Logistics Checklist for the First 24-48 Hours
1) Find out the scope of the disaster.
This information will probably come from your RDPO, government relations, mass care, public
affairs, external relations and staffing. This is important for the following reasons:
 Need to find the right number of right sized facilities in safe locations to meet the needs
of the population.
 Will there be continuing weather considerations?
 Is it rural?
 Will there be animal or pet needs?
 Will there be cultural feeding needs?
These are a few questions that will affect the way Transportation, Supply, Procurement, Facilities
and In-Kind donations will approach their beginning operations.
2) Assess the availability of staff and request more if needed. Some questions to ask:
 Who has P cards?
 How many sites do you have to open & who can do Facilities Agreements?
 Who can make ReQuest entries?
 Who is available to move trailers & supplies?
3) Participate in all planning and staff meetings! The more you know, the better you can anticipate
needs and make decisions.
4) Locate & acquire any/all regional data, inventories & lists they have. Things to look for right away
include:
 A list of all available chapter/regional vehicles and trailers.
 A current inventory of all supplies & materials.
 The location of all existing chapter/regional facilities agreements.
 A list of local/regional vendors that have established agreements/contracts with the
region.
 A list of national vendors that have existing Red Cross agreements.
5) Set up the Supply & Sourcing Activities. It is important to get these up & running as soon as
possible so that you can receive & prioritize f6409 requisitions and begin tracking and fulfilling
them. The longer you wait to start these activities, the harder it will be to play catchup later!
Tasks for Supply should include:
 Establish signing authority.
 Acquire a copy of the current regional inventory.
 Set up a numbering system for F6409s and begin to record them in a log or spreadsheet.
 Establish a system for receiving F6409s from other groups/locations.
 Make sure you know who all in the region has a P-Card and who is using them.
 Know what the purchase limits are for P-cards. Ask for increased limits if needed.
6) Begin to assess all transportation needs & challenges, not just for logistics, but for all other
groups & activities as well. Check with DA to identify any road closures that may affect the
movement of supplies and/or people.
7) Meet with the Mass Care lead to assess sheltering and feeding needs for the next 24-48 hours.
They will be your biggest client for the first few days! Some basic questions to ask:
 Number of cots, comfort kits, blankets, snacks, etc. needed at shelters?
 Do we have enough of these items in our regional inventory or do we have to look outside
our region?
 What is the anticipated number of clients for the next 24 hours?
 How many meals do you plan to serve?
 What kind of meals (hot, cold, shelf stable) and at what times?
 Remember contracts that will cost $10,000.00 or more need to have a PO obtained through
ReQuest.
8) Set up headquarters facility with furnishings, copiers and other supplies as needed. Hopefully
your region already has a plan in place and has enough office supplies to get started. This may be
in a chapter office to start with, but you need to make sure that you have adequate space and
materials for the size & scope of the operation.
9) Set up the facilities group & begin to locate any additional facilities needed for the operation,
such as a warehouse, additional shelters, a reception center, a staff shelter, etc.
 It is easier to start your search by checking on facilities that have existing agreements and
surveys.
 Begin collecting facility agreements and facility walk through paperwork.
 Start a list or spreadsheet of all open facilities that includes name, address & contact
information for each one. Be sure to share this list with IP/Planning.
10) Start to acquire any additional equipment and/or services needed to support all facilities. These
items may include:
 Forklifts & pallet jacks
 Dumpsters or additional trash pickups
 Security services
 Additional tables & chairs
11) Hold a staff meeting with your group.
 Share with your staff pertinent information obtained at meetings.
 Make sure they are clear on what is expected of them.
 Lay out your goals for the next 24-48 hours.
 Additionally, as more staff arrives, meet with them individually to assess were they would like
to work and at what level are they capable.
 REMEMBER: DROs ARE THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR MENTORING AND TRAINING.
12) Liaison with other site locations i.e. Chapters, Regions, satellite sites, as to their need for
additional logistics support and resources, both material and human. Coordination is the key to
getting the operation up & running smoothly.
13) Begin working on your Service Delivery Plan.
14) Keep the Job Director and/or Logistics AD in the loop. Make sure that they are aware of any
problems or challenges that come up.
15) Provide F6455 Resource sheets for personnel answering chapter phones.
16) Communicate, Coordinate and Delegate! Remember, you can’t do everything yourself. Set clear
goals & expectations for your team (and the other groups/activities) and then let them do their
jobs.
17) If the event is large enough to bring in a DRMT team, begin to plan on your transition to the
ConOps/District Model. Questions to ask might include:
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What will be the new structure and/or T/O?
Will they be consolidating logistics to HQ or leave them in the districts?
Who will be responsible for reporting daily f5266 numbers?
How/When will the transition take place?