50810event12652069421475891375<![CDATA[Op Ed by Ozlem Ergun, Pinar Keskinocak, and Julie Swann In Atlanta Journal & Constitution]]>
The earthquake in Haiti, tsunami in Indonesia, and Hurricane
Katrina are all events that inspire us to help. In a rush of support, we make
donations and expect quick results. With frustration, however, we see that
there is a gap between the event and when supplies actually reach people in
need. Why? In the case of Haiti, the infrastructure was completely destroyed.
The main port and airport were not operational for the first 48 hours, making it
impossible for aid to enter the country. Once the airport’s runway was
operational, there was chaos prioritizing which planes should land. Even after
aid was on land, debris blocked roads with no available equipment to clear
them. This is the conundrum that’s plaguing relief workers and frustrating and
confusing those donating money for recovery To read full text, click on link below: http://www.ajc.com/opinion/logistics-ignored-in-disaster-289549.html]]>
Barbara Christopher
Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering