Nearly every hospital in Kern County, Calif., has buildings with inpatient beds that will not meet seismic codes unless costly changes are made, according to an article on the Kern Valley Sun website.
But with Bakersfield's growing population and a lack of beds during construction or building closures there may not be enough hospital beds in the event of a medical disaster.
The only hospital buildings in Kern County with the highest risk rating are Tehachapi Valley’s original hospital building and part of Kern Medical’s Wing G used for support services.
Other hospital buildings with an SPC-2 rating may struggle after a large earthquake, and are given until January 1, 2030, to complete upgrades or the structures must be closed.
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