Metcalfe Co. nursing home continues repairs after residents evacuated on Christmas Eve

METCALFE COUNTY, Ky. (WBKO) - Sixty-two nursing home residents at Metcalfe Health Care Center remain displaced after a Christmas Eve disaster, but officials are calling the response to the necessary evacuation a community and statewide effort.

“‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, right,” expressed Cody Brooks, Administrator at Metcalfe Health Care Center.

During the holidays, it wasn’t very quiet as sub-zero temperatures blasted the region. The devastation wreaked havoc on many communities and buildings in southcentral Kentucky, including a nursing home facility in Metcalfe County.

RELATED: Residents of Metcalfe Health Care Center evacuated due to flooding

The cold weather caused multiple pipes to burst at Metcalfe Health Care Center, which led to flooding and extensive damage.

“Once that leak started, it was another all-hands-on-deck situation to make sure that they were safe there and just clean up that mess,” said Brooks.

The decision was made to evacuate all of the 62 residents after additional pipe bursts, and within several hours all were transferred or picked up by family members.

“The last resident was loaded at Glasgow State a little after midnight,” said Brooks. “So, within a few hours, we had every resident out of the building safely with the help of EMS and the school system, the Metcalfe County school system-- even helped us out and continue to help us out using some resources that they have.”

All residents that weren’t taken home are currently at facilities at Barren Health and Rehabilitation, Fair Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation, Monroe Health and Rehabilitation, and Glasgow State Nursing Facility.

Brooks said that the safe transport of patients wouldn’t have been possible without the community and its neighbors stepping up.

“We had one am-bus out of Clinton County came to haul some patience. And we had the local school buses here that stepped up and the bus drivers came in to drive those buses,” said Harold Stilts, Metcalfe County Judge-Executive.

Meanwhile, families should contact the facility their loved one is at to learn about their visiting hours.

“Of course, you’re going to have confused residents. And that’s why a move like this is hard on residents and the staff and the families-- we always take that into consideration,” Brooks said.

Brooks went on to say that they hope to have all 62 residents back in this building within a week to two weeks.

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