MedSpeeders keep healthcare moving through five days without power

100 mile per hour winds. Downed trees. Destroyed power lines. No electricity for five days.

For much of Lake County, Indiana, August 11, 2026 was a day that brought life to a standstill. For the MedSpeed Hammond team, it was a day that called for everyone to keep moving.

Tornadoes and straight-line winds, known as a derecho, tore through the area, leaving widespread destruction in their wake. Nearly 95 percent of Lake County’s roughly 500,000 residents lost power, and many would remain without it for days or even weeks.

The Hammond MedSpeed hub was no exception.

Power went out in the middle of the day on August 11 and would not return until the evening of Saturday, August 15. But the routes still needed to run. Patients still needed care. Our healthcare customers still needed support.

So, the Hammond team got to work.

Operations Manager, Andrew Burt, and Operations Supervisors, Tim Smith, Keith Kurzeja, and Nick Wagner, helped lead the effort alongside the entire Hammond operations team and its Logistics Service Representatives (or LSRs, our term for our drivers).

With the hub operating on a small generator and power banks, the team improvised wherever necessary. Lanterns and flashlights were strategically hung around the warehouse to provide light at night, while team members provided nearly round-the-clock coverage to make sure LSRs could safely start and finish their routes.

Local gas stations were also without power, making it difficult for LSRs to refuel. Because many Hammond routes cover an extensive geography, LSRs were coached to fill up before returning to the Lake County area, where they could access gas stations that still had power. This proactive approach helped ensure vehicles had enough fuel to keep routes running and minimize disruptions for customers.

MedSpeeders from the company’s Illinois headquarters stepped in to support their Hammond teammates, delivering water, batteries, and other essential supplies. With widespread power outages forcing many Indiana stores to close for the first few days, the team also stocked up on bottled water, drinks, and snacks for LSRs to use during their shifts and take home to their families. At the same time, many Hammond LSRs were navigating power outages and damage at their own homes while continuing to show up to support their customers and communities.

Despite everything happening around them, every route ran.

That level of dedication is especially meaningful in Hammond, where the team manages a complex operation of 70 routes serving eight healthcare customers. Keeping those routes running requires constant coordination, flexibility, and a deep understanding of what healthcare customers need.

“I am so appreciative of the team we have and the ability to swiftly navigate an incredibly challenging, but also dangerous, situation,” said Matt Ruehl, MedSpeed’s General Manager of Indiana operations. “Even more so, that none of our team members were injured or worse. Power can be restored and structures can be repaired, but we cannot replace each other.”

That perspective captures what made the Hammond response so meaningful.

The team was not operating in normal conditions. They were navigating a disaster alongside their families, neighbors, and community while still carrying the responsibility of keeping healthcare logistics running.

Through it all, the Hammond team’s commitment, teamwork, and resilience made a difference not only for our customers and patients, but for the communities they serve. Thank you to the Hammond team for everything you do. This is who you are, and it is what makes this team so special!