JOPLIN, MO.--- You may have had the luxury of staying home today, but employees at Freeman Hospital have to be there no matter what.
"The hospital does not close for winter weather like some businesses are able to. The hospital stays open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So, whenever we have a winter storm, it's critical that we have our staff here," states Danny Caylor, Freeman Director of Facilities Management.
So, the security department is making house calls.
"When we get conditions like today, where it's hard to travel, we make trips out to pick up staff at home for those critical staff members that need to be here at the hospital," states Irv Young, Freeman Head of Security.
It's a service they haven't had to use much this winter, but keeping operations in full swing at Freeman means more than just transporting doctors and nurses to and from work.
"My officers are in of charge keeping the entrance ways open, which is all of the doors around the hospital. We keep it shoveled, the snow and ice out of it and we also use the salt de-icer," says Young.
Something Young says is important for staff members as well as visitors.
"Safety is the important thing. We don't want people coming to the hospital and they slip and fall trying to get in when they are here to visit, and then they are up a patient," states Young.
Everyone, regardless of in which department they work, pitched in to help.
"It takes a team effort. So we have electricians, bio med technicians, carpenters, painters, all pitching in to work outside to try to keep the hospitals open and safe for entry," says Caylor.
The Freeman Employee Transport System has about 4 different vehicles on hand to pick employees up, all of which are SUV's and trucks with 4 wheel drive.
"The hospital does not close for winter weather like some businesses are able to. The hospital stays open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So, whenever we have a winter storm, it's critical that we have our staff here," states Danny Caylor, Freeman Director of Facilities Management.
So, the security department is making house calls.
"When we get conditions like today, where it's hard to travel, we make trips out to pick up staff at home for those critical staff members that need to be here at the hospital," states Irv Young, Freeman Head of Security.
It's a service they haven't had to use much this winter, but keeping operations in full swing at Freeman means more than just transporting doctors and nurses to and from work.
"My officers are in of charge keeping the entrance ways open, which is all of the doors around the hospital. We keep it shoveled, the snow and ice out of it and we also use the salt de-icer," says Young.
Something Young says is important for staff members as well as visitors.
"Safety is the important thing. We don't want people coming to the hospital and they slip and fall trying to get in when they are here to visit, and then they are up a patient," states Young.
Everyone, regardless of in which department they work, pitched in to help.
"It takes a team effort. So we have electricians, bio med technicians, carpenters, painters, all pitching in to work outside to try to keep the hospitals open and safe for entry," says Caylor.
The Freeman Employee Transport System has about 4 different vehicles on hand to pick employees up, all of which are SUV's and trucks with 4 wheel drive.
