Residents of Nokomis Health Care and Senior Living were safely evacuated Wednesday afternoon due to issues with the facility’s heating system. The evacuation began around 1 p.m. after Nokomis Area Fire Protection District Chief Michael Smalley determined that the problem required immediate action.

Staff and management arranged for residents to be temporarily relocated to Rose Garden of Pana and Sullivan Health Care. Additional support came from Nokomis Community Unit District 22, Central Illinois Public Transit Service, and Sullivan Health Care Facility, which provided buses and vans for transportation.

Personnel from the Nokomis Police Department, Nokomis Area Fire Protection District, Nokomis-Witt Area Ambulance Service, and Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency assisted with the evacuation. Some residents were transported to stay with family members in the Nokomis and Ramsey areas. The evacuation was completed by 3:30 p.m.

No injuries or illnesses were reported during the process. Repairs to the heating system are expected to be completed within the next few days, after which residents will return to the facility.

For more information, contact Dan Hough at (217) 825-9604 or Joseph Gasparich at (217) 825-7955.