Kathy Fulton

As Hurricane Florence nears the US East Coast and several storms threaten other states and interests, the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) is mobilising for action - and encouraging industry businesses to do the same.

ALAN has activated a hurricane micro-site that will allow organisations to monitor each storm's path, view recent alerts and get updates on transportation and supply chain conditions in impacted areas.

"This site serves as the centrepiece of our efforts to keep people informed about key safety and supply chain developments in the days ahead," says Kathy Fulton, ALAN's executive director. "It's also where ALAN will relay requests for hurricane-related logistics assistance."

Fulton adds that while some of these requests may be immediate, most could take far longer to emerge, because it often takes several days or weeks after a storm hits in order for government and relief organisations to assess impacts and determine which goods and services are most needed.

In the meantime, ALAN says logistics professionals can help pave the way for quicker post-hurricane recovery by staying safe (including giving employees in potentially impacted areas ample time to prepare and/or evacuate), steering clear of collection drives (which can clog disaster-impacted supply chains and inadvertently do more harm than good) and staying tuned, because significant opportunities to help will ultimately arise.

"Logistics challenges and costs are among the largest hurdles that most relief organisations face after a disaster," Fulton says. "While we certainly hope that none of these storms will be as destructive as predicted, we're glad to be part of an industry that can provide so many meaningful solutions - and grateful to the many companies that are already making it possible for us to help."

ALAN was active in mobilising the industry response to Hurricane Harvey in August 2017, co-ordinating transportation of cots from San Antonio to Houston, providing information on sources of swift water rescue teams, drones for damage assessment, portable medical clinics and information on rotor aircraft for delivery of pharmaceuticals to clinics and hospitals.