City of Seattle

The Puget Sound region faces some of the nation’s most severe natural hazards — especially earthquakes. At the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI), we prepare for post-disaster building safety evaluations through planning, training and resource development. Yet in a major earthquake such as Cascadia Subduction Zone or Seattle Fault earthquake, impacts will overwhelm local capacity. No single jurisdiction will have enough resource on its own. External assistance and preestablished partnerships are essential.

Nationwide, logistics gaps repeatedly slow response. These gaps are not failures — they underscore the need to strengthen and formalize decentralized logistics systems. FEMA’s Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP) demonstrated that collaborative, multi-jurisdictional planning is one of the most effective ways to build readiness.

The City of Seattle, in partnership with eight counties and six cities in the Puget Sound region, participated in the Puget Sound Regional Catastrophic Planning Program to prepare for a catastrophic earthquake. Over multiple years, regional partners developed frameworks and updated response plans through projects that included:

• Establishing structures for regional coordination

• Assessing port and maritime capabilities and creating a Maritime Resilience Framework

• Mapping community points of distribution sites and analyzing capacity for final mile delivery

• Evaluating the regional food supply chain and building private-public partnerships to sustain essential commodities for survivors

Why Disaster Logistics Matters

Disaster logistics ensure that critical resources reach the right place at the right time, even under damaged infrastructure and uncertain conditions. Without strong logistics, emergency operations falter and improvised systems slow life-saving efforts. To be effective, logistics capacity must be embedded into routine government operations and able to scale quickly for no-notice events and long-duration crises like COVID-19.

The Universal Logistics Standard

Through FEMA’s RCPGP, the New York-New JerseyConnecticut- Pennsylvania region developed the Universal Logistics Standard— a model any jurisdiction can adopt. Its core premise: coordinated response requires a common operating standard established before a disaster occurs.

“Coordinated response requires a common operating standard established before a disaster occurs.”

The Universal Logistics Standard centers on three strategies:

• Resource Management: Identify needs and manage supply chains before and after disasters.

• Movement Coordination: Move resources through multimodal transportation networks (road, air, rail, maritime), even when infrastructure is compromised.

• Distribution Management: Deliver resources to operations sites and communities through distribution points that adjust to evolving needs.

In the Puget Sound region, this approach is already being applied. Seattle and regional partners integrate these logistics strategies into catastrophic earthquake planning, resource inventories, maritime and transportation assessments and private-sector partnerships. While FEMA’s RCPGP for FY 2026 is pending, the regional model continues to strengthen cross-sector collaboration. Local supply chains are able to scale, integrate with state and federal systems and operate under both push logistics (initial influx of aid) and pull logistics (needs-based resource requests). Throughout the response operations, logistics functions continually request, acquire, move, deliver, track and replenish resources.

Why Executive Leadership Must Act

Seattle has incorporated the Universal Logistics Standard into its Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and regional coordination frameworks. The structures and partnerships exist with continued leadership to strengthen regional readiness. Other regions not yet engaged in this model should:

• Integrate disaster logistics into routine government operations

• Endorse the Universal Logistics Standard across jurisdictions

• Maintain regional resource inventories and cross-sector partnerships

• Fund scalable logistics staffing and cross-agency training

• Incorporate the standard in emergency plans, exercises and operational playbooks

The Path Forward

The Puget Sound region’s ability to respond to and recover from catastrophic events depends on a coordinated, multi-level logistics system that can function under pressure, uncertainty and damaged infrastructure. With clear policy direction, strong partnerships, and sustained investment, Seattle and its regional neighbors can continue building a logistics model grounded in the Universal Logistics Standard that delivers coordinated, effective and life-saving assistance when disaster strikes.