Seismic Support – Letter Campaign

Modernizing California’s Hospital Disaster Preparedness Standards

Residents of Sonoma Valley Health Care District,

There are many things that make the Sonoma Valley special, and one of them is having a high-quality hospital to serve our community. In recent years our small community has experienced so many challenges, e.g., wildfires, the pandemic, power outages, and drought. At Sonoma Valley Hospital we have worked to support the community through all of these with innovation and grace.

Now we need your help to stop decades old seismic regulations from forcing hospitals across the state from closing their doors.

Decades ago, California put in place seismic regulations requiring upgrades to hospitals throughout the state by 2030. As that year draws nearer, Sonoma Valley Hospital is one of many hospitals in California challenged by the cost of upgrades. And we’re not alone. The California Hospital Association reports that 36 percent of the 415 California hospitals fully meet the 2030 standards. Yet as Bryan Bucklew, President and CEO of the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California reported at the Sonoma Valley Hospital Board Meeting in May, hospitals remain the safest places in the state of California seismically. These requirements have already forced the closure of several hospitals in rural areas where services are most needed.

To address this issue, the Hospital Council has put together a proposal that asks for a seven-year delay on bringing buildings into compliance with the new standards and also, more importantly, focuses retrofits on the most critical facilities within hospitals—emergency services and operating room facilities—rather than the whole entity. We are fortunate at Sonoma Valley Hospital that both our Emergency Department and Surgery Center already meet the 2030 standards, but much of our older structure does not and would be permanently closed if these new standards had to be implemented. Bucklew further emphasized that hospitals have so clearly demonstrated a capacity for dealing with crises and emergencies, especially through Covid and the natural disasters that have occurred in the last few years. Hospitals are resilient, but this ask challenges us all.

We are requesting our community join us in writing “seismic” letters to state legislators to support the proposal. A link to the template for the letter can be found below. We invite you to make the letter your own by personalizing it with your health care priorities. Directions are below. We thank you.

Together we can make sure that the Sonoma Valley Health Care District always has a hospital serving the needs of those who reside and work in Sonoma Valley.

Sincerely,
Joshua Rymer, Chair of the SVHCD Board of Directors
John Hennelly, CEO, Sonoma Valley Hospital

TAKE ACTION

Directions for sending your letter of support:

Copy ‘n paste the letter template HERE or Download the letter template HERE
In the fourth paragraph personalize your letter by replacing the yellow portion examples with one to three of your own health priorities.
Replace the yellow portion at the bottom of the letter with your name and your city of residence
Go to the subject line of your email and type in one of these two options:
4a. Asking for your help to preserve health care in Sonoma Valley
4b. Health care is important to me and my family – will you help?
Fill in the (cc:) portion of the email. Include your own email as well as:
Sonoma Valley Hospital at administration@sonomavalleyhospital.org and
California State Senator Richard Pan, Chairperson, State Senate Committee on Health senator.pan@senate.ca.gov
Finally, address the email to Senator Bill Dodd (State Senate District senator.dodd@senate.ca.gov
and to State Assembly Member Marc Levine assemblymember.levine@assembly.ca.gov
Hit SEND and know you’ve done something worthwhile for the Sonoma Valley!

Thank You.

RESOURCES:

Background/core materials provided by California Hospital Association:
https://calhospital.org/disaster-readiness-modernization_infographic-bay-area_2022_final/
https://calhospital.org/disaster-readiness-modernization_key-messages_2022_final/
https://calhospital.org/disaster-readiness-modernization_issue-brief_2022_final/

CONTACT:

SVH Community Outreach, 707.935.5257