By Andrea K. Walker
The Baltimore Sun

BALTIMORE — Area hospitals and hospice centers began preparing days ago for the task of getting employees into work despite a large snowstorm — and put those plans into effect Saturday.

Hospitals, including Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland Medical Center, put up doctors, nurses and other essential staff in hotels or on air mattresses and cots at their own facilities. They sent out four-wheel-drive vehicles for employees who couldn't get out on their own.

"Our grounds crews were cleaning the roadways around the clock," said Jean Bunker, spokeswoman for Harbor Hospital. "If you're coming in and having chest pains, we don't want to have anything slowing us down from getting to you."

Full story: Medic units slip, slide their way to citizens in need of emergency care