Macon County Ice Storm Deployment

IMERT News - 1/17/2007

A severe ice storm knocked out power to over 44,000 homes and businesses in the Decatur area.  Due to the extreme cold and length of blackout the local REMERT team established a special needs shelter at Richland Community College.  IMERT was soon activated to continue operations at the shelter and assumed operations from the local REMERT on December 3^rd.

From December 3^rd until December 7^th IMERT and INVENT members operated a special medical needs shelter for patients with preexisting medical conditions that couldn’t stay in their homes because of the lack of heat and power for medical equipment.  This shelter housed a mix of chronically ill patients from home, and recent hospital discharges that could not be served by the general Red Cross shelter.  Care was provided to these people until they could return home or be relocated with relatives that live out of town.

IMERT also continued our long partnership with the Illinois National Guard by providing medical support to the Guard personnel that were performing house to house searches in below freezing temperatures.

The members of IMERT should be proud of their team for the care provided to the people of Macon County.  This was not a disaster with massive destruction that many people imagine when they think of the kinds of events we may be deployed to.  However, this truly was a disaster to the affected people who had no place to receive care other than that provided by IMERT and the State and local resources.

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