The humanitarian relief chain

Abstract

Supply Chain Management is a concept that originated and flourished in the manufacturing industry and has been subsequently adapted to many different areas. At present Disaster Management is one of those areas to which it has been adapted. Disaster Management is the set of rules for the coordination of activities at the disaster area and the rational usage of resources. During a disaster several logistics decisions should be made. The unpredictability of global emergencies (e.g., volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods) and the stakes of the adequate and timely delivery of the goods/services and challenge of managing material flow in the relief operations, which hold as their ultimate objective the delivery of the appropriate level of resources to locations worldwide in order to minimize human suffering and loss of life.