In order to be proactive, and taking an abundance of caution in having a refrigerated unit available for the county, Con-Agra has provided Saline County with a refrigerated trailer to help in the storage of bodies, if needed.

According to the Saline County Coroner Willie Harlow, the coroner’s office has always utilized the cooler of Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall, which has the capacity to hold three bodies, and in the last year, his office has been able to utilize the new cooler at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall which also can accommodate three bodies. Recently, both facilities have been at full capacity in being able to keep bodies refrigerated.

The main concern would be if there are several deaths in the county that the families choose cremation as the disposition. Cremation requires handwritten authorization from the deceased persons physician, plus signed authorization from family members. That can sometimes take a few days to get done and that’s where the main issue is. Harlow says the county hasn’t had a mass event to this point and we’re all praying that we don’t. But, the county has to be prepared.

After visiting with Fitzgibbon Hospital and Saline County Emergency Management, due to the excessive number of positive cases in the elderly and high risk patients at local long term care facilities, it was decided that the county should utilize a refrigerated trailer. The unit is housed at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall. Harlow says he has advised Fitzgibbon Hospital and Weiker Funeral Home in Slater that this unit is available if needed for storage. This also applies to any nursing home, long term care facility, or any entity that is served by Saline County.

Harlow says he hopes that the unit won’t even have to be turned on, but going with a holiday weekend and with the increased number of cases in the elderly and high risk, county authorities feel this is the best decision. Again, this is simply to stay ahead of the curve and be prepared should the need arise.