By Paul Fawcett
When deployed on a response, we really have no idea how long the event will last and, in some cases, what resources we’ll need. The dispatch information might seem routine enough, but as we know from experience, a seemingly “bread-and-butter” fire can turn into something much bigger in an instant. This is even more likely on complex deployments like natural disaster response. Bottom line: If the response goes longer than a few hours or intensifies in complexity quickly, the gear on the truck might not be enough to get the job done.
Enter the emergency logistician to solve those problems.
What do logistics officers and staff do?
Logistics officers don’t get a lot of press, and they often operate in the background without notice, that is, until you need them right now. Then they can be the most important officer you have.
The Log-O, as they are often called, is responsible for providing supplies and services that response personnel need to keep the response going after the first few hours. They are an invaluable resource for any incident commander, not to mention the entire crew.
No matter the size of your organization, if you don’t have a designated logistics officer, it’s time to designate one. Larger agencies might require a logistics staff that includes various elements, including the purchasing section, food unit, transportation section, facilities and fuel unit.
Include your logistics officer in organizational contingency planning. They will be responsible for writing the logistics annex of your all-hazards plan and any other contingency plans. This will help them be better informed about your response plans and focus their actions toward meeting your objectives from scene to scene.
To be fully effective, your Log-O must be properly equipped to do their job, just like the operational staff. Key to this is the ability to commit organizational funds in the planning and operational phases of the operation. You can equip them to do this in several ways, like providing an organizational credit card, a contracting warrant, or access to a purchasing or contracting staff to do it for them. Whatever solution you choose, your logistics team needs to be able to access purchasing ability quickly. While you of course need record-keeping and checks and balances, the process has to be nimble enough so your logistics team can keep your response team equipped with the tools they need to stay operational.
For volunteer companies with limited staffing, a collateral duty logistics officer can be assigned to perform other tasks as their primary job while filling in as a logistics chief when needed. Another option is to recruit a non-interior firefighter specifically for this duty. It may be the perfect fit for someone who can’t perform operational tasks but still wants to serve. Volunteers with business operations, purchasing, logistics management or other similar skills would be an excellent fit.
Another option is to outsource your logistics operations. A government entity, sister emergency service or volunteer group may be able to partner with a volunteer company when logistics support is needed. Coordination in advance is required, and periodic meetings for training exercises will also be needed. In most cases, major logistics support isn’t needed that often.
Key operational logistics
As noted, one of the key questions a logistician will help answer is, What do we need beyond the first few hours of operations?
Facilities
Working off the back of the truck will work in the short term, if the weather is temperate. Pop-up shelters work well for short-term responses in good weather to set up a quick Incident Command Post. If it’s hot, cold, raining or snowing, you’ll want to get out of the weather. Your logistics team is responsible for finding an appropriate place for an ICP that should include shelter from the elements, plus power, sanitation and a rest area for responders. A mobile command post is ideal until your response outgrows it or you can’t get it where you need it to be.
Unoccupied stores, high school gymnasiums and hotel conference rooms will work for longer-term responses where the Command element doesn’t need to be immediately on site. In a situation where you have a very large or involved response, you may need more expansive space such as a conference center or warehouse. Removing command and support functions from the immediate response area reduces congestion and parking at the response.
You can also set up a media area or Joint Information Center at the Incident Command Post to enable your public affairs staff to more efficiently manage press briefings and interviews. You can still grant escorted access to the incident area in a controlled fashion organized from the incident command post.
Food and water
It doesn’t take long for your responders to need food and water to keep them going. This is doubly true in temperature extremes. You definitely don’t want responders to have to leave to buy food for themselves mid-operation. Cases of water and prepackaged foods that you can draw quickly from storage help meet the immediate need. Longer responses that extend into days or weeks will require a more robust solution. Consider a food service to provide meals or a food unit to prepare food on site. While a food unit requires a major commitment to preparation equipment and storage of food, remember that food is a major driver of morale. Don’t underestimate the importance of this service.
