By Leila Merrill
MENDON, Mo. — Ambulance crews from Chariton, Linn, Randolph, Livingston, Macon, Howard, Carroll and Caldwell counties plus medical helicopter crews from multiple agencies responded Monday to the Amtrak train derailment, KOMU reported.
Four people were killed and dozens were injured.
Cole County Emergency Medical Services said it received a request for mutual aid and sent two ambulances, six Cole County EMS employees, a chief officer and a resident physician to Mendon High School.
Some passengers were taken to the high school to receive medical care, and some were transported to Missouri hospitals such as MU Health Care, Boone Hospital Center and Fitzgibbon Hospital.
University of Missouri Health Care trauma surgeon Dr. Jeffery Coughenour said he was “extremely proud” of the EMS response.
“I am extremely proud this evening to be a part of the central Missouri EMS region,” Coughenour said at a news conference Monday night. “I think there’s a lot of folks out there who did really, really great work today and should be commended for it.”