Humanitarian Logistics and Its Role in Preparedness and Response Phases of Disaster Management Cycle Concentrating on Earthquake

By looking at natural disasters which have occurred in recent decades, we will understand that such disasters will cause financial and human costs for governments and societies. One of the most important activities which is done in every relief operation and encompass roughly 80 percent of all activities is logistics operations. Because of this matter, a new area and subject to title of humanitarian logistics is stated in the literature in recent years. Humanitarian logistics aims to minimize loss of lives by using common models in commercial logistics and considering specific situation and issues such as stochastic demand, lack of precise information aftermath of a crisis, transportation network failure, and very short and limited relief time. This review article explores every aspect of humanitarian logistics and shows its active and widespread role in preparedness and response of any relief operations. In this paper, definition of humanitarian logistics and in upper level humanitarian relief chain is presented and then, literature review of this issue is stated. Finally, the most important and unknown factors which must be considered to improve the level of humanitarian logistics operations before and the aftermath of an earthquake are discussed.