Airlines that serve St. Louis went into emergency mode long before the emergency hit, as did hospitals across the region.
More than 175 flights into and out of Lambert were canceled Monday. While Lambert reported its runways to be in decent shape, airlines could not battle the ice coating planes.
American blinked first, canceling all flights after about 3:30 or 4 P.M. Southwest was next. Frontier Airlines canceled all flights for Thursday too. United, Delta, and U.S. Airways kept some flights going.
"Each airline has its own threshold," said Lambert spokesman Jeff Lea. "They're looking at forecast models. They can't wait to see what happens, because when you wait it is just too late."
Ice is harder for airlines to battle than snow, and Lea anticipated airlines would reevaluate their cancellations by Tuesday at noon.
"When things turn over to a sleet and snow mixture, we'll call out our snow crews, 220 personnel who work on our plows and brooms and dump trucks," he said.
Because St. Louis is not a major hub for connecting flights, Lea did not anticipate many passengers stuck, but restaurants will remain open if anybody needs them.
Even before airlines moved into emergency operation mode, many local hospitals had already instituted their plans.
St. John's Mercy Medical Center opened an incident command center Sunday, with key hospital leaders who've trained to deal with emergencies. It will be in place through Wednesday.
Administrator on call Dan Kalicak said managers in every department have been surveying their staff, to find out how they can make it to and from work. About 150 employees were expected to spend the night at the hospital Monday night. And some employees will become expert drivers Tuesday, using four wheel drive vehicles to get critical staff to work if necessary.
We can't provide transportation for everybody, but if there is someone in a critical position, say the operating room or cardiac catheterization lab, or a particular physician, and they're snowbound, a four wheel drive may do the trick," said Kalicak.
As for power, the hospital has backup emergency generators, and they've ordered back up diesel fuel that could keep them running for several days, if needed.
In an emergency, hospital staff will move into action, taking on any task they are asked to do. And often they'll volunteer before they're asked, says Kalicak.
"I'm an administrator, I'm not skilled in the medical or clinical needs of a patient," he said, "but I can mop a floor or push someone in a wheelchair."
He said St. John's Mercy periodically meets to refresh everyone's memory about their emergency plan. "We train on it, so when it's time to launch, we're ready," he said.
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