What’s going on at Menard?
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Southern…
Last week, State Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) went to Menard Correctional Center after hearing about people at the prison being taken to the hospital after becoming ill. She posted a video to her Facebook Friday after being denied access to the prison.
“I just want you all to know I didn’t come here for some kind of political stunt. I cam here to be responsible to not only the staff you work here but to all of those who are incarcerated here,” Bryant said in the video.
Monday, Aug. 26, five people were sent to the emergency room, according to Bryant. That number included three staff members, one inmate and one emergency services employee. On Wednesday, she said a dozen people from Menard were sent the hospital, which included three or four members of the prison’s medical staff.
Southern Illinois Fire Incidents Facebook page reported St. Clair Emergency Special Services was dispatched to the prison on Wednesday in response to around a dozen people becoming ill. […]
Although the incident was first reported as an exposure to some unknown substance, Illinois Department of Corrections was no longer using the word “exposure.” They just said people became ill. […]
When they called to get permission for her to enter the prison, IDOC Deputy Dir. Angela Locke said she could not go into the prison. She also talked to Liaison Morgan Williams, who told Bryant it was not safe for her to go into the prison.
* From the Illinois Department of Corrections…
On Monday morning [last week], two staff members at Menard Correctional Center reported to the facility’s Health Care Unit after experiencing medical symptoms following their response to a medical emergency involving an individual in custody in North 2 Cell House. Both staff members were treated at an outside hospital and released. During the transportation of the individual in custody to an outside hospital for treatment, the accompanying officer also reported feeling ill and was similarly treated and released. In response, the St. Clair County EMA’s Hazmat Team was contacted to assist with the investigation, and movement within the affected galleries was temporarily suspended. All staff in North 2 were instructed to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and monitor the galleries for any further medical issues. No additional incidents were reported on Monday or Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning [last week], a staff member at Menard Correctional Center experienced medical symptoms and was promptly transported by ambulance to an outside hospital. Shortly after, additional staff members responding to the incident began to experience similar symptoms. Out of an abundance of caution, 11 more Menard CC staff members were transported to an outside hospital for evaluation via state vehicle. All Menard CC staff members were treated and released from the hospital. In response to Wednesday’s events, the facility was placed on a Level 1 lockdown and made personal protective equipment (PPE) available to all staff. The facility leadership took immediate action by contacting the Illinois Poison Control Center and requesting the St. Clair County EMA’s Hazmat Team to conduct another inspection. The St. Clair County EMA’s Hazmat Team did not locate any hazardous materials during their second inspection. Senator Bryant was not on the premises during those inspections. On Friday, when Senator Bryant made an unplanned visit to Menard Correctional Center on Friday without an appointment, her request for access was declined. We appreciate the Senator’s understanding and cooperation and have offered to schedule a visit to Menard on a later date.
The facility has remained on lockdown since Wednesday, 8/28, for safety and security purposes due to staff members experiencing medical symptoms. All impacted staff members have been treated and released from the hospital. We commend our staff for their swift and effective response, ensuring that everyone impacted has received the necessary medical care. The Department is strongly encouraging staff to utilize PPE until further notice. The Department is currently collaborating with our partners at IDPH to investigate the symptoms experienced by Menard staff. The Department is conducting a thorough ongoing investigation into the events at Menard, and we will share further information as it becomes available. Our top priority remains the safety and well-being of our staff and the individuals in our custody.
Menard was still on a Level One lockdown when Sen. Bryant attempted to gain access last Friday.
Also, I’m told that St. Clair Emergency Special Services refused to respond to a third call from the prison because they hadn’t found anything at all on the two prior trips.
More background is here and here and here and here.
- Stephanie Kollmann - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 8:01 am:
==The facility has remained on lockdown since Wednesday, 8/28, for safety and security purposes due to staff members experiencing medical symptoms.==
It’s so easy to get the state to punish 1500 people.
- Neef Jr. - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 8:05 am:
Couple things. Didn’t IDOC staff have a same issue at Graham CC a couple years ago where they had a suspected fentanyl exposure that turned out to be nothing after having used all of the facilities narcan? Also, it is common on a level 1 lockdown to not let any non-IDOC staff into or out of the facility.
- Just A Thought - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 8:25 am:
One thing nobody can deny, is Senator Bryant’s dedication to those working in and incarcerating in the state’s prison system. It makes sense that she wasn’t allowed in during a lockdown, but her video probably helped bring this issue to light and forced a public response.
- WK - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 8:27 am:
Really wish you would stop trying to gaslight people on this. I don’t think anyone thinks it’s fentanyl, my understanding is that is believed to be variants of K2 that are behind this. The formulations change faster than the detection equipment can be updated.
- Just Me 2 - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 8:46 am:
Is it normal for members of the GA to just walk into a state prison without an appointment or some sort of escort? I’m not surprised she was refused entry.
- Que Sera - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 9:04 am:
Not to take away from the issue at hand, this was indeed a political stunt. There is a longstanding process for legislators to visit prisons and I would be willing to bet money that the Senator has followed said process in the past.
