In the wake of the Aug. 24 South Napa Quake, the issue of hospital safety came into sharp focus, according to a blog on the KQED website.
After the quake, Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa sustained only minor damage from the earthquake — falling items and leaks. A statement released 13 hours after the earthquake said that “(n)one of these issues have prevented the hospital from triaging and treating patients. Queen of the Valley remains operational and continues to be able to accept and treat patients.”
Legislation passed 20 years ago, in the wake of the Northridge earthquake, seeks to make Queen of the Valley’s performance the norm after a major earthquake, the blog said.
Under the Seismic Safety Act every hospital building in the state has been assessed for structural integrity and rated 1-5 — “1″ being at-risk of complete collapse in an earthquake.
Since the law was passed, 88 percent of the state’s hospital acute care buildings with an at-risk rating have been upgraded, according to the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
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