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Humanitarian Logistics
Book

Humanitarian Logistics

Meeting the Challenge of Preparing for and Responding to Disasters

Peter Tatham and Martin Christopher
Kogan Page, 2014
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Innovative

Recommendation

When a devastating earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, humanitarian relief organizations such as the Red Cross, Oxfam International, Food For The Poor and SOS Children immediately went to work to provide lifesaving aid. Their humanitarian logisticians are the unsung heroes responsible for getting lifesaving supplies to those in desperate need. Written and edited by logistics authorities Peter Tatham and Martin Christopher, with contributions from numerous experts, this updated second edition compiles the best current thinking on humanitarian logistical practices. It’s a fine, definitive resource, though, like many anthologies, it can be a bit repetitive. Tatham and Christopher deserve credit for an outstanding, comprehensive manual for those in the field and those who wonder how professionals get emergency supplies into devastated areas. getAbstract recommends their illuminating compilation to NGOs, those involved in humanitarian relief and anyone who handles logistics or risk management in other fields.

Summary

Catastrophic Chaos

Across the globe, wars leave millions homeless. Natural disasters kill, displace or threaten millions more. Each year, 350 to 450 disasters – natural or manmade – diminish or destroy the livelihoods and lives of huge numbers of people, often among the world’s poorest. In 2012 alone, 357 natural disasters resulted in close to 10,000 deaths and disrupted the lives of another 124 million people. The economic damage of these catastrophes totaled $157 billion.

The number of recorded emergencies remains fairly constant year to year, but the severity of global disasters is increasing due to climate change, population growth and greater urbanization. This adds to the complexity of disaster response and to the intricacy of humanitarian logistics (HL) planning and preparation.

Humanitarian logistics is a specialized profession dealing with life-and-death issues: the movement of “water, food, shelter [materials], clothing, medicines,” and more from one point to another during the chaos of major disasters. One standard definition of HL explains that it is, “the process of planning, implementing and controlling the efficient, cost-effective flow and...

About the Authors

Peter Tatham teaches humanitarian logistics at Griffith University in Australia. Martin Christopher headed Cranfield University’s department of demand-chain management. The book includes the work of 25 expert contributors.

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