going to rescues them with there being so many other people we need to rescue?
2. Are any of your concerns health-related? Order your health-related concerns from highest concern to lowest.
How many people have heart conditions that we don't know of?
How fast is the water going to flood each home by the time the team(s) get there?
How many floating devices do we have?
Do we have enough rafts?
How about air rescue? Will we need that if it's that severe?
When the flood is gone how about all the homes,stores,hospitals are destroyed and damaged due to the water, how much finds will we need to raise to fix it?
3. How many of these concerns exist only in the flood conditions present in New Orleans right after Hurricane Katrina? The water damage to the stores,hospitals etc
The concern for rafts.
The concern for the safety of the homeless,the elderly,the now homeless adults and families.
The trauma that is now engraved inside the minds of each hurricane Katrina victim.
Part II – Lead
Patty's boss told her that scientists had done tests and a number of toxins and pathogenic bacteria were found in the flood waters. Exposure to any of the toxins or bacteria has the potential to lead to illness in the stranded New Orleans residents or the rescue workers trying to transport them to safer locations. One toxin found at levels higher in the flood water than those deemed safe for drinking water was lead (Pb).
Lead (Pb), a heavy metal with a molecular weight of 207 g/mole, is a central nervous system toxin. Especially dangerous for young children, it can cause learning disabilities. It also has been linked to nausea, abdominal pain, irritability, insomnia, excess lethargy or hyperactivity, headache, gastrointestinal problems, and anemia. More serious symptoms include seizure and coma.
Current uses of lead include batteries, ceramic glazes, projectiles for firearms, radiation shielding, solder, electrodes, etc. Past uses include paint pigment, plumbing pipes, and leaded gasoline
Questions
1. What are some possible sources for the lead in the flood water? Batteries, ceramic glazes,projectiles from firearms,radiation shielding,solder,electrodes
2. How could you determine where the lead comes from? Scientists have ran a series of tests and an number of toxins were found in the water.
3. What populations/individuals are at the highest risk from the lead in the flood waters and why? Children because it can cause learning disabilities.
Part III – Soil
Patty found research suggesting that the main source of lead was from the soil. Concentrations of lead were found to be 150 to 800 times more concentrated in the top 0.025 mm of soil than acceptable based on guidelines set out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She also discovered that the primary route of exposure for lead is oral, with small contributions from inhalation and skin absorption.
Questions
1. What are some reasons why the concentration of lead is so high in New Orleans soil? The concentration of lead were found to be 150 to 800 times more concentrated.
2. Would you expect a difference between New Orleans and New York City soil? Yes
3. Would you expect a difference between New Orleans and the soil in a very small, rural town? Yes
4. What precautions could Patty take to minimize her exposure to lead? She should wear protective gear to help protect herself from lead.
5. Should Patty stay and help the rescue effort or should she quit her job? She should keep her job
