1994 — June-Aug esp., Heat, esp. AZ/47 (esp. July), CA/33, PA/22 (esp. July 5-10); TX/16– 221
— 221 CDC. “Heat-Related Deaths – Dallas, Wichita, and Cook Counties, Texas…1996.”[1]
— 221 CDC WONDER. ICD-9/E900 (exposure to excessive natural heat) search, 9-2-2016.[2]
–175-177 Blanchard tally of State breakouts below.[3]
Summary of Fatalities by State
Alabama ( 2)
Arizona ( 47)
California ( 33)
Florida ( 3)
Illinois ( 11)
Kansas ( 1)
Michigan ( 11)
Missouri ( 14)
New Jersey ( 2)
New York ( 1)
North Carolina ( 1)
Ohio ( 1-3)
Oklahoma ( 6)
Oregon ( 1)
Pennsylvania ( 22)
South Carolina ( 2)
Tennessee ( 1)
Texas ( 16)
Breakout of Heat-Related by State and Locality (where noted):
Alabama ( 2)
— 2 AL DPH. “Health precautions urged during periods of prolonged heat.” 11-7-2006 mod.[4]
— 1 Mobile, Aug 4 (dies Aug 6 at hospital). Heatstroke; laborer laying water lines. OSHA.
Arizona (47)
— 47 Blanchard tally of county breakouts below (using AZ DHS and CDC WONDER).
— 45 AZ DHS. Deaths from Exposure to Excessive Natural Heat…[AZ] 1992-2009. 2010, p17.[5]
Breakout by State or country of residence From Table 1, “Characteristics of deaths…”, p. 15.
–40 Arizona
— 4 Other U.S. State or Canada
— 1 Mexico/Other Central or South American country
Geographic region of occurrence From Table 1, “Characteristics of deaths…”, p. 15.
–13 Border counties
–24 Central Arizona counties
— 8 Northern Arizona counties
Gender From Table 1, “Characteristics of deaths…”, p. 15.
–36 Male
— 9 Female
Race/Ethnicity From Table 1, “Characteristics of deaths…”, p. 15.
–33 White non-Hispanic
— 4 Hispanic or Latino
— 3 Black or African American
— 4 American Indian or Alaska Native
Age group From Table 1, “Characteristics of deaths…”, p. 15.
— 1 0-4
— 0 5-19
— 1 20-24
— 1 25-29
— 1 30-34
— 3 35-39
— 3 40-44
— 2 45-49
— 4 50-54
— 5 55-59
— 2 60-64
— 3 65-69
— 7 70-74
— 7 75-79
— 2 80-84
— 2 85+
— 1 Unknown
County of occurrence From Table 1, “Characteristics of deaths…”, p. 16.
— 1 Coconino
— 3 La Paz
–13 Maricopa
–14 CDC WONDER, ICD-9/E900, exposure to excessive natural heat, code.
— 6 Mohave
— 1 Navajo
–10 Pima
–11 CDC WONDER, ICD-9/E900, exposure to excessive natural heat, code.
— 7 Pinal
— 1 Yavapai
— 3 Yuma
Month of death From Table 1, “Characteristics of deaths…”, p. 16.
— 1 April
— 4 May
–13 June
–18 July
— 6 August
— 3 September
California ( 33)
— 33 CDC WONDER. ICD-9/E900 (exposure to excessive natural heat) search, 9-2-2016.
— ~3 June. Brugge. “Heatwaves and record temperatures in North America, June 1994.” Weather.[6]
Florida ( 3)
— 3 Lushine (NWS). “Underreporting of Heat and Cold Related Deaths in Florida.” 1-6-2009.[7]
Illinois ( 1)
— 1 Cary, July 6. Heat stress. Worker chipping cement in open surface tank; temps. in 90s.[8]
Kansas ( 1)
— 1 Melvern, June 21. Heatstroke; new worker, 2d day on job, installing underground pipes.[9]
Missouri (~12)
— ~12 MO DHSS. Data & Statistical Reports. Chart: “Hyperthermia Mortality, Missouri 1980-2013.”[10]
— 4 St. Louis, June 17-23. NCDC. Storm Data, 36/6, June 1994, p. 160.[11]
New Jersey ( 2)
— 1 Hammonton Twp., June 15. Hyperthermia due to heatstroke; male migrant farm worker.[12]
— 1 Prospect Park, June 16. Heatstroke; male worker paving with hot asphalt. OSHA.
