Welcome to another installment of our Video of the Week series, where we post a new video each week with exciting updates on all things supply chain. In today’s video, learn about how the incredible American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) has helped communities recover from disasters with logistics equipment, expertise and service.
Supporting Communities During Disaster
The supply chain industry is uniquely poised to help during natural disasters, pandemics and other crises. We can help connect communities, provide transportation for essential goods and more. When Hurricane Katrina posed unprecedented logistics challenges on the Gulf Coast, the team at ALAN realized the potential for supply chain professionals to provide disaster relief.
“Every disaster has taught us something different. The earthquake in Haiti, for example, taught us a lot about working in developing nations. The earthquake in Japan…taught us about how to rapidly rebuild supply chains. The ebola crisis [taught us] how to make sure that things move fast enough to protect people who have been affected by a medical crisis,” says Kathy Fulton, executive director of ALAN.
Leveraging Logistics To Maximize Efficiency
80% of disaster spending is focused on logistics to help important resources and goods get to survivors. Yet, 40-50% is often wasted due to inefficiencies. In an emergency situation, it can be understandably difficult to coordinate teams and process efficiently, such as shipping partial truckloads or half-empty planes.
This is where #SupplyChainGeeks come in. Supply chain professionals can use their skills and resources to support disaster relief, by helping ensure maximum efficiency and reducing waste. Through coordination and collaboration, ALAN makes the most of disaster response resources and helps communities recover faster.
“For every $1 that ALAN spends on disaster response, we leverage that into $72 of supplies that make it to a disaster area,” says Fulton.
Especially during the holiday season, an important part of being a #SupplyChainGeek is taking time to reflect on how we can give back whenever possible. Supporting ALAN is a great way to aid logistics teams and help communities recover from disaster. Learn more and donate here.
Watch and Learn
Watch the full video below to discover more about ALAN:
Contact us to find out how we can work together to make your team more efficient, accurate and connected with mobile solutions.
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