Serving people in a time of crisis is nothing new for Kaiser Permanente. The giant not-for-profit healthcare consortium began life in 1933, during the Great Depression, when a young physician, Sidney R. Garfield, opened a 12-bed hospital in the middle of California’s Mojave Desert to care for itinerant workers at the Colorado River Aqueduct. Although much larger today (it has over 12 million members), the nationally renowned institution remains deeply rooted in its community, as evidenced by its all-out effort to provide care during the current pandemic.

Kaiser Permanente’s gratitude to the dedicated healthcare professionals who make this extraordinary level of service possible is plain to see on many of its Los Angeles area facilities. There on the exterior walls, in bold and colourful light is a declaration thanking the “Health Care Heroes” who are leading the fight against COVID-19.

Kinetic Lighting worked with the Kaiser Permanente to create these inspiring displays using Chauvet Professional Ovation E-910FC IP ellipsoidal fixtures. The company positioned the RGBA-lime units outside different hospitals throughout the Los Angeles area.

“Thus far we have the fixtures in place at Kaiser Permanente medical centres in Los Angeles, Panorama City, West Los Angeles, Baldwin Park and Woodland Hills with more being added,” said Laura Green, who managed the project for the company, working with her colleague at Kinetic Lighting, Mark Flaisher.

The Ovation E-910FC IP fixtures are projecting the gobo designs, which were provided by Kaiser Permanente, at distances of 20 to 125 feet, depending on the location. Featuring a double heart on a cardiogram line and a large “Thank You” in bold above the words “Health Care Heroes, “ the logos make a simple, yet elegant and moving statement of gratitude.

Thanks to the smooth colours of the projected logos – a deep orange background inside the circle and crisp blue and white lettering – they convey a much-welcomed sense of calmness. Fittingly, given that the logos honour healthcare professionals who never quit, the display is left on all night seven days a week.

Throughout the day and evening, feedback on the display has been positive. “Kaiser is very happy with how it looks and we are happy to show support for our local health care heroes,” said Green, echoing a sentiment that Dr. Garfield would have been happy to see back in those early days in the Mojave Desert.