New York ( 1)
— 1 Albany, June 3. Heat exhaustion; boy, 5-months; father forgot and lift him in car backseat.[13]
North Carolina ( 1)
— 1 Mirabelli and Richardson. “Heat-Related Fatalities in North Carolina.” AJPH, Apr 2005.[14]
Ohio (1->3?)
— >0-3? Statewide, June 13-21. NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, 36/6, June 1994, p. 195.[15]
— 1 Manchester, June 16. Electric Utility emer. med. technician, during rescue op in tower.[16]
Oklahoma ( 6)
— 6 Garwe (OK Dept Health). “Heat-Related Deaths, Oklahoma, 1990-2001,” 5-31-2002, p.1.[17]
— 1 Oklahoma City (NW), June 27. Hyperthermia; male, 84, outside working on his car.[18]
Oregon ( 1)
— 1 Azalea/Canyonville area, July 29. Heatstroke; logging worker; temp. in Canyonville 101°.[19]
Pennsylvania ( 22)
— 22 Blanchard tally of NCDC noted heat related fatalities noted below. [20]
— 4 Philadelphia, June 13-21. “…accumulative effect of the heat and humidity…”[21]
–1 June 16. Hyperthermia contributing factor; male, 33; collapsed on the street.[22]
–1 June 17. Hyperthermia; female, 52, in home with no AC or fans; windows closed.[23]
— 1 Scranton, June 13-20. “…accumulative effect of the heat and humidity…”[24] Male, 37.[25]
— 17 Eastern PA (mostly Philadelphia), July. NCDC. Storm Data, 36/7, July 1994, p. 204.
–10 Philadelphia, July 5-10. NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, 36/7, July 1994, p. 192.[26]
— 5 July 6-8. AP, “Heat kills five in Philadelphia.” Gettysburg Times, 7-9-1994.
— 1 Lawncrest neighborhood, July 10. Male, 79; apartment with no AC.[27]
— 7 July. Location not noted.
— 20 Philadelphia, by July 24. Philadelphia Inquirer. “Summer is Hotter…Less Deadly.” 7-24-1994.
South Carolina ( 2)
— 1 Dorchester County, Dorchester, June 8. Heatstroke; male, 46. NCDC Storm Data, 36/6, 241.
— 1 Spartanburg County, Spartanburg, Aug 22. Simply notes “Death caused by heat.”[28]
Tennessee ( 1)
— 1 Nashville, June 16-18. Heatstroke; boy, 2-years; left in day-care center van 8 hours.[29]
Texas ( 3)
— 1 El Paso County, El Paso, June 28. Heatstroke; male, 40, construction worker; heat wave.[30]
— 1 Harris Co., Houston, June 15 (June 13 collapse). Female, 29; home garage, 107.9 temp.[31]
— 1 Nueces Co., Robstown, July 27. Heatstroke collapse/CPR induced lacerated heart. OSHA.[32]
Sources
Alabama Department of Public Health. “Health precautions urged during periods of prolonged heat.” 11-7-2006 modification. Accessed 11-8-2015 at: http://www.adph.org/news/assets/050621.pdf
Arizona Department of Health Services (Christopher K. Mrela and Clare Torres). Deaths from Exposure to Excessive Natural Heat Occurring in Arizona 1992-2009. AZ DHS, March 2010, 5-12-2014 modification. Accessed 9-1-2015: http://www.azdhs.gov/plan/report/im/heat/heat09.pdf
Associated Press. “Heat kills five in Philadelphia.” Gettysburg Times, PA, 7-9-1994, p. 1. Accessed 2-29-2016: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=779655&sterm=heat
Brugge, R. “Heatwaves and record temperatures in North America, June 1994.” Weather, Vol. 50, 1995, pp. 20-23.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Compressed Mortality File 1979-1998 (ICD-9/E900, exposure to excessive natural heat, search). CDC WONDER On-line Database, compiled from Compressed Mortality File CMF 1968-1988, Series 20, No. 2A, 2000 and CMF 1989-1998, Series 20, No. 2E, 2003. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/cmf-icd9.html on Sep 2, 2016 11:36:56 AM
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Heat-Related Deaths – Dallas, Wichita, and Cook Counties, Texas, and United States, 1996.” MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), Vol. 46, No. 23, 6-13-1997, pp. 528-531. Accessed 11-1-2015 at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00047895.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Heat-Related Deaths – Philadelphia and United States, 1993-1994.” MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), Vol. 43, No. 25, 7-1-1994, pp. 453-455. Accessed 2-29-2016: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00031773.htm
Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, IL. “Several cities set records in sweltering heat wave.” 6-18-1994, p. 7. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=32053164&sterm
Garwe, Tabitha, M.P.H., Epidemiologist, Injury Prevention Service, OK DPH. ). “Heat-Related Deaths, Oklahoma, 1990-2001.” Oklahoma City, OK: Oklahoma State Department of Health, 5-31-2002. Accessed 11-8-2015 at: http://www.ok.gov/health2/documents/Heat_Deaths_1990-2001.pdf