- Homebody - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 9:16 am:
All the discussion of staff safety, weirdly I see no discussion of inmate protections.
- Southern Belle - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 9:24 am:
Seems the IDOC statement conveniently left out that the Senator was there not only because of the Monday and Wed. drug exposures, but because she received a text telling her there was going to be a Chief at Menard to check on a possible carbon monoxide leak. She did not ask for an unescorted visit in fact she expected to be escorted. In addition the staffer that was with her was a recently retired Major from Menard who has served as a Duty Warden and had nearly 30 years experience at Menard CC.
I would also add that IDOC conveniently left out that multiple employees ,of the other 11 sent to the hospital on Wed., were medical staff from Menard. All were experiencing shortness of breath, extremely elevated blood pressure, and rash.
- The Dude - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 9:39 am:
Wouldn’t state staff members being injured and hospitalized require states OSHA to inspect and not St Clair County?
- Norseman - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 9:42 am:
Politician says it’s not a stunt, not a stunt, not a stunt. [Insert Pinocchio GIF]
- Stephanie Kollmann - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 10:02 am:
Yes, Neef, Jr. Just last year.
https://capitolfax.com/2023/01/19/unknown-substance-which-prison-workers-and-inmates-say-sickened-them-turns-out-to-be-nasal-spray-and-baby-powder/
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 10:14 am:
===variants of K2===
lol
And touching that does not send you to the hospital.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 10:31 am:
Good on the State Senator - let’s assume she was acting in good faith to assist with a potential health issue in her district. Having visited the medium security facility up the hill - the entire complex is from another age, it looks medieval. Unbelievable that it is still open as it was built in 1878 - lots of potential health issues with ancient buildings holding concentrated population
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 10:34 am:
=All the discussion of staff safety, weirdly I see no discussion of inmate protections=
Read the article
“Every inmate that is in Menard is a constituent of mine. I wanted to make sure they are safe,” Bryant said.
- Rabid - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 10:42 am:
New blue flue?
- Homebody - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 10:49 am:
@Donnie Elgin - I meant from the IDOC statements. They talk only about staff safety and PPE for staff, despite the fact that the Southern article mentions at least one inmate going to the hospital.
- Stephanie Kollmann - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 11:19 am:
==shortness of breath, extremely elevated blood pressure, and rash==
These are all symptoms consistent with psychological stress.
A union and workplace concerned with employee wellness would try to reduce employee anxiety over false threats to health and safety.
- Dupage - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 11:21 am:
@9:39 The Dude ===state staff members being injured…require states OSHA to inspect and not St Clair County?===
Public employees are not covered by federal OSHA. The State department of labor had 3 inspectors to cover the whole state. Their role is usually to investigate after death or critical injury to a public employee, if requested. They use the federal OSHA technical regulations to figure out what went wrong, but their findings are mostly advisory, there are no fines involved. When a public works employee in Glendale Heights was killed on the job a few years ago, it took many days before the state inspector could get there. The actual report of what happened was by the local fire/EMS. The state inspector relies upon this to write a report about what happened and what should be done to correct any unsafe conditions.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 11:28 am:
Does anyone know what the current staffing level for Menard is?
- Give Us Barabbas - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 11:45 am:
This does sound like one of those bouts of officers pretending to react to fentanyl contact, as a way of getting off work. Otherwise, there is something toxic in the prison and that’s a huge deal.
I’m fairly certain the inmates don’t have a chemistry lab, so any contraband drugs are coming in via staff and crooked guards. As it always has been. What more can we do to have honest prison guards, that we aren’t doing?
- SWSider - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 12:04 pm:
If I were JBP, I simply would not want this and DCFS to be my legacy. His mileage may vary.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 12:05 pm:
===I simply would not want this and DCFS to be my legacy===
Define “this”
- Once behind the walls - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 12:36 pm:
https://www.talktofrank.com/drug/synthetic-cannabinoids
Please educate yourselves. This synthetic stuff is real and it’s dangerous! It’s in every prison.
I’ve seen it first hand. I’m glad I’m on the outside now and have no intentions of ever going back!
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 12:48 pm:
===This synthetic stuff is real and it’s dangerous!===
So you’re saying that the prison workers were smoking the illicit product?
- SWSider - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 2:47 pm:
==Define “this”==
Management of a system that treats prisoners like dirt and regularly abuses them.
- Walker - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 3:09 pm:
I trust Bryant on this
- Normally just a reader - Thursday, Sep 5, 24 @ 3:27 pm:
For those of you that don’t know, Senator Bryant worked for the IDOC for years. In my opinion, this is probably bugging her, majorly, because she understands that this could be her. Here is a link to her bio with her IDOC history.
https://senatorbryant.com/biography/
- The Dude - Friday, Sep 6, 24 @ 3:14 am:
Dupage- I dug into a bit.
The public should be livid about how poorly managed IL OSHA is. I think there is a pretty big story about failed state workings right there which has led to complete lack of safety and health oversight.
Unions don’t even go to them when there is a health and safety issue.