Milton has potential to disrupt fuel supply chain, hinder any recovery efforts

As Hurricane Milton is now forecast to (possibly) hit Tampa as a Category 5 storm, it’s important to consider the supply chain risks. Fuel supplies for much of Florida, especially central Florida, arrive from Texas and Louisiana through the Port of Tampa. If Milton shuts down the port, it could seriously disrupt the fuel supply into western and central Florida, which could then hinder recovery efforts.

Recovery crews and logisticians should consider bringing their own fuel when responding to the storm and should work with emergency managers in getting on-site advice. It is not too late to surge extra fuel by truck into Tampa and Orlando. Anyone who depends on generators or fuel for critical functions should plan for an extended period without access to fuel. Power outages kill. Most deaths from Hurricane Irma in 2017 in Florida were caused by power outages and generators that ran dry.

Expert: Ben Ruddell, director of the FEWSION Project and professor in the School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems; (928) 523-3124 or [email protected]

What is FEWSION?

FEWSION, which is funded by the NSF, uses comprehensive data mapping to monitor domestic supply chains down to individual U.S. countries. It was developed to give government officials and emergency managers accurate information about their supply chains so they can be aware of the risks from hurricanes, pandemics, geopolitical issues and other factors that can affect supply chains, thus helping communities and states plan and give confidence to consumers as they understand how resilient their supply chains are. FEW-View™, the supply chain visualization website, is available to the public.