Army engineers dispatched to help PIH Hospital in Downey (UPDATED)

PIH healthcare workers. (Photo courtesy PIH Health)

1/2/21 UPDATE: PIH Health said Saturday that the Army Corps of Engineers won’t be traveling to the Downey hospital after all.

“We were contacted by the Army Corps to offer assistance with oxygen systems,” said Kevin Koga, a spokesperson for PIH Health. “We notified them we installed a new oxygen distribution system a couple of years ago and we did not have a need for assistance. Therefore, they will not be coming to our Downey hospital so that this valuable resource can be dedicated to those that need assistance.”

DOWNEY — A team of design and construction experts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been dispatched to PIH Health Hospital Downey to help the medical facility as it treats an unprecedented number of Covid-19 patients.

As of Thursday, PIH Downey was treating 135 Covid-19 patients. For comparison, the hospital was treating 13 Covid-19 patients on Nov. 14.

The Army experts were dispatched to six Los Angeles hospitals to upgrade necessary oxygen systems.

The deployment comes at a time when hospitals across the Los Angeles region are treating an overwhelming number of Covid-19 patients. 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.

In addition to PIH Downey, Army engineers were also sent to Lakewood Regional Medical Center in Lakewood, Beverly Community Hospital in Montebello, Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles, Emanate Health Queen of the Valley Hospital in West Covina, and Mission Community Hospital in Panorama City.