A Balm Amid the Pain of the Quake : Pharmacy Served the Ravaged Community When Almost All Doors Were Closed

Much has transpired since the Northridge quake struck at 4:31 a.m. on Jan. 17, but there is room to praise at least one more memorable effort associated with that day. Perhaps there is a lesson here as well.

When dawn broke, it would soon become apparent that the Los Angeles medical community had taken as large a hit as any. Doctors’ offices, hospitals and pharmacies were among the many establishments that suffered major damage that morning, a fact that only added to the high anxiety and consternation of the moment. Many, in fact, are still closed.

In the midst of the confusion on the morning of the quake, Valley Drug in North Hollywood did something unusual. It not only opened its doors for business; it opened them early, and kept them open until nightfall.

It seems that the owner, Sidney Simmons, had been forced to relocate to new quarters after the pharmacy’s host building of 50 years had received--you guessed it--a condemnation notice. Simmons made the most of a bad situation, ensuring that the new site at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Riverside Drive was wired to a generator that would handle computers, refrigeration and lighting in the event of a major emergency.

The system survived the quake, but that wouldn’t have mattered had Simmons, his pharmacists, staff and family members decided to just stay home that day.

In the end, Simmons decided, “This is a pharmacy and people need it. When I got here that morning, at around 6:30 a.m., someone was already waiting here, hoping to get some pain medication.”

For the rest of that morning, through the afternoon and right up until dark, the drugstore stayed open. Service was available for regular customers and many new ones who were unable to refill or renew prescriptions that had been lost amid the rubble of the quake, and for those who needed over-the-counter medications for quake-related injuries. For many, the store’s service was the day’s only respite. For that, Simmons and his staff deserve the community’s sincere thanks.