When you make the decision to activate,
assemble a team. A POD team consists of a Manager, a Loading
team, and a Support team. The manager is responsible for
everything at the POD; staffing and supply levels, supply
chain flow, safety, and reporting. Under the direction
of the manager, the Loading team conducts loading
operations. They keep the vehicles moving safely
through the line. The Support team resupplies, unloads
bulk commodities, and sustains staff operations including
rest areas and trash removal. A public information officer
is part of the support team too. You will need one on site
to talk to the media and provide information to residents.
Safety at the POD site is paramount! Inspect your work area
daily, wear proper gear, and report injuries or incidents
immediately. Each LEMA has different issues to
consider. You can see why planning ahead is
vital to your POD operation and your
community’s recovery.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers has
developed a typing standard for PODs which you may want to
adopt.
Type III POD is the smallest. It is 150 by
300 feet. A staff of 19 supports three loading points and
one vehicle lane. This POD can serve 5000 people per day.
Type II POD is 250 by 300 feet. A staff of
34 supports six loading points and two vehicle lanes. The
POD serves 10,000 a day.
The largest, Type I is 250 by 500 feet. A
staff of 78 supports 12 loading points and four vehicle
lanes. Type I is only used in large metropolitan areas and
serves 20,000 per day.
PODs are generally open to the public for
twelve hours a day. Recommended hours are 7am to 7pm.
Shutting down for re-supply from 7pm to
7am is a good practice. Staff issues decrease. This
gives your personnel and volunteers a break and also
reduces the amount of time the POD is open to the public
in low light conditions.
A vehicle enters the POD through a
12-foot wide lane marked with traffic cones. The
Traffic Controller stands at the front where everyone
can see him or her and signals a vehicle to stop.
Once everyone stops, the Traffic Controller blows one
long whistle blast and shouts “LOAD!” “LOAD” is
echoed by the loaders. The Loaders load
supplies into the car then step back and shout “CLEAR”.
The Traffic Controller visually verifies that veryone
has cleared the line. Another long whistle blast, hand
signal and the car leave, the next one enters the line
and the process repeats. The POD manager monitors
the burn rate to keep the supply chain flowing. The
consumption rate is reported to LEMA each day. Once the
disaster winds down, these inventory reports validate
costs and are used to recoup costs. When recovery
has reached a point where the local community can
sustain itself, the
POD will close. Give advance notification
of closing! Let LEMA, the property owner, and the public
know 24-36 hours before you shut down operations.
Have a plan in place of where to
send anyone who shows up after closing. Some people
may still need help.
Make sure the site is completely
clean when you leave. This maintains good will with
the owners so you can use their site again should
the need arise.
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