At the Ready: All About the Misericordia Emergency Operation Plan 
by Linda Buchalo
Every day, we see Misericordia staff in action as they care for and work with our family members. It’s awe-inspiring to see how smoothly the process runs, given that many of the residents need a lot of supervision and may have difficulty following directions. Yet, day after day, life goes relatively smoothly for over 600 residents, both on and off campus. We can thank the amazing planning capabilities of Misericordia administrators and staff for this minor miracle.
What happens when an unexpected event causes a glitch in the daily routine? Think about situations that you have experienced in your own life—medical emergencies, severe weather conditions, hazardous spills that require evacuation, and so on. Imagine having to deal with situations like these for 600+ residents and 1600+ staff.
The attention to detail that defines Misericordia goes much deeper than planning for ordinary daily activities. The Emergency Operation Plan (EOP) Team works hard to prepare for every possible scenario and has established well-defined plans to prevent and handle different types of emergencies. The team includes the following staff: Bill Clucas, Carol Hawley, Joe Ferrara, Alnierys Venegas, and Scott Thompson.
Many situations that require special planning involve weather-related events: severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, winter storms with heavy snowfall, extremely hot or cold weather, floods, earthquakes, and poor air quality index.
Misericordia follows the Illinois Department of Health (IDPH) guidelines to determine appropriate actions for extreme weather. For example, are residents bused to their destination, or should they not go out at all? Nursing evaluates at-risk residents individually and superimposes additional guidelines to follow.
In addition to natural disasters, the team is cognizant of possible man-made disasters—biological, bomb, chemical, nuclear, and radiation threats. Other situations that require emergency preparedness include fire, power outages, suspicious or unattended packages, elevator failures, and violence, including an active shooter on or near campus.
Staff conduct regular training sessions and drills to ensure that the campus is prepared for emergencies. Fire training takes place annually, and drills occur monthly, with at least one drill per shift each quarter. Tornado drills occur yearly and whenever a tornado watch or warning is in effect. Some drills require partial evacuation while others require full evacuation.
In the case of an actual evacuation, Misericordia has partnered with neighboring S & C Electric, but has a backup plan if they are also affected. Partnerships with Primo Water and Abbott ensure access to clean water and emergency formula for tube-fed residents.
McAuley, Marian, Quinlan, and Rosemary Park homes have emergency generators. Shannon Apartments has a generator that powers the elevator. And agreements are in place to receive fuel for the generators when needed.
Medical situations surrounding the control of infection and communicable disease are another concern. The campus follows the isolation and masking guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and IDPH. In addition, Misericordia has specific policies to control and contain outbreaks of contagions like influenza, acute gastroenteritis, COVID, Ebola virus, and MERS-related coronavirus.
We’ve witnessed the way that Misericordia handled the recent COVID pandemic. Compared to other residential facilities and the community in general, Misericordia earned high marks for containing the virus and protecting our family members.
Other medical concerns are non-communicable illnesses, such as appendicitis or severe seizures, and accidents. An ongoing partnership with St. Francis Hospital ensures that sick and/or injured residents are transported promptly and receive quick care.
Another situation that requires quick action is a missing resident. Although supervision is superb, occasionally someone gets lost in the crowd or manages to slip away. Misericordia has well-defined procedures for dealing with this scenario. Procedures are tailored to specific circumstances—whether someone is missing on campus, at a CILA, on a community outing, in an enclave employment setting, or in community employment.
When a resident is missing, Dr. Find is the code that tells all staff to be on the alert. Off campus, specific staff are assigned to quadrants that mimic the Chicago Police Department beats. A recent upgrade uses Google Maps, which enables staff to bring up assigned search areas on their phones.
Multiple yearly tabletop drills walk through the steps for possible scenarios. Following a tabletop drill, a live drill allows staff to respond to a simulated disaster. One example is a Dr. Find situation in the community. A real-life player goes through the motions of a lost resident, and searchers use available aids to track the missing person. Staff can often track the person on camera, beginning with the camera nearest the person’s last known location. Searchers receive information regarding clothing and other identifiers. The team considers places of interest; for example, is this person likely to head to a McDonald’s? By tailoring each search to the individual resident, the likelihood of a quick find is much greater.
Chicago coordinates a yearly city-wide disaster drill, which includes all hospitals, long-term care facilities, dialysis centers, and home health care agencies. Misericordia participates in this drill; the city decides the scenario. In 2024, the scenario was a radiological threat, in 2025, a tornado and utility failure.
Following the immediate response to an emergency, the administration takes appropriate steps to communicate with families, recover information, transfer residents, and work with the press. Any such situation requires an accurate report of what happened and any actions taken.
The priority during any emergency is the safety of the residents. It’s important to remember that staff are busy and will contact family members and guardians as soon as possible. One of the steps in any large-scale emergency is establishing a communication plan, such as a website or a dedicated phone line, to provide information. For most scenarios, it’s best to adopt a “Don’t call us; we’ll call you” attitude. This gives staff the ability to direct their efforts to the safety of the residents. Rest assured, you’ll receive information at the first opportunity.
The EOP Team is constantly working to improve its processes. One way to do this is to secure grants to help cover the cost of additional safety and security supplies and services. Current goals are to find grants to cover the cost of additional Automated External Defibrillator machines and Stop the Bleed Kits, as well as increasing the number of cameras around campus. In 2024, safety/security grants covered the installation of fencing and gates around campus.
While emergencies are not a pleasant topic, it’s reassuring to know that Misericordia has a dedicated group of individuals who are constantly working toward preparedness for the unexpected. We are so blessed for all that Misericordia does for our most vulnerable family members!
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