PEORIA, Ill. — Over the past few months, the Peoria County Coroner’s Office has used a Mobile Morgue to ensure, despite a rising number of local deaths, families’ loved ones were properly handled and cared for after their deaths.
On Monday, January 25, the Mobile Morgue Trailer was taken out of operation.
Coroner Jamie Harwood says an expected surge of COVID-related deaths after the holidays was significantly less and more manageable than anticipated.
“The Mobile Morgue suited our purpose, and the purpose of that was to make sure when people were passing away here in Peoria County and surrounding counties, we would have a proper disposition to place them in until a final disposition could be made,” he said. “Everyone deserves respect during their demise, so we were able to provide that for them.”
The Mobile Morgue was provided by the Emergency Management System Region 2 Office of Disaster Preparedness at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.
Harwood said the population of the unit never exceeded ten individuals.
He said if there were to be a surge in deaths, it could be brought back.
