EASTLAND, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – While the Texas roads coat over in a thin, dangerous layer of ice, many are staying home. Maybe you’re catching up on shows, chores, or even working from home. Unfortunately, not all fields of work lend themselves to long distance employees. The staff of Eastland Memorial Hospital’s cafeteria know this all too well.

“Sometimes, that’s the one thing that the patients can look forward to, is their meals,” said Cafeteria Culinary Services Director, Cyndi.

With a reduced cafeteria staff, Cyndi said her department has been operating with a skeleton crew since the inclement weather crept in. Usually, the hospital has nine employees in the kitchen, but employees who live far from the building were sent home early Monday.

Even with a bareboned staff, Cyndi said they’re all working their hardest to ensure that the doctors, nurses, and patients are being well-fed throughout this freeze.

“I may be over here, I may be cooking,” Cyndi gestured to the kitchen. “I may be doing the dishes. It’s the same with my patient cook and my retail lady.”

As willing and happy they are to help, staff like Carmen and Kirra told KTAB/KRBC they’ve had to make plans to stay in town at a moment’s notice.

“I was thinking, like, ‘I’m going to be cold tonight,'” laughed Kirra.

Thankful to be able to focus on her duties through accommodations made by their employer, Carmen said, “There’s no way I’m going to drive that.”

Until the weather subsides, Cyndi said some employees were put up in a nearby hotel.

“All I had to do was make a couple of phone calls, and I was told, ‘get you a hotel room,'” Cyndi explained. “Patients first.”

A motto around the hospital that Cyndi said she and her staff take very seriously, is that they don’t have to worry about where they’re going to stay warm. Hospital staff and patients are able to enjoy a hot meal even if the storm brings temperatures below freezing.

“We’re taken care of, now we can take care of business here,” added Cyndi.