Lushine, James B. “Underreporting of Heat and Cold Related Deaths in Florida.” Miami, FL: National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, NOAA. 1-6-2009 modification. Accessed 11-1-2015 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/?n=fla_weather_casualties
Mirabelli, Maria C. and David B. Richardson. “Heat-Related Fatalities in North Carolina.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 95, no. 4, April 2005, pp. 635-637. Accessed 9-2-2015 at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1449233/
Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services. Data & Statistical Reports. Chart: “Hyperthermia Mortality, Missouri 1980-2013.” DHSS. Accessed 11-19-2015 at: http://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/hyperthermia/data.php
National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 36, No. 6, June 1994. Asheville, NC: NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-28-2016 at: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-A47D9C24-50F5-492D-A5BB-7019D51187C7.pdf
National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 36, No. 7, July 1994. Asheville, NC: NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-527FDE84-CEFA-48FA-A1D3-028CD6568C94.pdf
National Climatic Data Center. Storm Data, Vol. 36, No. 8, August 1994. Asheville, NC: NCDC, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-A25CE215-E640-460F-AAC3-4CF727FBF899.pdf
Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries [1994]. “Inspection: 103379335 – Dayton Power and Light Company,” June 16, 1994. Accessed 2-29-2016: https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=103379335
Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries [1994]. “Inspection: 106096894 – Overstreet Contracting Co., Inc.” Aug 4, 1994. Accessed 2-29-2016: https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=106096894
Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries [1994]. “Inspection: 106586555 – BRB Contractors, Inc.” June 21, 1994. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=106586555
Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries [1994]. “Inspection: 106875032 – Tilcon New Jersey Inc.” June 17, 1994. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=106875032
Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries [1994]. “Inspection: 108806266 – Atlantic Blueberries, Inc.” June 15, 1994. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=108806266
Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries [1994]. “Inspection: 110393253 – Armor Cote Corporation.” July 27, 1994. Accessed 2-29-2016: https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=110393253
Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries [1994]. “Inspection: 122207972 – F. H. Paschen, Inc.” July 6, 1994. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=122107972
Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries [1994]. “Inspection: 123746-67 – Timco Corporation.” July 19, 1994. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=123746067
Philadelphia Inquirer (Anthony R. Wood). “City Reports 2d Heat Death.” 6-18-1994. Accessed 2-29-2016: http://articles.philly.com/1994-06-18/news/25831040_1_heat-wave-hyperthermia-death
Philadelphia Inquirer (Lea Sitton). “In City, Warning on Heat Called Off. Saturday’s Heat was a Factor in an Eighth Death, of a 79-year-old Lawncrest Man.” 7-11-1994. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: http://articles.philly.com/1994-07-11/news/25843804_1_heat-warning-heat-related-deaths-cooling-efforts
Philadelphia Inquirer (Anthony R. Wood). “Summer is Hotter, But Less Deadly.” 7-24-1994. Accessed 11-20-2015 at: http://articles.philly.com/keyword/heat-related-deaths/featured/3
Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY. “Dad forgot 5-month-old son in car; youngster dies.” 6-6-1994, p. 1. Accessed 2-29-2016: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=29140994&sterm
The News-Herald, Franklin, PA. “Heat wave peaks.” 6-20-1994, p. 1. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=296849580&sterm=heat+wave
Wilson, Will. Constructed Climates: A Primer on Urban Environments. Duke University. Accessed 2-29-2016 at: http://sites.biology.duke.edu/wilson/ConClim/chap-6-human-health-urban-inequities/6-1-heat-wave-deaths.html
