Why is it after tragic events that when a truckload of supplies arrive they leave it way out on often good solid parking lots with no obstructions to the door and use a human chain to hand it to one another all the way to the door, instead of just backing closer to the door and use less manpower that could be used someplace else? If there is a simple reason please tell me.

You killed me at the human chain!!!!! Ha ha ha ha!

All for appearances I guess!

Photo opportunity

Most likely those supplies arent going into the doors where its being dropped off at.

Course there's also two kinds of delivery guys...the ones that never touch the stuff and drop it wherever the want and the ones that actually have to bring the stuff in. You can guess who pulls up closer to the door.

Also why do they allow cheap trailer at hurricane locations. In South east Asia the old wooden structures were base on telephone pole like supports thatched roofs, but it was all tied together and easy to repair the little damage done. THe last time I was in Okinawa it was a concrete island, every building was concrete typhoon(hurricane) proof. I was there in the late '60s and there was almost no damage. Now look at Florida and the south east- no change at all after all these years and all these hurricanes......I don't understand it, I guess if you have insurance you just don't care......jk

I have to agree that I find more security in preparing for the storm instead of trying to change the weather cycles by how many hamburgers I eat !

Id imagine living in a concrete house in florida would be like living in a steamer even with AC. Especially more inland where you dont get as much benefit from the oceans.

While it may very well be just a photo op. If you have never worked or helped on something like this disaster. It can be hard to understand. I personally have never worked a disaster on of that scale.
I have however been involved over the last 40 years with lots of various events involving lots of volunteers.
I recently seen a news video myself of mainly group of woman unloading a truck in line. One case of water, case by case in a line passing one person to the next.
I do believe that was a photo op for the press.
But
And there is always a But. Right?
Maybe this group was cooks, or food servers counselors? Ladies church group?what ever. Maybe the person who would normal run a lift truck was doing something more important. Maybe there isn't even a lift truck available for miles. There is always more going on than what you might see on camera or in news video. It could be as simple as giving that group passing water, sand bags, what ever the item. A sense of purpose, a chance to keep them occupied doing something of seemingly small value while other things are going on in a more hot zone. Could just be keeping the press out of the way of something.
People want to make these disasters a political thing. It's worse because it's an election year.
When you are boots on the ground in an event like this on this scale.
Logistics and triage becomes a nightmare there are overwhelming amount of moving parts. Lots of people want to help and deciding where best to use them is difficult at best.
Unfortunately some times the volunteer you can't keep busy find the right job for. Just do nothing but bad mouth the people who have more important things to deal with..

Mac

"Never Forget Which Way Is Up!"

Actually full cinder block construction was once quite common along the coast. If you poured and rebarred the cores quite strong as well. And probably the best of all for staying cool in the heat due to thermal mass.

I lived in a cinder block house for a few years and it was easy to keep cool and to heat. Matter of fact the only heat was the fireplace.

If I were to build today money no object I go cinder block.

If it arrived in a freight truck, an unloading spot was needed. Usually an agency takes over distribution. People must communicate their needs in order to receive adequate help.

I read in the Asheville paper that a woman was complaining that before the storm arrived nobody came to her door to tell her family to evacuate. She lived along a river!

Sad.

My grandfather bought land near st petersburg Florida in the 40's, all the houses built then were cinderblock.. BECAUSE of the hurricanes....never found them to be uncomfortable

Often it's a case of get it off the truck and get the truck out of the way asap. Plus there's may not be no real inventory of items coming in so it needs to be gone through before distribution with some getting passed immediately to other smaller trucks for immediate distribution while other goods can be stored and structures with roofs for storage may be limited. Kind of a triage type situation.

My two largest barns are cinder block and they do stay much cooler than the other 3, which have metal siding. They stay warmer in cool weather too.

Besides just being a photo op, having a team of volunteers, who aren't really where they can do any meaningful work, work together on something they can actually do, makes them feel better about themselves and unites them.

Keith