SAN BERNARDINO 111 CASES, 3
DEATHS.
SARA: NEW PURPOSE FOR THE
MASSIVE L.A. CONVENTION CENTER.
CHRIS: IT IS FILLED WITH BEDS
AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES, IN AN
EFFORT TO RELIEVE OVERWHELMED
HOSPITALS TREATS CORONAVIRUS
PATIENTS.
REPORTER: EXPERT AND CITY
OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN WARNING FOR
WEEKS THAT LOS ANGELES NEEDS
MORE HOSPITAL BEDS, NOW HERE AT
L.A. CONVENTION CENTER THEY ARE
GETTING THEM.
AIRMEN FROM CALIFORNIA NATIONAL
GUARD, SETTING UP COTS THEY HOPE
WILL NEVER HAVE TO BE USED.
L.A. CONVENTION CENTER IS NOW
PREPPED TO SERVE AS A FEDERAL
FIELD HOSPITAL, THE SIZE HINTS
AT WHAT OFFICIALS FEAR MIGHT
COME.
WE START WITH MEDICAL
SUPPLIES AND COTS.
WE'LL NEED YOUR HELP.
I APPRECIATE ALL MEDICAL
PERSONNEL THAT HAVE STEPPED UP
OFFERS TO VOLUNTEER.
REPORTER: IT SET UP BY U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES, U.S. NAVAL SHIP MERCY
HAS PULLED INTO PORT OF L.A.
WITH A THOUSAND BEDS FOR
NON-CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS.
FIRST THREE PATIENTS ARE
ALREADY ON THE MERCY.
REPORTER: LOCAL HOSPITAL
ADMINISTRATE OARS KNOW THAT IS
NOT ENOUGH.
THROUGHOUT REGION, MEDICAL
CENTERS HAVE TENTS IN PARKING
LOTS AND GARAGES, SET UP FOR THE
TIDALWAVE OF PATIENTS THEY ARE
EXPECTING.
BUT THEY NEED HELP IN SUPPLIES
THESE DAYS ARE HARD TO FIND,
MAYOR GARCETTI BELIEVES HE HAS
ANSWER.
I HAVE APPOINTED PORT OF LOS
ANGELES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO
ACT AS OUR CITY'S CHIEF LOGISTIC
OFFICER.
HIS JOB IS USE OUR PURCHASING
POWER, CONNECTION AT PORT WITH
LOGISTIC, TRANSPORTATION,
ASSETS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY,
AND MANUFACTURING RELATIONSHIP
TO SESSION CURE -- SECURE
CRITICAL MATERIALS WE NEED.
REPORTER: FIRST ORDER OF
BUSINESS WILL GET A MILLION OF
