From Hurricane Katrina to Hurricane Harvey: Actions, Issues, and Lessons Learned in Transportation and Logistics Efforts for Emergency Response

Over the past years, the frequency and scope of disasters affecting the United States have significantly increased. Efforts have been made by government agencies to improve the nation’s disaster response framework in order to minimize fatalities and economic loss in disasters. Disaster response has evolved over time as the emergency management agencies have incorporated changes in their organization and emergency response functions to accommodate lessons learned from past disaster events. Technological advancements in disaster response have also improved the nation’s ability to prepare for and respond to natural hazards. This paper seeks to identify how effective policy changes and new technology have aided emergency response with regard to transportation and logistics sector as well as identify lessons learned for further development. Specifically, this study compares and contrasts the transportation and logistical support to emergency relief efforts during and after Hurricanes Katrina (which affected New Orleans in 2005) and Harvey (which affected Houston in 2017). This comparison intends to outline the major steps taken by government and private entities in the transportation and logistics sector to facilitate emergency response and the issues faced during the process. Finally, the paper summarizes the lessons learned from both the hurricane events and provides recommendations for further improvements in transportation and logistical support to disaster response.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ABR20 Standing Committee on the Logistics of Disaster Response and Business Continuity.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Collier, John
  • Balakrishnan, Srijith
  • Zhang, Zhanmin
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 98th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2019-1-13 to 2019-1-17
• Date: 2019

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 6p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Disaster preparedness; Disaster relief; Emergency management; Evacuation; Hurricanes; Lessons learned; Logistics; Transportation policy
• Identifier Terms: Hurricane Harvey, 2017; Hurricane Katrina, 2005
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Highways; Policy; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01697981
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 19-05576
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 1 2019 3:51PM