[1] Editorial Note to this article notes: “Of the 221 heat-related deaths in 1994, a total of 101 were ‘due to weather conditions.’…Because several other causes of death (e.g., cardiovascular and respiratory diseases) also increase during heat waves…deaths attributed to hyperthermia represent only a portion of heat-related excess mortality. The criteria to determine which deaths are attributable to hot weather and heat-related illness vary by state and among individual MEs [Medical Examiners] and coroners…Consequently, the effects of hot weather on human mortality probably are underestimated, and standard definitions are needed to accurately classify these deaths…”
[2] CDC-Wonder results relate only to cases where hyperthermia was coded ICD-9/E900 as primary (direct) cause of death by a medical examiner on a death certificate. “Heat-related” deaths are viewed as those where heat was an indirect or contributing cause of death, and are not included. Even with what we would view as a direct E900.0 heat death we know that sometimes such deaths are coded as something else – such as a dehydration in the case of a child left in a hot car, or heart-failure brought on by a heat stroke, and thus do not show up in a exposure to excessive heat query. Also, CDC WONDER suppresses (does not show) fatality numbers in a State where the loss of life is less than 10. For 1994 CDC WONDER shows population base of 263,241,475.
[3] This tally of State breakouts is very close to the number of 101 direct weather related deaths reported by the CDC.
[4] Credits the Health Department’s Center for Health Statistics.
[5] “Data on the number and characteristics of deaths from heat due to weather conditions were obtained from the mortality database containing information from the death certificates filed with the Arizona Department of Health Services….In addition to death certificates where exposure to excessive natural heat was indicated as the underlying cause of death, heatstroke or sunstroke may be reported on death certificates as contributing factors that had a bearing on the death, but were not its underlying cause. For example, heatstroke and sunstroke were mentioned in…Arizona death certificates where atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease…, respiratory disease…, diabetes…, or drug overdose/alcohol intoxication…were reported as the underlying cause of death. Those heat-related deaths are beyond the scope of this report.” (p. 1)
[6] “The heat was blamed for several deaths in the southern Californian deserts, including that of two men in their eighties whe were found dead inside stifling caravans.” (p. 23)
[7] From Figure 3: “Annual Temperature Deaths, Florida, 1979-1999,” a chart which shows heat deaths in one color and cold deaths in another on the same horizontal bar for each year. The fatality range shown on left of the chart is in increments of five, going up to thirty. The bars for each year are shown diagonally and do not show any numbers. This does not make them readily readable. Thus one has to measure the bar showing the lowest combined deaths (1979), which appears to show one cold death and one heat death. With the unit of measurement of one death then measured against the heat portion of all the other bars, one can get an approximation of the heat deaths for each year. I say “approximate” in that by this method we counted 133 heat deaths over the 21-year period included in the graph, whereas the text of the article notes that there were 125. Repetitious measurement attempts gave us the same result. The article notes that the data came from death certificates collected by the Public Health Statistics Section, Office of Vital Statistics, Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services.
[8] OSHA. “Inspection: 122207972 – F. H. Paschen, Inc.” July 6, 1994.
[9] OSHA. “Inspection: 106586555 – BRB Contractors, Inc.” June 21, 1994.
[10] Note “about” 12 deaths in that chart plots fatalities by increments of 10 on the left axis and years along the bottom, with a line connecting dots. Takes interpretation, even with enlargement — could be 13 or 14.
[11] “Twelve days of temperatures in the 90s and heat indices over 100 degrees produced numerous reports of heat related illnesses…In the City of St. Louis, four deaths and 33 heat related illnesses were reported from the 17th through the 23rd.”
[12] OSHA. “Inspection: 108806266 – Atlantic Blueberries, Inc.” June 15, 1994.
[13] Syracuse Herald-Journal, NY. “Dad forgot 5-month-old son in car; youngster dies.” 6-6-1994, p. 1.
[14] From Figure 1.
[15] Our guestimation based on: “A number of deaths occurred during the heat wave, but it was uncertain if any could be directly attributed to the heat.”
