LAST-MILE POINTS OF DISTRIBUTION: OPTIMAL DISASTER RELIEF FOR WINDWARD OAHU AND MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII

Abstract

The island of Oahu is the most populous island in the State of Hawaii. If Oahu were to be struck by a natural disaster, its citizens and strategic assets, including military installations located on the island and service members living in Oahu communities, would be vulnerable to disruptions to the island’s central supply chain. To support disaster relief, last-mile points of distribution (POD) to act as the handoff points for people seeking food and water are needed. Predetermining POD locations helps planners pre-position supplies before a disaster and get supplies to affected communities quickly afterward. We developed a data set and model to determine optimal POD locations for windward Oahu communities for both resupply and pre-covery situations. We studied idealized, manpower-constrained, and optimistic scenarios to determine which PODs are chosen given different model constraints. Looking across 87 possible PODs for windward Oahu, we found different subsets that serve each scenario studied. Overall, five locations near Marine Corps Base Hawaii and in windward communities are identified as optimal for both resupply and pre-covery, including four schools and one park. Federal and state plans should highlight these locations for future distribution management planning.