Sanitation
If you’re feeding the team, or even if you’re not, biological functions need to be addressed. You’ll need to account for access to restrooms and handwashing at minimum. Portable toilets are often the answer, unless you’re very lucky and have a response site with restrooms you can access. The most prepared agencies have an agreement with a local supplier for short-notice delivery of portable toilets and handwashing stations to the response site. Finding and accessing a vendor after hours may work, but drawing up and funding an agreement for sanitary facilities under emergency circumstances is less than ideal and can delay the delivery.
Lighting and power
If your response begins in darkness or progresses into it, you’re going to need lighting. Hand lights stored in vehicles are a necessity for immediate use. You’ll need to have extra batteries available in quantity for anything other than a short response, as you can burn through batteries quickly. A supply of ChemLights is also handy for marking trails and hazards in the short term until a permanent solution can be devised.
Portable light trailers or a similar solution will provide illumination for the response area as well as the staging and incident command areas. If your agency doesn’t own its own portable lighting, you’ll either have to have an agreement to borrow them from another agency or rent them. Much like your sanitation needs, you should work out these agreements in advance so that you can activate them quickly when needed.
Similarly, a longer incident will require power. Whether you’re working from the back of a truck, under a pop-up structure or in another structure, you’re going to need power to recharge radios and cell phones, and keep your laptops and other technology running. Chargers in vehicles will get you by for a short time, but eventually you’re going to need a larger power supply. Remember, when you’re selecting generators or battery packs, be sure to also plan for extension cords, power strips, splitters, electrical tape, cord covers to prevent tripping hazards and any other auxiliary items you need to keep everything powered up.
Communications
It might not seem like it, but communications is a logistics function. Your logistics team is responsible for ensuring that your radios and cell phones are powered and functional and that your frequencies are deconflicted with other response agencies. You’ll need to ensure that you have the ability to charge radios. You may also need a radio base station and antenna to provide additional power and coverage area.
A potable communications truck or trailer is the best answer for departments that can afford them. This solution offers a weather-free workspace, limited setup time, and the ability to monitor multiple radio channels, TV and online feeds – essentially a more integrated response. If you can’t afford a portable communications vehicle, or it can’t get to the response, consider a hand-portable containerized Fly-Away kit that includes response basics.
Logistics training
As you can see, emergency logistician is a big job. The good news: There are excellent training sources available for your team.
FEMA offers an initial orientation for emergency logistics staff – FEMA IS27, a four- hour course. This and other FEMA Independent Study courses can be accessed from the FEMA Emergency Management Institute. There is no cost for FEMA Independent Study courses.
Ideally, logistics officers would also complete the FEMA NIMS ICS All Hazards Logistics Section Chief course (ICS 450 for federal employees). This is a 30-hour resident course with prerequisites for this training. FEMA E8540, Interagency Logistics, is a 28-hour course geared more toward mid- to senior-grade federal responders from the military services and agencies such as DHS and FEMA itself. There are prerequisites for this course as well. With the recent closure of the National Fire Academy and FEMA National Training Center, these courses are currently unavailable.
Emergency logistics training is also available from a variety of other federal, state and commercial sources. Your state or municipality emergency management agency is a good starting point for finding logistics training. Colleges and universities also offer a variety of educational options that might algin with this training. The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), for one, offers both online and instructor-led, non-academic credit logistics courses. And MIT offers a humanitarian logistics online non-credit course.
Next steps
Logistics is an important part of every response, and the logistics needs grow along with the size and complexity of the operation. You do not want to be worried about Step 1 questions once an emergency is already underway. Start planning now. Identify your go-to emergency logistician and anyone else who could join the logistics team. A little bit of training and preparation can go a long way toward making the entire team’s life a lot easier as the response stretches on.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paul Fawcett is a retired U.S. Coast Guard officer who has served in a variety of response and support roles, including maritime search and rescue controller, contingency planner, and maritime law enforcement boarding officer. Fawcett’s final duty assignment was as Chief of Logistics for Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay. He currently serves as the Deputy Director for Network Process Management for Distribution, Defense Logistics Agency.
