by Stan Frank
At the American Red
Cross, like in the military, “Logistics” is the branch of operations that deals
with the procurement, distribution, maintenance and replacement of material and
personnel. Logistics enables all other
departments to function.
In the
Greater New York Region, which serves nearly 13 million people across New York
City, Long Island, the Lower Hudson Valley and Greenwich, Conn., and responds to about seven
emergencies daily including home fires, floods, building collapses and more,
Kathie Cayton is the Regional Manager of Logistics.
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| Kathie Cayton |
Kathie
joined the American Red Cross nearly 5 years ago. Before becoming Greater New York Regional
Manager of Logistics, she served as a Disaster Program Manager
and Regional Logistics Manager for the Northeast New York Region, and Regional
Logistics and Mass Care Manager for the Western/Central and Eastern New York
Regions. Prior to joining the Red Cross,
Kathie held senior management positions with the Girl Scouts ”Heart of Hudson”
Council.
“Our goal is to be ready for any emergency, large or small. We pre-stage equipment and supplies
throughout the Greater New York Region and our team can respond rapidly to any
event,” said Kathie.
Logistics oversees the following activities:
Facilities
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| Example of cots set up at a shelter. |
When a major
emergency occurs, the first thing Logistics does is identify a location that
can be used as a Disaster Headquarters or Staging Area, which has adequate space
and facilities to accommodate the needs of the Red Cross response. Each event presents different operational
needs. For example, in response to a
flood or fire in a densely populated area, a facility with a large space for
cots and food service would be selected. This might be in a school gym or
church or large public building. Often,
Logistics will work in conjunction with a public agency such as a local OEM
(Office of Emergency Management) to locate an appropriate facility.
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| Supplies, kits and vehicles at the Middletown warehouse. |
Supplies
An enormous collection of supplies and
equipment is positioned across New York City, Long Island and across
the Metro New York North Region. Logistics also maintains a 9000 square foot warehouse facility in Middletown, NY. Much of the space is lined floor to ceiling
with industrial shelving for storage of comfort kits, cots, blankets, clean up
kits and water.
“We also
have dozens of vans, emergency response vehicles (ERVs), box trucks and tractor
trailers loaded with cots, blankets, comfort kits, clean-up kits, personal
supply kits, and feeding equipment all of which are stockpiled at various sites
throughout the region and ready to go when and where they are needed,” said Kathie.
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| Stocked trailers at Brooklyn Navy Yard. |
Supplies are also strategically located at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where 10 stocked tractor trailers are ready for immediate use.
The Supply team maintains computer inventories of all New York supplies and equipment and can order additional needed inventory from National’s warehouses including the nearest warehouse in Pennsylvania. When a requisition is received, staff can quickly determine if we have the needed supplies in stock or need to draw upon National’s inventory or need to purchase or rent it from private vendors.
Procurement
Because of
the wide range of emergencies and disasters the Red Cross responds to, there is
often a need to procure additional supplies to meet needs specific to an event. To prepare for this contingency, the Red Cross
has contracts with vendors throughout the country for the purchase or rental of
things like additional cots, chairs, portable restrooms, portable showers,
janitorial supplies, dumpsters, fork lifts, cars and trucks, furniture, copy
services, building maintenance supplies, ready-to-eat food services and all
types of medical equipment such as wheelchairs, canes, walkers, etc. If additional
equipment or supplies are needed, the Red Cross has contracts with many major
vendors across the region and across the county for the purchase or
rental of additional vehicles, supplies or specialized products.
In-Kind Donations
During large scale disasters, the Logistics team will often work with the Development team to develop partnerships with supply manufacturers or distributors, who may donate materials at a reduced cost or at no cost. For example, a manufacturer of work gloves may donate several cases or a truckload of its products during an emergency.
Transportation
Depending on
the nature of the response to a disaster or emergency, the Red Cross could utilize different types of chapter-owned or rental vehicles, including cars, SUVs, trucks, and trailers. Keeping
track of all these vehicles, their usage, their location, their condition, and
their drivers is a challenging job. 
To manage this function, the Logistics team maintains a sophisticated computer system
that tracks all vehicles at all times until they are returned to their
original location.
The Logistics Team
All of the logistics functions would not be possible without the amazing Logistics staff and volunteers. Depending on the size and nature of an emergency or disaster, Kathie can draw upon her staff and a large number of Logistics volunteers who are trained and equipped to respond rapidly.
Throughout the year, the team holds meetings, training opportunities, assists at events, participates in exercises, and last year held an ERV-Rodeo!
“To effectively respond to any emergency or disaster, you first need people
with a commitment to help,” said Kathie. “To enable
them to help, however, you need them to be able to access the proper equipment,
supplies and materials. At the Red Cross
we provide both! We have the people and
the logistical system for them to function at the highest level. Although we hope it never occurs, we are
ready for any challenge that comes our way.”
If you would like to join the Logistics Group as a volunteer,
contact Kathie Cayton at Kathie (dot) cayton (at) redcross (dot) org
