California to Deploy US Army Corps of Engineers Crews to Los Angeles Area Hospitals to Assess, Upgrade Oxygen Delivery Systems

SACRAMENTO – The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is collaborating with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to rapidly deploy a team of design and construction experts to the Los Angeles region to evaluate and where necessary upgrade oxygen delivery systems at six hospitals.

The deployment comes at a time when hospitals across the Los Angeles region are treating an unprecedented number of COVID-19 patients and the internal oxygen delivery systems built into many older hospitals are being overtaxed by the volume of oxygen flow required to treat patients with respiratory issues that arise from COVID-19.

“The State of California is continuously working to support our hospitals and protect the lives of Californians impacted by COVID-19. By working to upgrade challenged oxygen delivery systems at these older hospitals we can improve the ability to deliver life sustaining medical care to those who need it,” said Mark Ghilarducci, Director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

The scope of the work to be done by the Army Corps is designed to support the healthcare delivery system at these hospitals by providing facility assessments, technical assistance, engineering expertise, as well as contracting and construction management support as required to address shortages arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hospitals which will be evaluated for improvements are:

• Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital, Los Angeles, Ca
• Beverly Community Hospital, Montebello, Ca
• Emanate Health Queen of the Valley Hospital, West Covina, Ca
• Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Lakewood, Ca
• Mission Community Hospital, Panorama City, Ca.
• PIH Health Hospital, Downey, Ca

Army Corps teams members are expected to begin initial assessments as soon as January 2.

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