[16] OSHA “Inspection: 103379335 – Dayton Power and Light Company,” June 16, 1994. From Accident Investigation Summary: “A trained emergency medical technician for an electric utility was participating in a rescue operation inside a 900-foot-tall chimney. The stack elevator had malfunctioned….Inside the stack, the temperature was about 150 degrees….”
[17] From Figure 1. “Heat-Related Deaths by Year, Oklahoma, 1990-2001.” Deaths in Figure 1 are denoted by a horizontal bar, against backdrop of horizontal lines in increments of five. The precise number of deaths is not given, thus one has to make an educated guess in looking at the Figure and contrasting one bar against others.
[18] NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, 36/6, June 1994, p. 219. Notes that “Temperatures climbed to above 110 degrees in southwest Oklahoma with readings in excess of 100 in northwest and central Oklahoma during the afternoon hours on the 27th. The high temperature of 120 degrees from the Oklahoma Mesonet four miles south of Tipton tied the record for the highest temperatures ever recorded in the state. Additional high temperatures included 119 degrees three miles south of Altus, 116 three miles west of Gould, in Hollis and in Chattanooga and 115 in Frederick…”
[19] OSHA. “Inspection: 123746-67 – Timco Corporation.”
[20] Notes 5 deaths in June and 17 in July .
[21] NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, 36/6, June 1994, p. 228. “Most had medical problems and were found in their apartments with windows closed and no air conditioning.”
[22] CDC. “Heat-Related Deaths – Philadelphia and [U.S.], 1993-1994.” MMWR, 43/25, 7-1-1994, pp. 453-455. Notes the victim had a core body temperature of 108° F upon arrival at a hospital. Newspaper identified victim as Wayne Singleton as the first victim of the heat wave and notes that according to a hospital spokesperson, the victim “suffered an adverse reaction to drugs” and that “Hyperthermia also contributed to the death.”
[23] Philadelphia Inquirer (Anthony R. Wood). “City Reports 2d Heat Death.” 6-18-1994. Victim was Lena Rogers.
[24] NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, 36/6, June 1994, p. 228.
[25] The News-Herald, Franklin, PA. “Heat wave peaks.” 6-20-1994, p. 1.
[26] “Another heat wave affected most of Eastern Pennsylvania from July 5th to 10th. Ten heat related deaths occurred within Philadelphia. Most were elderly, in poor health and living in locations with inadequate ventilation. Indoor temperatures found by paramedics were all in the mid 80s to mid 90s. In addition to the deaths, there were reports of heat cramps and exhaustion. Roadways were also effected. In Carbon County, the lanes of Pennsylvania State Route 248 were lifted one foot along the Franklin/Parryville line. The highest temperatures reached 99 in Philadelphia…”
[27] Philadelphia Inquirer (Lea Sitton). “In City, Warning on Heat Called Off. Saturday’s Heat was a Factor in an Eighth Death, of a 79-year-old Lawncrest Man.” 7-11-1994. Identifies victim as William C. Moore, who did have a small fan running in his apartment, “but a thermostat showed the temperature was at least 96 degrees.” Article quotes a neighbor to effect that the victim refused to have air conditioning.
[28] NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, Vol. 36, No. 8, August 1994, p. 102.
[29] Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, IL. “Several cities set records in sweltering heat wave.” 6-18-1994, p. 7.
[30] NCDC, NOAA. Storm Data, 36/6, June 1994, p. 278. Notes: “An area of strong high pressure caused a record heat wave across West Texas the last week of this month [June]. High temperatures in most areas were 105-110 degrees each day, setting many daily and monthly records (and even some all-time records, too). The 27th was one of the hottest days, with most West Texas towns between 110 and 120 degrees….”
[31] Notes the victim was mentally impaired and that upon admittance to a hospital her rectal temperature was 1.7.9F. Also notes “The outdoor temperature and humidity had reached 92.0F…and 91%, respectively.” Will Wilson. Constructed Climates: A Primer on Urban Environments. Duke University. Cites CDC 1995.
[32] OSHA “Inspection: 110393253 – Armor Cote Corporation. The Accident Investigation Summary” notes “Employe…a 22-year-old, was moving/rolling heavy industrial pipe when he collapsed. The autopsy report stated that the employee collapsed due to heat stroke. The cause of death was a lacerated heart from the CPR performed following the collapse.”