Morris Hospital CEO Expects Cleanup Efforts to Carry On All Week

Cleanup at Morris Hospital will continue through much of the week and the estimated cost of damages from flooding could reach $1 million, according to a Sun-Times News Group report.

Forty-seven patients were evacuated from the hospital after flood waters seeped into the building's lower level on Thursday. Twenty-two of those patients were ruled well enough to be discharged, hospital spokeswoman Janet Long said the report.

The rest of the patients were transferred to nearby facilities, including Presence St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet and Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.

"The depth of the water that came into our lower level was 3-4 inches and impacted every department on that floor," stated Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers president and CEO Mark Steadham in a news release.

"For the safety of our patients and our staff, the affected areas of the hospital must be properly cleaned and dried before we can return to full operations," he stated.

Steadman said he expected cleanup efforts to last about a week during a Sunday morning tour of the hospital's hardest hit areas, according to the Sun-Times News Group report.

The hospital emergency room continues to remain open to walk-in patients, and the emergency room parking lot and entrance have been re-opened, according to the hospital news release.

On Monday, outpatients returned to the hospital for laboratory, diagnostic cardiac, imaging and pulmonary testing services for the first time since the April 18 flooding.

While staff on the first floor took care of those who came in for outpatient and emergency services, more than 50 employees were brought in to assist with packing up supplies and equipment on the lower level, Long said. Meanwhile, crews from ServPro got busy removing carpet and affected drywall.

Employees and contractors are working around the clock to restore the hospital to full operations as soon as possible, she said.

“There is a great spirit of teamwork throughout our hospital, with everyone chipping in and doing whatever it takes to get the job done,” said Steadham. “I’m continually amazed by the dedication of our employees.”