This project involved the seismic evaluation of six regional medical centers including County/USC, Martin Luther King, Jr./Drew, Harbor/UCLA, Olive View, Rancho Los Amigos, and High Desert and approximately thirty mental health centers throughout Los Angeles County. We developed for the County a comprehensive seismic program that evolved from initial building studies, to prioritization of potential projects, and, finally, to systematic rehabilitation projects.

in structures. The study emphasized life-safety performance, a criterion that was adjusted to address damage mitigation and continuous operation issues for the medical center facilities.

The results of the study established recommendations for a multi-year rehabilitation program. Each seismic project also had to address how to minimize “staging” of patients and staff displaced by the seismic work by exploring innovative rehabilitation alternatives and how far collateral issues such as fire life-safety and accessibility upgrades would impact on the project.