Test Your Hurricane Readiness

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It’s only late July.  But it’s already back-to-school time for many of our country’s students.  

Here at ALAN, we can definitely relate, because we’ve officially entered the most challenging months of hurricane season. And like all good teachers and parents, we want to do everything we can to help you prepare, including re-acquainting you with some important things you may have forgotten since the last hurricane “class” was in session.  

We’ve put the following test together with that in mind. So get your mouses and keyboards ready –

and let us know how your supply chain preparedness scores. 

1. On average, how many hurricanes hit the United States each year?

A. 1

B. 5

C. 10

D. Too many to name

B

According to the NOAA, an average of five hurricanes make U.S. landfall each year during a typical three-year period. (Although speaking from our own experience, it often feels like way more than that.)

2. Which of the following offers free resources for monitoring hurricanes or their supply chain impacts?

A. The National Hurricane Center

B. Your local National Weather Service forecast

C. ALAN’s Supply Chain Intelligence Center

D. All of the above.

D

If you or your operations are located anywhere near a hurricane’s path, the National Hurricane Center and your local National Weather Service forecast are great resources for storm updates. Meanwhile, ALAN’s Supply Chain Intelligence Center offers detailed real-time updates about hurricanes’ effects on roadways, ports, and airports, including the latest closures.

3. What does the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale measure?

A. Storm size

B. Wind speed – and the possible damage it will have on an area’s infrastructure

C. Miles per hour that a storm is moving

D. Estimated rainfall and flooding

E. Possible storm surge

F. All of the above

B

The Saffir-Simpson scale was created to help explain and quantify the damage that buildings will sustain during different wind speeds. It does not measure any of the other hazards or factors we named.  So please, don’t judge a hurricane’s potential dangers – or make your decision about how to prepare – based on its Saffir-Simpson category alone. 

4. Logistics expenses account for as much as what percentage of post-disaster relief costs?

A. 10

B. 20

C. 40

D. 80

D

Many factors make post-disaster logistics extremely expensive (accounting for up to 80% of all disaster relief spending) and difficult to execute, including damaged roadways, last-minute shifts in a disaster’s path, flooded conditions and sudden, massive surges in demand.  These hurdles often prevent disaster relief organizations from being able to use their logistics budgets as effectively as possible.  And that, in turn, means that up to 40% of these well-intended efforts go to waste.  

5. True or False: Hurricanes can increase your organization’s chances of temporarily having to pay higher trucking rates.

True

Much like other disasters, hurricanes can temporarily cause a spike in trucking costs due to damaged infrastructure (which creates longer transit times and/or the need to reroute trucks around damaged areas), a limit in area trucking capacity, and an increase in the demand for transporting supplies to affected areas. Keep that in mind as you’re putting together your annual supply chain budget.

6. True or False: Transportation waivers always include Hours-of-Service and weight exemptions.

False

Transportation waivers and the things they cover can vary significantly from state to state.  So it’s very important to determine which ones have been issued – and what they cover — before assuming that your organization and its relief loads are good to go. With this in mind, be sure to bookmark ALAN’s Disaster Micro-Site and sign up for our Situation Reports.  They both provide links to the latest waivers and many other disaster management resources. 

7. Are individual truck drivers who are carrying disaster loads always required to carry all pertinent transportation waivers?

A. Yes

B. No

Yes

Yes. Any time they’re driving across states that have enacted waivers, drivers need to carry all of their relevant paperwork, including those waivers.  To learn more fun facts about the ins and outs of waivers, check out this ALAN blog, which features a detailed conversation with Dr. Alix Miller, formerly with the Florida Trucking Association. 

8. When it comes to setting up a point-of-distribution (POD) in an area after a hurricane has hit, which of the following adages and slogans is actually true?

A. If you build it, they will come.

B. Just do it.

C. The customer/client comes first.

D. If the minimum wasn’t good enough, it wouldn’t be the minimum.

E. Anything goes.

C

Unlike ordinary distribution centers – which are usually frequented only by supply chain professionals – hurricane PODs involve a lot of interaction with members of the public, namely storm survivors.  As a result, one of the first things you should consider when selecting a POD is whether it’s truly accessible to community residents – and how easy it will be for them to get into and out of everything from your parking area (if there is one) to your pick-up zone. 

9. If your organization has become a POD following a major hurricane in your community, which of the following best practices should you keep in mind?

A. Organize the space into high-level product categories to help process donations more easily

B. Keep your distribution separate from your extra bulk storage setup (if possible)

C. Process inbound donations as they come in

D. All of the above

D

All of these are important to keep in mind, as are additional best practices like creating signs for each product category and subcategory that anyone processing inbound donations can easily identify. For more helpful hints, check out this document to download ALAN’s Categorizing Your Donations Hub tutorial.   

10. What is a quick mover, and where should it be positioned in a post-hurricane POD?

A. A fast-working employee or volunteer who needs to be assigned to the busiest area

B. An extra-speedy forklift or electric pallet jack that needs to operate in areas where fewer pedestrians are present

C. A product or supply that is especially wanted or needed by disaster survivors – and that needs to be positioned near the front of your POD’s distribution area

D. A truck that is delivering an expedited load – and that needs to be sent straight to your POD’s receiving area

C

Survivors will always ask for certain kinds of relief supplies more than others.  Because these popular items will fly out of your distribution center more quickly (hence their quick-moving name), it makes sense to position them closer to the area where you’re serving survivors.  That way it will take less time for your personnel to retrieve them. 

11. What are some ways that hurricanes disrupt the delivery of resources to survivors?

A. Damages to roads and other transportation infrastructure

B. Power outages

C. Disrupted communications

D. Damaged warehouses

E. All of the above

E

We wish the answer were different, because even one of these inconveniences can be enough to throw a supply chain into disarray – and make delivering relief more difficult.  But the truth is they’re all possible, because hurricanes have the ability to create widespread havoc across large areas. That’s why it’s important to have a supply chain hurricane plan in place – and to be aware of what your worst-case options are, because there’s almost always something that organizations like yours can do to improve your supply chain performance and efficiency. These options range from using supply chain visibility tools (see Question 2) to using route optimization tools or participating in tabletop exercises.  Working with reputable 3PLs or consultants can also help – as can tapping into the free expertise of communities like ALAN.  

12. True or False: ALAN is available to assist organizations like yours before, during and after hurricane and other disasters.

True

We’re here to help connect nonprofits with everything from donated trucking, warehousing, Material Handling Equipment and supply chain expertise. (And that’s not all). To request any of these things, click here and fill out one of our short online request forms. We’ll do our best to get back to you within 24 hours. 

How did you score? Was it harder than anticipated? If you have any questions, reach out to us today. Our team would be happy to pass along additional hurricane safety and preparedness information. 

Thanks for playing – and stay safe this Hurricane Season!

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