The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a more-active-than-usual hurricane season in 2021—and the Exchange is making sure BXs and PXs have everything they need to help their communities weather the storm.
The Exchange’s Merchandising Directorate is working around the clock to proactively build inventory at distribution centers, ensuring items that have historically seen high demand during severe weather, such as water, flashlights, batteries and extension cords, are in stock and ready to ship at a moment’s notice. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
In 2020, careful planning helped the Exchange care for military communities through five hurricanes, one tropical storm and three typhoons in the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts, Puerto Rico, and the Indo-Pacific theater. The Exchange shipped more than 60,000 supplies to BXs and PXs in each storm’s path.
“Once the orders are placed for the DCs, the stores will start looking at what they need and send an item list,” said Planning, Allocation and Replenishment Manager Todd Anderson. “Most of the requests will come in two weeks or so before the storm so they can get what they need well ahead of time.”
Additionally, the Exchange’s Disaster Support Group—a virtual meeting of Exchange leaders worldwide—ensures a constant flow of information about hurricane preparedness at every level of the organization.
“We started using Microsoft Teams last year as a result of the pandemic, and it’s a great platform for cross-communication,” said Contingency Program Manager Richard Silvis. “Senior leaders attend, and everyone gets time to talk. If there are fuel, inventory or supply chain considerations related to a storm, or if a local commander tells a GM that we need to close a store, the person responsible for each of those topics will be there to catch everyone up to speed.”
The Exchange also has mobile field exchanges—stores on wheels stocked with snacks, beverages and hygiene essentials—on standby in case of severe storm damage requiring military rescue support in affected communities.
“We’ll have MFEs in the field supporting exercises by the end of June, and any remaining will be at the Waco Distribution Center,” Silvis said. “Some of these exercises will be relatively short, and natural disasters take precedent when it comes to support, so if we need any of them back, we’ll come get them and deploy them immediately.
“When a storm hits, our foremost concern is accountability—making sure all associates are safe and accounted for. But as far as preparation goes, I think we are in good shape.”
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