Logistics aid group ready to assist Louisiana

   The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) is rallying its freight logistics and transportation service provider members to assist with potential disaster recovery in the wake of a tropical storm that’s expected to make landfall in South Louisiana by Saturday
   Tropical Storm Barry may precipitate as much as 15 inches as it crosses over southern Louisiana and still has the potential to reach hurricane strength. 
   “As a result, we have good reason to believe this could be the first significant hurricane of the 2019 season,” said Kathy Fulton, ALAN’s executive director, in a statement.
   ALAN is a philanthropic industry organization that was started nearly 15 years ago to provide free logistics assistance to disaster relief organizations before, during and after catastrophic events.  
   The organization already has reached out to local, state and federal agencies, as well as nonprofits, that it’s members are ready to offer assistance as necessary.
  “While there have been no requests for our assistance yet, that situation could quickly change if Barry continues to strengthen and travel on its predicted path,” Fulton said. “If we do receive requests, we’ll try to communicate them quickly via our disaster micro-site as well as our Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.”
   Logistics businesses that would like to offer their help to South Louisiana may contact ALAN through its website page. 
   On Wednesday, FreightWaves senior meteorologist Nick Austin (pictured), who is closely tracking the storm, said due to the projected amount of rainfall for southern Louisiana from the storm, commodity shippers calling ports in the Lower Mississippi River, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, could experience transportation delays.
   ALAN said additional information for the effected region’s businesses is available through the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 
   Watch Austin’s forecast here.