Journal of Critical Infrastructure Policy
The January 2020 pre-pandemic text gives particular attention to “ feedback loops ” that shape channels of transportation , communication , and financial transactions across demand and supply networks . The text argues , “ Fast , accurate feedback is fundamental to velocity . Without velocity , enormous volume can self-create congestion .” Most disaster management approaches tend to focus on supply-push and volume , especially featuring federal , state , and charitable emergency distributions of water and shelf-stable-food . The prior article proposed that commercial flows featuring demand-pulling delivery speed with accurate targeting are at least as important — even more important in catastrophes involving large populations .
Pandemic outcomes — in China , the United States , and elsewhere — have now dramatically confirmed this strategic principle .
How should this demand-pulling-velocity principle inform strategic and practical responses to catastrophically destructive events ? The first installment and most of what follows focuses on adapting this principle to the implications of a Cascadia megathrust earthquake in the Puget Sound region .
The first recognized case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Puget Sound . Until mid-March , Puget Sound was the epicenter of the U . S . outbreak . Despite ( or because of ?) this challenging start , Puget Sound has — so far — avoided many of the worst pandemic outcomes . 3 Because of preparedness for a Cascadia seismic event , Puget Sound was better prepared for the pandemic . Because of its pandemic experiences , Puget Sound can now be better prepared for a megathrust earthquake — if the region recognizes what has worked and why in terms of Supply Chain Resilience . The same insights are relevant to most jurisdictions and catastrophic contexts .
The demand and supply networks described in the first installment are shifting . The fundamental character of demand is evolving . Sudden-onset mass-unemployment , continued pandemic risk , and acceleration of long-emerging technological , demographic , and social trends are transforming prior patterns . There are , however , also very stubborn factors of time , distance , density , capacity , cost , and physics that constrain change . The ability to monitor and understand both constancy and change is key to Supply Chain Resilience .
Pre-Pandemic Fundamentals 4
In most of the United States and many other places , large populations depend on high volume , high velocity demand and supply networks . Over-time — and especially over the last thirty-plus years — the interactions of demand and supply have created lattice works of physical infrastructure , technological capabilities , fi-
2020 .
4 Please see first installment in this series : “ Food and Other Supply Flows in Case of Catastrophe ,” Journal of Critical Infrastructure Policy , Spring / Summer 2020 .
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