An Exclusive Look At A Gary-Chicago International Airport Terminal That Has Become A COVID-19 Command Center

GARY, Ind. (CBS) -- CBS 2 on Thursday got an exclusive look inside an airport terminal at the Gary-Chicago International Airport that has been transformed into a COVID-19 command center.

Charlie De Mar spent the day inside, where supplies are at the ready for dispatch.

A terminal at the airport is closed to the public. But inside, there is a complex emergency operation center ready to respond to a rise in COVID-19 cases.

"This is a systematic way to be able to bring order to chaos," said Lori Postma of the Indiana District 1 Task Force.

Postma and a team of mostly volunteers will bring that order and calm from an airport terminal in Gary, Indiana.

"Our hospitals are preparing for the upcoming surge of COVID-19 positive patients," Postma said.

As hospitals are expected to feel the strain and pressure of more covid19 patients, Postma said, "We expect the numbers to rise just like they have all over the rest the country."

The task force will funnel resource needs from 16 Northwest Indiana hospitals covering five counties.

"We're utilizing the out-of-the-box method, trying to find different ways to get the product to get the products the hospital needs," Postma said.

As to the supply inventory, Postma said, "They are going down."

There are items that will be in demand besides respirators, protective suits, masks, and eye protection like those used in a coronavirus drive through test site at Franciscan Health in Crown Point.

"We know that we can call upon those resources from each other," Postma said. "If we know we have a hospital that's not affected at all, they are loaning out their extra supplies

The command center keeps up-to-the-second stats of positive cases and deaths across the state.

"So far, we have four in Lake County that are positive and one in LaPorte," Postma sad.

The command center and those who staff prepared to take on the unknown of coronavirus.

"As the response progresses and we see more and more positives, there's going to be more things needed to help the health care system," Postma said.

Leaders in Lake County, Indiana want to stress that the site is solely for hospitals to communicate what their needs are.

It is not a public testing site or medical facility.