 The coronavirus pandemic put unprecedented pressure on hospitals and frontline workers throughout California. Many of the brick-and-mortar structures themselves either didn't have the capacity for high numbers of patients or their systems couldn't handle running at full speed 24-7, 365, or both. Systems that provided life-saving oxygen to ventilators were freezing over, often rendering them inoperable and putting fragile lives at risk. There were a number of hospitals where they had an assessment done to see if they could just boost their oxygen production. And then, of course, your Army Corps of Engineers, having doing a lot of construction, they said, we can probably just build ACFs, ultimate care facilities. Facilities in need of expansion and upgrades the most happen to be located in underserved communities, usually those with high Latino populations. But because of a lot of multi-generational living, there is just a higher increase in COVID patients that they're seeing. And so they really need the additional capacity. Colonel Julie Bolton, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District, is responsible for keeping everyone involved, communicating, and collaborating. That's the Army Corps, Cal OES, FEMA, city and county governments, contractors, and the hospitals. Months ago, hospitals reached out to Cal OES for assistance. Cal OES then tasked the Army Corps with a massive upgrading project. Army Corps of Engineers have been great. They come in and they build out perspective. The Army Corps assessed 12 hospitals, most were able to remedy their own problems. That left three with the biggest need, Adventist Health White Memorial in Boyle Heights, Beverly Hospital in the city of Montabello, and Mission Community Hospital in Panorama City. Brigadier General Paul Owen gave the final inspection at Beverly Hospital on March 19. It passed 15 renovated rooms with a high-flow oxygen system and double occupancy instead of single, for non-COVID patients. Meanwhile, work continued at White Memorial, a large, sprung structure erected in their parking lot. It will comfortably house an additional 80 beds for symptomatic COVID patients. It's such a benefit for the hospital to have it on their footprint. One, because they have the resources to support, and also it's right here. White Memorial and Mission Community Hospital in Panorama City will get their final inspections in April. So in less than 90 days, all three hospitals will get their first patients. Mainly the Corps is the project manager for the site, but they work through FEMA. So we work closely with FEMA, and I'm talking through my FEMA counterpart pretty much on a daily basis. We're comparing notes. We're strategizing on how to overcome certain hurdles. And then the partnerships are starting with our state partners, being DGS and OSPRA. So they've been really, really valuable. This is just a large effort, and it just can't say enough about how everyone is just coming together to really support the completion of these facilities. In Los Angeles, Sean Boyd for OES News.